DULCIMER  WITH  PADAUK  BRIDGES  AND  TRIM

    While hammered dulcimers come in a variety of sizes and models, after building many instruments of different sizes and configurations, I've settled with one model... a 16/16.  (That refers to the number of pairs of strings on each bridge, in this case the treble bridge has 16 pairs of strings running over it, as well as the bass bridge.)  Common sizes for hammered dulcimers are 12/11, 15/14 and 16/15.  After building a number of 12/11 dulcimers I stopped making that size because I find that most people quickly outgrow that size of instrument.  And there are a number of manufacturers who pretty well mass produce them and have a respectable instrument available for a reasonable price.  I decided on a 16/16, rather than a 16/15, because it gives just one extra C# note, which allows you play one extra A chord... very handy when you're playing in the key of  D.

   16/16  HAMMERED  DULCIMER  WITH  WALNUT  BRIDGES  &  TRIM

WOOD

      I build my dulcimers using cedar for the soundboard.  I really like the warm, rich tone that cedar produces.  The pinblocks are made of hard maple.  The back is made of baltic birch.  I like to use the same wood for the bridges and the trim.  I think it makes for a really sharp looking instrument.  For the bridges and trim I use either walnut, purpleheart, or padauk.  Walnut is a lovely brown wood and produces a rich, mellow tone.  Purpleheart is a really cool looking naturally purple wood that produces a bright, vibrant tone.  Padauk is a stunning orangey/red wood that gives a tone somewhere between walnut's richness and purpleheart's brightness.  I would be pleased to custom build an instrument using a different wood of your preference, but these are the woods I normally use due to their tone, appearance, and local availability.

                               WALNUT  BRIDGES  AND  TRIM

Walnut is an attractive dark brown wood that produces a rich, mellow tone.

                                  PADAUK  BRIDGES  AND  TRIM

Padauk is a really nice looking reddish/orange wood that creates a very pleasant tone... not as mellow as the walnut, but not as bright as the purpleheart.

CRAFTSMANSHIP

     There are a great many builders out there, most of whom build very nice instruments.  In my travels in the dulcimer world I've noticed that some intruments look okay, some look downright ugly, and some are beautiful.  If I had the choice between a dulcimer that looks great or one that sounds great, I'd choose the one that sounds great every time.  However, what is ultimately ideal is a dulcimer that both looks and sounds beautiful.  With this in mind I've worked hard to develop my dulcimers to both have a very rich tone, and to look great.  Attention to detail, trial and error, and alot of hard work have gotten me to the point I'm at now.  I'm confident that my dulcimers are a very attractive, very nice sounding instrument.  

       AN  ALMOST  CLOSE  UP  OF  THE  SOUNDHOLE  ROSSETTE...

ONE  OF  THE  SMALL  DETAILS  THAT  GO  A  LONG  WAY  IN  MAKING  AN INSTRUMENT  LOOK  BEAUTIFUL

PRICES

16/16  hammered  dulcimer...           $1,250.00

... includes dulcimer, dulcimer stand (either sit down or stand up), one pair of  hammers,  tuning  wrench, tuning diagram, and the book "Getting Started Playing the Hammered Dulcimer".

Soft shell dulcimer case...                     $150.00

Dulcimer stand...                                  $60.00  stand up size

                                                           $50.00  sit down size

Extra hammers...                                  $25.00