Folkcraft Entry Level Series – 4 String Dulcimers
Folkcraft is one of the two best known and most reliable US builders of mountain dulcimers, with McSpadden. It prides itself on always using sold woods in its handmade instruments. David and Melissa Marks started Folkcraft Instruments in Vermont in 1974, moving to Winsted, Connecticut in 1980. David was a music teacher on the look out for cheap, easy to learn instruments when he came across the mountain dulcimer. First he worked with students to build dulcimers, then set up on his own, working part-time. By 1975, the business was booming sufficiently for David to give up teaching. In 1989, Folkcraft bought the Rugg and Jackel FolkRoots business and took over its product line. Folkcraft was sold in 2007 and the workshop moved to Woodburn, Indiana.
The T range was Folkcraft’s low cost, entry-level dulcimer, but built to a consistently high standard and made of solid woods. Many were also sent out as kits for an even more economical starting point. It looks as though Folkcraft’s new owners decided to discontinue this model when the factory moved in 2007.
Hourglass models, also with solid wood bodies and simple fingerboard/headstock construction, were made by the factory. Some were made for other retail outlets. I’ve seen two examples made for Pigeon River, a retail business in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. They could well have been sold in franchise outlets at nearby Dollywood in the 80s or 90s.
1.186 1980s? Pigeon River/Folkcraft Hourglass, 4 String, 3 Course £295 + £25 NEW Padded soft case
Printed label: “Handcrafted for Pigeon River String Instruments/Pigeon Forge TN/ by Folkcraft”. Undated but probably 1980s. Similar T-W, T-Ch & T34 entry/intermediate models were made by Folkcraft in Winsted between the mid-80s and early 90s.
All solid walnut body in an attractive chocolate dark brown, with single piece back. Simple design with single piece of walnut for fingerboard and shallow pegbox, with added scroll. Four open-geared tuners with twin-hole capstans – and very little space underneath for stringing! Solid walnut top with heart soundholes. Fingerboard is walnut (without overlay) and has a bevelled strum hollow and copper pins acting as string anchors towards its tail end. ‘Soundports’ into body under pegbox and at tail end. White, composite nut and bridge; 6+ but no 13+ fret. A mother of pearl marker (later addition?) is at fret 3. Overall length 36¼”, upper bout 5½”, lower bout 6½”, depth 1¾“, FBW 1¼“, VSL 26⅝” (medium scale), weight 1lb 14oz (843g), strings now 11/[11], 14, 22w strings. Original 6+ but not 13+ frets.
This plays well, with good intonation, a sweet sound, plenty of volume if required and excellent response across and all the way up the fingerboard. It was in very sound condition for its age, with just one scratch on the back, but suffered some significant damage in transit. Solidly but not invisibly repaired, it is no longer at risk and playing well. With its narrow fingerboard and medium scale length, this would be a very good buy for a beginner.
Click on images below to enlarge.
1.124 1985 Folkcraft TW #434 £Sold
Older nearly square Folkcraft label: “Handcrafted by:/ Folkcraft Instruments/ Winsted CT 06098/ Model: T34W – 434/ Date: 8-13-85”.
Simple but not inelegant design with solid walnut body (unbookmatched); continuous shallow headstock and fingerboard; solid walnut top with f-holes. Has the earlier Scott Antes-type angular tail. Headstock has (neatly) glued-on “scroll” and decent quality open-geared tuners with white buttons. Fingerboard has 6+ no 13+ fret, chamfered strum hollow, with bone nut and bridge. The string anchors are plain copper pins, mounted on the end of the fingerboard in typical Folkcraft fashion. Overall length 36”, lower bout 6⅞”, depth 1¾”, FBW 1⅜”, VSL 26⅝” (medium scale), weight 1lb 14oz (865g). 6+ not 13+ fret. Strings now 0.010/[0.010], 0.014, 0.024w.
Neatly constructed of good quality materials. Very slight wear on lower frets, fully repaired accident damage to side and top, otherwise in good condition. Good intonation and easy to play, despite the action being quite high towards the second octave. Sounds good!
Click on images below to enlarge.
1.122 2002 Folkcraft TW #1588 4 String 3 Course Teardrop £Sold
“Handcrafted by:/ Folkcraft Instruments/ Winsted CT 06098/ Model: [h/w] TW – 1588/ Date: [h/w] 7-22-2002.”
Entry level teardrop body made of solid walnut, bookmatched to top and sides, but a single piece back. Nice grain patterns on the top. Trailing or weeping heart soundholes. Long, single piece fingerboard and headstock with integral scroll. Shallow, closed pegbox has neat, twin-hole, open-geared tuners with pearloid buttons. 6+ no 13+ fret. Copper pins on top of tail for loop or ball-end strings. Composite nut and bridge. Strap button on tail only, just below the standard Folkcraft body “vent”.
Overall length 36”, lower bout 7”, depth 2”, FBW 1½”, VSL 27″ (medium scale), weight 2lb 02oz (966g). 6+ no 13+ fret. Original (?) strings 12/12, 14, 22w; currently fitted with 11/11, 15, 22w strings.
In pristine condition with nice original shell case. Solid wood and well constructed in a professional workshop. Intonation and action good and quality of sound/volume not bad for a small bodied instrument.
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1.139 June 1993 Folkcraft TCh #1674 £Sold
Oblong label: Handcrafted by: FOLKCRAFT/ INSTRUMENTS/ Winsted, CT 06098/ Model: TCh 1674 [h/w]/ Date: 6-14-93 [h/w]”.
Handsome entry level Folkcraft with all solid cherry body, particularly on the back which has a curly figure and contrasting black ‘shakes’. Sides are straight-grained. Simple design, featuring a single piece headstock and fingerboard, routed shallow pegbox and added ‘scroll’. Open-geared tuners with white buttons, 6+ but no 13+ fret, white composite nut and bridge, simple copper pins on tail as string anchors (for loop and ball-end strings). Overall length 36½”, upper bout n/a, lower bout 6⅞”, depth 2⅛“, FBW 1½“, VSL 26¾” (medium scale), weight 2lb 1oz (921g), strings now 11/[11], 14, 23w strings. Original 6+ but not 13+ frets.
Good sound, clear and full, with decent volume, partly because of the slightly higher action. Hardly marked and with minimal fret wear, this is a great starter instrument. Newish Viking (Hobgoblin) soft case.
Click on images below to enlarge.
1993 Folkcraft Teardrop T-W #1636 Sold
Folkcraft Teardrop 4 String, Model T-W No. 1636 made 10-13-93 by Folkcraft Instruments, Winsted, ConnecticutA smaller teardrop dulcimer with one piece solid walnut back and walnut sides. Walnut fingerboard (with no overlay) made from a long, single piece of wood, one end of which forms the shallow headstock. Fitted with decent open-geared tuners. Walnut top with f or s-shaped soundholes.
Overall length 36”, lower bout 6¾”, VSL 28¾” (medium/long scale). Complete with 6½ fret. A well-made instrument with an easy action and a bright, even sound.
Folkcraft Teardrop #No number (1990s?)
Folkcraft dulcimer made from a kit, probably in the 1990s. Very similar to the above with single piece fingerboard and integral headstock, but it’s a different shape and made from solid cherry.
No label inside suggests a Folkcraft kit, since the design and parts are typical of entry model Folkcraft teardrop. All solid cherry with Scott Antes pattern rounded tail, single piece head and fingerboard, simple scroll. Bookmatched solid cherry top with f-holes AND small hearts; single piece back. Basic but functional open guitar-style tuners; typical Folkcraft plastic nut and bridge; 6+ fret. Copper-coloured string anchors on end of fingerboard; short strum hollow.
Overall length 35⅝”, lower bout 6¾”, depth 1⅞“, FBW 1⅜“, VSL 26⅝” (medium scale), weight 2lb 2oz (957g). Complete with 6½ fret. Currently fitted 11, 15, 26w strings.
Pleasant tone but not too loud, perhaps because of thick back and top.
