Magic Mountain Dulcimers
Magic Mountain Dulcimers is the brand name of instruments made by Jim Shellnutt around San Francisco from the early 1970s until 1982/83. He opened his first workshop in Sausalito, but with a Mill Valley address on the labels (“it just sounded better”….!). In 1975 he moved to a new workshop in San Rafael, though labels maintained the old address for a few years. Jim says that 1980 was a tough time to make a living as a dulcimer maker and in the Fall he sold his business to Saga, but continued to make instruments under the new brand, creating a new workshop for them in South San Francisco. In 1982 or 1983 all production moved to Japan, quality fell (according to Jim), and he left the business to become an antique restorer.
The major competition on the west coast was of course the FolkRoots concern, and Magic Mountain had a similar product range but different design ideas. MM made budget all-ply, intermediate level ply and higher end solid-wood models – both teardrop and hourglass shaped. They tended to be even longer scale (30”) than the FRs, shallower and less bassy, more solid and perhaps (at the top end) more ornate. They also used non-traditional materials such as high quality plys, more commonly used in boats or aircraft; black bonded fibre-board (a natural, wood-based product, almost identical in looks and performance to ebony); even Formica for fingerboards (see Model 5110 1.11 below)!
2.315 Mid-70s Magic Mountain Model 4135 4 String Hourglass £325 + £20 used shell case
Silver glossy foil oval label: “Magic Mountain Dulcimers/ J.C. Shellnutt & Company/ Mill Valley, California/Made in U.S.A.” Also white oblong label with blue printing (now detached), showing trademark hooked scroll and stylised ‘MM’ logo: “Model #4135”. Tail cap has serial number #1901 stamped on it, as has the (complete) original guarantee card/purchase info.
One of the intermediate model ranges, this is made from solid wood throughout. The short body has a single-piece cherry back and well figured, nicely coloured walnut sides with a spruce top. The original registration card has: “This handmade instrument features a solid, vertical grain spruce top for the finest in tone color, volume and response. Materials and workmanship are guaranteed”. The headstock with its distinctive hook is also made of cherry, as is the fingerboard – which is not incidentally routed underneath. Original 6+ fret and mother of pearl markers frets 3, 6, 7, 10, 12 & 14. White composite nut and bridge. The string anchors are large-headed pins. The tuners on the open headstock allow easy access for re-stringing, but are direct, friction machines (with an adjusting screw on the end). They currently work well. Overall length 34¼” [vs 5000 series 37¾], upper bout 5¼”, lower bout 6¼”, height 2”, FBW 1⅜”, VSL 26⅝” (short/medium scale vs 5000 series 30”!), weight 1lb 13oz (815g), strings now 0.012/[0.012], 0.015, 0.027w. 6+ no 13+ fret.
With its light body and shortish scale length, this is a very easy to like instrument. The sound is light but very clear, capable of some nuance. Not quite as much heft as the big, heavy, long-scale 5000 series, but very pleasant to play.
Click on images below to enlarge.
1.11 Magic Mountain Model 5110 £Sold
This is a large, handsome dulcimer with highly-figured mahogany laminate sides and back; solid red fir (like cedar) fine-grained top with heart soundholes; and a pierced scroll headstock and fingerboard, both probably made of alder. The fingerboard overlay is, unusually, made of a formica-like laminate, printed with a rosewood grain. It has four Kluson Deluxe tuners with plastic buttons. Overall length 38”, upper bout 6”, lower bout 8″, height 2”, VSL 30″ (very long scale!).
6½ fret installed as original.
Marked as “Second” on the label, perhaps because it has a small bending flaw in one side between bouts. More recently, a loose strut has caused a short, almost imperceptible crack in the top leading from one of the soundholes. Strut and crack have now been repaired and affect neither looks, sound nor integrity.
Although suitable for beginners with a good reach, this is not for the faint-hearted. It is responsive and light to the touch, but it has a long scale with high tension strings on a large body. The sound is loud, well-rounded and ringing, strong on mid and bass registers.
2.176 1978 or 1979 Magic Mountain Model 5200? Hourglass #2097 £Sold
Oval silver label: “Magic Mountain Dulcimers/ Handcrafted by J C Shellnutt & Company/ Made in USA”. Has lost second label, with a blue dulcimer head on it which would have given printed model type and (probably handwritten) date/batch number. Stamped on end block/tail “2097”.
This is not the fully bookmatched model, but is still solid wood and high end. Has a classic well-proportioned hourglass shape with a large body. Sides are bookmatched walnut, back is cherry (non-bookmatched), top is spruce with heart soundholes (tails pointing to tail). Inside, there is a big reinforcing strut along the whole length of the back and the top has medium sized holes into a (presumably) hollow fingerboard. Elegant cherry hook scroll with ?walnut core, open pegbox with chunky banjo-type geared tuners and pearl buttons. Nice rosewood fingerboard with 6+ but not 13+ frets; mother of pearl markers on frets 3, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14. Ebony (?) bridge and shallow nut. Flat-headed pins at end of fingerboard for string anchors.
Overall length 37¾”, upper bout 6”, lower bout 7¾”, height 2⅛”, FBW 1½”, VSL 30″ (very long scale!), weight 2lb 9oz (1173g), strings now 0.011, 0.013, 0.024w. 6+ no 13+ fret.
A very elegant dulcimer which looks and sounds classy, even though it has needed extensive refurbishment. If you look closely, you can also see some very fine crazing in the finish, which Jim Shellnutt attributed to a poor batch of spray lacquer. Has a lightish sound but with excellent clarity and some responsiveness. An easy, low action without buzzes and decent intonation means you can work it up and across the fingerboard easily, despite the long scale length.
Click on images below to enlarge.
2.121 1979 Magic Mountain Model 5200-C Hourglass #2144.
Oval silver label: “Magic Mountain Dulcimers/ Handcrafted by J C Shellnutt & Company/ Made in USA”. Second oblong label, with image of a blue dulcimer headstock: “5200-C [stamped]/ 0779 [h/w]”. Latter is batch date July 1979. Lovely colour, close-grained redwood or cedar top with neat c-shape soundholes. Walnut sides and bookmatched back, with central multi-coloured purfling strip (and matching knot-holes!). Head is classic Magic Mountain “elephant trunk” scroll made from a sandwich of walnut facing with a ?poplar core. Chunky geared banjo-type tuners. Walnut fretboard with ebony overlay – 6+ but no 13+ fret. Mother of pearl markers on frets 3, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14. Ebony or black fiber-board (?) bridge and shallow nut (former seems to have been re-located during construction). Straight copper pins as string anchors. Inside body has central spine strut on back, cross strutting on top and holes into hollow fingerboard.
Overall length 37¾”, upper bout 6”, lower bout 7½”, height 2⅛”, FBW 1½”, VSL 30″ (very long scale!), weight 2lb 14oz (1315g), strings now 0.011, 0.013, 0.024w. 6+ no 13+ fret. Original brass strings 10, 14, 26w; now 11, 14, 25w steel and phosphor bronze.
Sound is clear, quite warm, with decent volume. Good intonation. A very versatile and attractive instrument, with an easy action – but a long scale length. Fine crazing in the finish, as #2097 above.
Click on images below to enlarge.
