Musical Traditions Dulcimers
Interesting history. The basic MT dulcimer design was conceived in the late 60s for Hank Levin, owner of the House of Musical Traditions (HMT) in New York City, by a well-respected luthier, Dennis Dorogi. Dorogi made a number of instruments to this pattern for Levin to sell in his shop. Dorogi called it his model C (for “Cheap”, he said!). It was intended as a simple and affordable instrument with a plain but elegant soundhole design comprising three holes. Levin probably needed to ramp up production to meet demand and anyway preferred the traditional heart soundholes to Dorogi’s simple elegance. So he “borrowed” the overall design and established his own workshop to mass-produce dulcimers under the Musical Traditions label. It is possible that many thousand unnumbered instruments were produced between 1969 and 1972, all stamped “Musical Traditions NYC”.
The shop inventory was bought by David Eisner in 1972 and moved to Takoma Park, Maryland (and subsequently in 1974 to Berkeley Springs, W Virginia). The dulcimer brand name and design, however, seem to have been picked up by another concern, which re-located to Sandpoint, Idaho where there was a cluster of luthiers loosely based around a shop called the “Guitar’s Friend”. The names John Rourke, Larry Kiefer and Gordy Robinson appear on Musical Traditions dulcimer labels of the time. It may be that production continued using the original stamp for a period after Levin sold the business.
To commemorate HMT’s 45th year in business (2017), David Eisner commissioned Carl Gotzmer of June Apple Dulcimers in Virginia to create a 45th Anniversary dulcimer based on the original Musical Traditions designs. Carl was one of the original builders that worked with Hank Levin, and he had the original Musical Traditions dulcimer plans on file (see 2.192 below).
2.192 NEW and UNSOLD (2017) 45th Anniversary Musical Traditions Dulcimer by June Apple. £Sold
Handwritten on back strut: “#4408/ June Apple Dulcimers/ ?Jessie ?Wills/ 7/ 14 / 17”.
Updated classic – based on the iconic Musical Traditions dulcimer, designed by Dennis Dorogi and built by Hank Levin. Has a wider, arched fingerboard and three-part sandwich, open headstock in the June Apple tradition, but the small-body, solid walnut (bookmatched) back, sides and cedar top of the original MT. Decent quality planetary (geared) banjo tuners. Has a wooden “nut” with zero fret and wooden bridge; 6+ and 13+ frets; felt strainer (to stop damage to the tail where the strings run to the bridge), and felt washers round the mushroom-headed string anchors. Unusually, has an undercut tail (cp Keith Young designs) with a solid endcap to disguise it.
Overall length 35⅜”, upper bout 5⅜”, lower bout 6½”, depth 1¾”, FBW 1⅝”, VSL 28″ (medium/long scale), weight 2lb 1oz (945g), strings 11/11, 14, 23w. 6+ and 13+ frets.
The “improvements” certainly give more room to play with 4 strings and the cutaway (cantilevered) fingerboard makes for a more lively top, with added volume. However the renowned sweetness of the original MTs is not lost and it has a nicely balanced sound with decent intonation. Unsold old stock, bought direct from the House of Musical Traditions, so in pristine, new condition. Includes good quality original soft case.
Extra Info from House of Musical Traditions Website:
“House of Musical Traditions began in 1972 when David Eisner purchased the remaining inventory of Hank Levin’s “Musical Traditions” lap dulcimer shop in NYC, and Eisner slowly added more instrument and product lines to create the full-line HMT music store over the years. Hank built Musical Traditions company dulcimers in the 1960’s, and we still sell them on a used basis from time to time. Hank built dulcimers for Jean Ritchie and authored the chapter on dulcimer building in her famous “Dulcimer Book.”
To commemorate HMT’s 45th year in business (2017), David commissioned Carl Gotzmer of June Apple Dulcimers to create a 45th Anniversary dulcimer based off the original Musical Traditions designs. Carl was one of the original builders that worked with Hank Levin, and he had the original Musical Traditions dulcimer plans on file. We are pleased to offer this limited edition run for sale, with Hank Levin’s blessing (he is currently living in California).
They are available in either cherry, or walnut with a cedar top. Price includes soft padded case. As each dulcimer is handmade, wood patterns may vary from what is pictured. All dulcimers are hourglass shape with heart soundholes. They have scalloped fretboards, so that a rope capo can be placed at key points along the instrument. They have planetary tuners, and a 0th fret to improve the action at the top of the instrument. To improve resonance, the bridge is not glued down, so it might move slightly when changing strings.
The original Musical Traditions dulcimers did not have scalloped fretboards or the 0th frets, and they had friction tuners instead of planetary geared tuners. Originally, Hank built 3-string dulcimers and then added the double 4th string later, but did not widen the fingerboard. These anniversary dulcimers are built with a wider fingerboard to improve playability as a 4-string instrument. The fretboard and tuner upgrades will also give an overall improved dulcimer while still paying homage to the original Musical Traditions design.
The cherry dulcimers are all solid cherry wood, including the fretboard. Top is bookfaced to be symmetrical; back is one piece. The walnut dulcimers have a solid cedar top, and solid bookfaced black walnut back & sides.
The dulcimers are individually labeled and signed.”
Retrieved August 2019.
Click on images below to enlarge.
1.123 Early 1970s 4 String 3 Course Hourglass £Sold
No label, just stamped “Musical Traditions/ NYC”. All cherry body with nice grain on the side, single piece back (with typical cherry shakes) and simple cherry scroll with narrow-sided open pegbox. Latter fitted originally with ebony violin pegs, now replaced by modern black and gold guitar-style, geared tuners, fitted vertically. Small heart soundholes in upper and lower bouts. Hollow cherry fingerboard, originally with no 6+ or 13+, now fitted; original delicate (rosewood?) nut and bridge; original single, mushroom-headed string anchor, fitted centrally near the top of the tail. Overall length 35¼”, upper bout 5”, lower bout 6″, depth 1¾”, FBW 1⅜”, VSL 28″ (medium/long scale), weight 1lb 8oz (693g). Originally no 6+ and 13+, now provided. Strings now 11, 14, 22w.
A very easy, low action and rigid, light body produces a clear, sweet sound with a slight cherry edge. Intonation OK and body generally in good condition, except for a small area on the far side which has received some sharp impact damage (cracks, stress fracture), now very solidly (but not invisibly) repaired with an internal cleat. Functionally a great little intermediate instrument, with one minor cosmetic flaw.
Click on images below to enlarge.
1.111 Musical Traditions Dulcimer, Walnut/Spruce, Late 70s/early 80s? 4 string 3 course £Sold
No label, just “Musical Traditions” stamped on the end block in a convex shape, above a single mushroom-headed string anchor.
Classic MT hourglass body, narrow yet elegant and sweeping, made from solid walnut with a single-piece, nicely-figured back and a close-grained solid spruce top. Walnut single piece fingerboard (hollow) with 6+ (probably not original but added some time ago), no 13+ fret. Rosewood nut and bridge, single pin string anchor on tail. Simple walnut scroll with narrow open pegbox, originally fitted with reddish hardwood friction pegs, now with chrome de Jung planetary-geared ukulele tuners and black buttons.
Overall length 35”, upper bout 4⅞”, lower bout 6″, depth 1¾”, FBW 1⅜”, VSL 28″ (medium/long scale), weight 1lb 6oz (623g), strings 12, 14, 22w. Original or added 6+ fret, but no 13+.
A remarkable survivor from, probably, the 1980s which is in absolutely excellent condition, pretty much unmarked and glowing as it did when new. Easy action, sweet sound, with good projection for such a shallow instrument. Plays DAD well and is even better in DAA, taking both in its stride with a clean, full tone. Little or no strutting gives this small instrument some real presence. Original hard case (at extra cost) is good structurally but a little tarnished.
Click on images below to enlarge.
1.93 Late 70s/early 80s? 4 string 3 course £Sold
No label, just “Musical Traditions” stamped on the end block in a convex shape.
The usual long, shallow body, with a dark walnut single piece back (pretty grain), lighter walnut sides and a close-grained cedar or possibly spruce top. Heart soundholes pointing to the tail. Original 6+ fret but no 13+. Hardwood nut and bridge, latter slightly compensated to improve intonation further. Original broad blade wooden friction pegs have been replaced by decent quality open-geared ukulele tuners with wooden buttons. Originally a single string anchor, now supplemented by two extra brass pins. Overall length 35”, upper bout 4⅞”, lower bout 5⅞”, depth 1¾”, FBW 1⅜”, VSL 28″ (medium/long scale), weight 1lb 5oz (610g), strings 10, 14, 20w. Original 6+ fret, but no 13+.
Clear, sweet sound with good intonation and a low action. Ideal for beginners, especially for fingerpicking and light chord/melody work.
Click on pictures below to enlarge.
1.22 – Early 1970s – Musical Traditions 4 String Hourglass – £Sold
Unnumbered, but branded on the end stock, “Musical Traditions NYC”; therefore presumably made while the firm/music store was owned by Hank Levin and located in New York. The store was bought by David Eisner in 1972 and he moved the Musical Traditions shop to Takoma Park, Maryland (and subsequently in 1974 to Berkeley Springs W Virginia). The dulcimer business was sold at about the same time to the Guitar’s Friend music store in Sandpoint, Idaho who continued to make instruments for several years, perhaps into the 1980s.
An unusual, N Carolina/Virginia hourglass shaped dulcimer (reverse sloping shoulder). Top, back and sides are solid cherry – as is almost certainly the single piece fingerboard, tail piece and headstock. Simple but neat scroll with fully open pegbox. Originally wooden tuning pegs, but replaced at some time by ill-fitting guitar tuners. Now has recycled good quality Grover Sta-Tite friction tuners, with translucent pearl buttons. Wooden nut and bridge (previously chipped, but now repaired). Single pin string anchor. Crack in LB back, now repaired. Overall length 35”, lower bout 6″, upper bout 4⅞”, depth 1⅝”, FBW 1¼”, VSL 28″ (medium/long scale), weight 1lb 8oz (668g). No 6½ fret (now provided).
This instrument had been well used and needed extensive refurbishment. The update has included new 6+ fret; repairs/re-finishing to the back, bridge and nut; and replacement of tuning pegs (as detailed above). It is a lovely warm colour with many of the typical cherry flecks/shakes intact. It has a bright tone, with some clarity. With its easy action and narrow fingerboard, it will be good for fingerpicking and for dulcimer beginners.
