There hasn’t been much news from the workbench lately, but I hope there will be more soon!
After completing three dulcimers a few months ago, I had to take a break from working in the shop on a regular basis due to some lower back issues that missed me and decided to come for a visit. I’ve been working with excellent physical therapists, and I am improving, so I am gently and cautiously getting back to the fun and adventure of making dulcimers!
In the photo is a dulcimer that came back for some repair a few weeks ago, and it was the perfect project to get my hands back in the game, requiring light work, much of which could be done seated.
I did work as I could here and there, so I started work on a few fretboards that are now ready for slotting and carving the strum hollow, joined some backs and soundboards and bent some sides, so I have most of the wood prepared for the next three or four dulcimers. I should be making some headway with the new batch fairly soon. How much and how often I can work is still unpredictable, but I’m thankful for as much as I can do.
As I am no longer taking custom orders, I’m trying to find the best way to make various options available, so I plan to build a variety of variations on the theme, and I can always add a few extra frets on request, set them up for different tunings, etc.
I am keeping a list of people who are interested in having one of my dulcimers, and as they become available, I will contact people in the order they asked to be on the list and give them the first look to see if I have made anything they would like before posting them for sale. If you would like to be on the list, please contact me.
That’s about it. After a long, very hot and humid day, there is now thunder, rain and a cool breeze. I am thankful for the small things, which are often much larger than they appear
