North Country Dulcimers
Robert (Bob) D “Hutch” Hutchinson and his wife Yvonne built fine dulcimers in Pennsylvania from the early 1980s to the late 90s (?), and at some stage ran a music shop north of Pittsburgh. Most labels list Bairdsford, PA as their base, but one early dulcimer has Valencia, PA. Many of their instruments seem to have been sold through craft fairs. It is not clear where the unique design came from: a short-scale, small-bodied instrument with a long, swan-like neck and flat, three-pointed headstock; a high, overlaid fingerboard; and a high, floating bridge – almost like that of a cello. All were well-built and finished, although I have come across two where the stress of that long neck has begun to loosen the neck joint. They sound good, generally clear-toned and loud, but capable of some subtlety. Bob moved on to wooden kazoos at some stage, becoming The Kazoo Guy.
2.148 1980s? North Country Dulcimers 4 String 3 Course Teardrop £265 + case at extra cost NB Short scale length
Oblong printed label: “[Heart + Dulcimer logo] North Country Dulcimers/ Robert D. Hutchinson/ Yvonne P. Hutchinson/ RD #4 Box269/ Dambach Ave/ Valencia, PA 16059/[Tel. No.]”. Only teardrop NCD I have ever seen.
Undated but early instrument. Red oak (?) body with ?poplar top. Oak fingerboard with rich walnut overlay. Bookmatched back with double stripe inlay which is carried through into the stripe of a long, laminated neck and head. Head has three-pointed end and four older style, open-geared Grover tuners. Zero fret and 6+ but not 13+ frets; mushroom-headed pins as strings anchors (rather than later long, copper pins). High, floating rosewood (?) bridge, bearing on the top each side of the lowered fingerboard/strum hollow. Slight chip on the string guide/”nut” which does not affect functionality. Overall length 39¾”, lower bout 7⅛”, depth 1¾”, FBW 1½”, VSL 23½” (very short scale), weight 2lb 10oz (1199g). Strings now 13, 16, 25w.
Quite heavy instrument for the small size of body, but good volume and tone, presumably assisted by the strings bearing down on the top through that unusual bridge. No sign of structural movement.
2.145 (formerly 2.94) 1997 North Country Dulcimers 4 String 3 or 4 Course Hourglass £Sold + case at extra cost NB Short scale length
Printed slip inside: “CCH – 4 [h/w]/ North Country Dulcimers/ 1997 – 23 [h/w]/ Robert D Hutchinson/ Yvonne P Hutchinson/ Box 255/ 49 Bairdford Road/ Bairdford, PA 15006/ [tel. no.]”.
Model CCH-4, presumably Cedar top, Cherry sides and back, Hourglass shape and 4 strings (they also made 6 string models). Distinctive NCD design, with quite petite hourglass body and long, swan necked solid headstock. Horned top with good quality, chrome Grover enclosed machine heads. Body is solid cherry, with a bookmatched back and multi-coloured centre purfling, and a golden cedar (or spruce?) top – soundholes a “twisted heart” design in the LB and a simple round hole in the UB. The chunky fingerboard is also cherry with a thick, purpleheart overlay and wooden (oak/walnut?) markers for frets 3,7,10 and 14 on top AND side. Has original 1+, 6+, 8+ frets but not 13+. Very short scale length, but wideish fingerboard. Fingerboard dips where the strum hollow is usually placed, but in this case the cherry is carried on at the same level into the tail – no matching rise for the tailpiece and bridge. This is because the bridge is a large, free-floating structure (probably rosewood) whose feet sit each side of the fingerboard on the spruce top – rather like a banjo bridge but even chunkier. Copper pin tail anchors for loop or ball-end strings. The black/white/black purfling is a particularly attractive feature – made from maple and wenge – and runs the length of the back, through the headstock, and also forms a collar round the tail and neck respectively.
Overall length 39½”, upper bout 6⅛”, lower bout 7”, depth 1¾”, FBW 1⅝”, VSL 23½” (very short scale), weight 2lb 10oz (1199g). Unexpectedly, for such an early dulcimer, has 1+ and 8+ frets, as well as the usual 6+. Strings originally 12/12, 12, 20w (from an old Hutchinson card in the case), now 12, 15, 22w.
This is an attractive and distinctive design which is well-made and colourful. The action is low and, judging by the honed frets, has been set up for fast, easy playing with lightish strings. The sound is quite forceful for such a comparatively small body and short scale length, but it is not without responsiveness. Ideal for those with smaller hands who still want a full range, strong-voiced dulcimer.
This dulcimer has come home after being sold three years ago. Perhaps a few more light pick marks and scuffs than before, but I liked its sound and action then and I like them now. I also repaired it three years ago and I’m pleased to say the repair is holding up very well!
1986 North Country Dulcimers 6 String 3 Course Hourglass £Sold
Built by Robert and Yvonne Hutchinson of Bairdford, PA trading as North Country Dulcimers. Model PWH-6, dated 1986. Poplar and Walnut. Top and back are made of bookmatched Poplar, with the sides, head, heel, and fretboard overlay made of Walnut. The moveable bridge is walnut or rosewood. Overall length 38”, lower bout 7″, upper bout 6½”, VSL 23 ¼” (short scale). Open-geared Grover tuners. Zero fret for intonation and 6½ fret. Soft cover.
As you would expect, sounds a little like a 12-string guitar-equivalent. Unusual and rather handsome shape. A rarity from this reasonably well-known maker.
