Cedar Creek Dulcimers
These are big dulcimers produced in large numbers by the Hagen family in the Ozark Mountains, Missouri. They run a medium size workshop and produce dulcimers for other instrument retailers such as O’Brien in the U.S. and Bird Rock (the Red Kite) in the UK. Many of the instruments are sold cheaply as kits and, naturally, the outcome depends on the skill of the constructor. The workshop-made instruments are pretty consistent, however, the later ones being all solid wood with decent tone and good intonation/action.
1.95 1990s? 4 String Cedar Creek Kit £Sold
Unlabelled but all the hallmarks of the standard 4 String CC Hourglass.
All solid walnut big-bodied dulcimer with typical CC hooked scroll, deep slotted pegbox and enclosed tuners. Bookmatched back. Walnut fingerboard with 6+ and 13+ frets, composite nut and bridge, mushroom-headed pin string anchors. Solid walnut top has CC crosses and vine leaf soundhole design. Overall length 35¼”, upper bout 5⅝”, lower bout 8¼”, depth 2⅛”, FBW 1⅝”, weight 2lb 8oz (1147g), VSL 27⅝” (medium scale), original (?) strings 12/12, 14, 22w, now 10/10, 14, 24w. Original 6+ and 13+ frets.
Construction and finishing a little basic, but plays well and sounds good. Has needed extra oil finish to show off lustre of the walnut body.
Click on images below to enlarge.
1.65 Mid 80s (1986?) Cripple Creek 4 String Teardrop £Sold
Printed label, “Cripple Creek/ Dulcimers/ 740 Manitou Ave./ Manitou Springs, Colorado, 80829/ [tel. no.]/ 14 586 [stamped] BC [h/w]”. Birch laminate body with walnut (one piece) fingerboard, scroll, pegbox and tail. Composite nut and bridge, quite narrow frets with (originally) no 6+. Vine leaf soundholes. Open geared tuners. String anchors are two wooden dowels.
Overall length 35”, upper bout n/a, lower bout 7¼”, height 2”, FBW 1⅝”, VSL 27¾” (medium scale), weight 2lb 14oz (1294g). New 6+ fret. String sizes currently 10, 14, 23w.
Tidy beginner/intermediate model from a well-respected concern which has been making dulcimers for over 40 years.
1.50 – 2006 Cedar Creek – 4 String Hourglass – £Sold
Stamp on inner back, “Cedar Creek Dulcimers. Branson, Missouri/ Ser. # 818L [h/w]/ Date 5/06 [h/w]”. Nicely figured cherry top with laminate maple back and sides. Solid walnut scroll, pegbox and fingerboard. Composite nut and bridge. Neat hummingbird and flower design for LB soundhole, with flowers on far side UB. Small (removable) stickers numbering the frets. Simple open-geared tuners with pearloid buttons. Small mushroom-headed pins as string anchors. Very light strings currently fitted. Overall length 35”, upper bout 6⅛”, lower bout 7¾”, depth 2¼”, FBW 1⅝”, VSL 27¾” (medium scale), weight 2lb 10oz (1196g). Strings currently 9/9, 9, 18w.
Good condition, very little used. Looks good, plays well and has a decent sound.
1.46 – 2007 Cedar Creek – 4 String Hourglass – £Sold
Stamp on inner back, “Cedar Creek Dulcimers/ Ser. #337 – 0 [h/w]/ Date 11-07 [h/w]/ Branson Missouri”. Standard but nicely-executed hummingbird and vine soundholes on bookmatched cherry ( ?) top with attractive grain. Solid walnut headstock, cherry fingerboard and cherry endblock; maple (laminated) sides and back. Brass pins for string anchors; composite nut and bridge with zero fret. 6+ and 13+ frets. Overall length 35”, upper bout 6¼”, lower bout 7¾”, depth 2¼”, FBW 1⅝”, weight 2lb 3oz (998g), VSL 27¾” (medium scale). Strings now 10/10, 14, 23w.
Very little used, if at all, and in pristine condition. Bright and clear, without huge complexity, but plays very easily and in tune.
1.35 – 2003 Cedar Creek – 4 String Hourglass – £Sold
This is a quality instrument from the Ozark Mountains, Missouri, produced by the same family concern (the Hagens) that builds the Red Kite, sold in the UK by Bird Rock Dulcimers.
Solid cherry top with standard hummingbird/vine design and a solid walnut (bookmatched) back and sides. Walnut head/half scroll with chrome enclosed geared tuners and broad, walnut single-piece fingerboard. Three mushroom-headed pins for string anchors; composite nut and bridge with zero fret; complete with 6+ fret.
Overall length 35”, upper bout 6¼”, lower bout 7¾”, depth 2¼”, FBW 1⅝”, weight 2lb 8oz (1129g), VSL 27⅝” (medium scale). Original 6½ fret.
Bright and clear, without huge complexity, but plays very easily and in tune. There have been two short cracks on the top, now stable and refinished, one resulting from an impact to the nearside UB, the other a split from the unsupported soundhole in the LB. A few of the usual small dings at the edges, otherwise in excellent playing condition – a bargain solid wood dulcimer for the beginner or improving player, at a much reduced price.
