Arthur Robb Dulcimers
Arthur Robb was a Wiltshire luthier who moved from his native New York State 40 years ago, worked first near Chippenham, then settled in Malmesbury. He made many types of instruments, including lutes, mountain and hammered dulcimers, guitars, mandolas etc and was an expert restorer of unusual instruments. In the past he has made a number of unfussy, high quality dulcimers for top UK players, including the late John Shaw’s favourite instruments which appear on all his recordings.
2.362 1981 Arthur Robb Hourglass #70 [?] £395 inc. original luthier-made wooden case OR NEW robust soft case £25
Printed label with antique-style lettering: “Arthur Robb 1981/ The Old Rectory/ Christian Malford/ 70 [#?]”
Robb’s trademark wide, shallow – and extremely light – body (not bookmatched on the back) made from mahogany. The top and back extend over the sides in a so-called fiddle edge. The top is fine-grained cedar with big heart soundholes. Scroll and pegbox are a three piece sandwich, probably walnut? Originally fitted with friction violin tuners, someone had replaced them with cheap guitar tuners, which didn’t fit well with the hole locations and pegbox/scroll height. One tuner for example had the height of the peg raised by nearly an inch with a clumsy brazing job! Now fitted with geared planetary tuners and pearloid buttons. Mahogany fingerboard with rosewood overlay. Lovely custom bone fitted nut and slanted bone bridge. Bone strainer on tail leading to mushroom-headed pins as string anchors. Originally no 6+ or 13+ frets, now added. Overall length 34″, upper bout 6¼”, lower bout 7¾”, depth 1¾”, FBW 1⅜”, VSL 27⅛” (medium), weight 1lb 6oz (636g). 6+ and 13+ frets. Strings now 11/[11], 14, 23w.
Has an unbelievably low action, with shallow frets – yet manages to sound clear and sweet. An easy-to-play, unflashy but very effective dulcimer – and one custom made in the UK too!
Click on images below to enlarge.
2.118 – Arthur Robb 2015 4 String Hourglass – £Sold inc. soft case
#1250 2015 Printed label: “Arthur Robb/Malmesbury/ 1250 – 2015 [h/w]”. The body shape is similar to other dulcimers of his I’ve seen, being wide and relatively shallow. Back and sides are highly-figured, bookmatched English walnut with a nice spruce top (some bearclaw marking on the far side). Large heart soundholes, pointing to the tail. The top and back extend over the sides in a so-called fiddle edge. Lightly-strutted back and top, with internal lining throughout. Ebony fretboard overlay on hollow walnut fingerboard. 6+ and 13+ frets with pearl markers on frets 3, 7 and 10. Simple but elegant scroll and pegbox, built up from three walnut blocks; gold banjo tuners with white pearl buttons, mounted on internal wooden washers. Bone nut and compensated bone bridge, with brass mushroom-headed pins as string anchors and a bone strainer strip on the top of the walnut. An internal pickup (twin K & K piezo mounted under the top) is fitted and has a jack output from the tail. Natural finish.
Overall length 34″, upper bout 6½”, lower bout 8”, depth 1¾”, FBW 1½”, VSL 27⅛” (medium), weight 2lb 2oz (970g). 6+ and 13+ frets. Original strings 10/10, 14, 22w nickel.
Arthur has taken this back to re-set the string distances and provide a new bone nut and bridge. It now has a sweet tone, with some volume. A very classy – and very English, despite Arthur’s NY state background – dulcimer.
Click on thumbnails below to enlarge
