Anonymous European Beginner/Intermediate Dulcimers
A variety of as-yet unidentified dulcimers made in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.
1.98 – 1990s/2000s? Anonymous 4 String, 3/4 Course Hourglass £225 inc. ply presentation case + new padded case if required £25
No label, though some writing underneath top. Design has some features in common with a recent Folkcraft, but the body size is different and the construction not that of the kits. Purchased from the UK (Hull) but with no history. Came in a presentation plywood box.
Solid walnut body and top, finished with a light brown stain; single piece back; bookmatched sides. Scroll is hooked like a Folkcraft, but the whole head/pegbox is carved rather than cut on a machine. Open-geared tuners with pearl buttons on the closed pegbox, unfortunately not paired on each side! Original and striking angular design for the soundholes, but the nearest was seemingly damaged in assembly. The ensuing short cracks were carefully and solidly glued. Nut and bridge are made from clear, hard composite (Perspex?). String anchors are on top of the tail and comprise four copper pins – in typical Folkcraft fashion.
Overall length 38”, upper bout 5⅝”, lower bout 6¾”, depth 2⅛“, FBW 1½“, VSL 26⅞” (medium scale), weight 2lb 6oz (1085g). Currently fitted 11/[11], 14, 24w strings. Original 6+ but not 13+ frets.
In excellent original condition and well-constructed. Plays very well, good intonation with some volume and subtlety.
1.39 Early 1980s Anonymous French 4 String 3 Course £Sold
I know very little about this dulcimer. From the dimensions and the original standard wooden violin tuners, looks to be late 70s or early 80s. Unusually, sides are made from some sort of quite striking exotic wood, possibly bocote or zebrano, as is the single-piece fingerboard and elegant, low cut pegbox/scroll sandwich (of which the inner core appears to be softwood). The back, equally unusually, is made from a single piece of figured ash. Hand cut, slightly uneven f-holes, bigger in the LB; rosewood nut and pinned bridge; oddly, no strum hollow, just a chamfered fingerboard (a la early Glenn), but with an original 6+ fret. Small mushroom-headed string anchors have been vulnerable to damage and one has been replaced leaving the original in situ.
Overall length 33⅞”, upper bout 5”, lower bout 7”, depth 1⅞”, FBW 1¼”, VSL 26″ (short/medium scale), weight 1lb 9oz (695g). 6+ fret. Current strings 0.011, 0.014, 0.023w.
Clearly not a kit, the design is good, the materials carefully chosen and the general build quality sound. However, various elements suggest an amateur luthier, including the fact that the back on the far side tail end does not end quite flush and the finish is not up to professional standards. However, it sounds pretty good – bright, clear and with accurate intonation after a little work on the bridge. I have changed the original friction violin pegs for open geared guitar-type tuners with ivory-coloured plastic buttons.
