McCafferty Dulcimers
Terry McCafferty’s father was a carpenter and he himself worked as a cabinet maker in his early years. He later qualified as an engineer and spent four decades involved in product development – his great delight being to find effective solutions to difficult problems. He holds several patents related to large machinery he developed.
Terry heard his first dulcimer music on a record, purchased from a gift shop in Eureka Springs, AR in the early 90’s. He was mesmerized by the soothing and haunting sounds and wanted to know more. He discovered a friendly bunch of players near him in Houston – the North Harris County Dulcimer Society – and through this link, met a local builder, Larry Barringer. Larry, in turn, had learnt much from the late, great Bob Mize of Tennessee. Around this time, Terry and his wife Barbara attended their first dulcimer festival in Covington, LA and were blown away by the music of David Schnaufer and Stephen Seifert, among others.
Terry made a few dulcimers at the time, just to learn how they worked, but it was 1996 before he began building mountain dulcimers and pick’n sticks commercially. Terry’s hourglass and pick’n stick designs were derived from those of his mentor, Larry Barringer, but continued to evolve as he learnt the craft.
Terry’s building methods are from two worlds – traditional craft and engineering. The former allows for personal touches, adapting to the material at hand and majoring on high quality design and fine aesthetics. The latter harnesses the precision of CNC machines and repeatable production processes to make for predictable results. Terry learns from every dulcimer he makes – “Is there a better way” is his motto. As a result, his dulcimers continue to develop and improve, helped by the facilities of a superbly equipped modern workshop, and a long-standing partnership with the world-class dulcimer player Stephen Seifert. The latter has lent his name to one range of McCafferty models, equipped with an angular flat head and different levels of electronic pickup.
Terry only uses the finest materials in the construction of the instruments. He is always in search of beautiful woods suitable for instrument building. Terry believes dulcimers should be a balance of beauty: beautiful to listen to, but also beautiful to look at, to play, and to touch.
4.57 NEW 2026 McCafferty Beede Signature Hourglass #12609 3 or 4 String 3 Course £2800 inc. branded luxury case. TKL plush hard case £190 extra.
Simple oval stamp in nearside soundhole: “Beede Signature/McCafferty Dulcimers/12609 [h/w]” And on far side: “Work like your dreams never died – DJB”.
This model has a history. Originally conceived and made by David Beede, a luthier and singer/songwriter from Florida, it was an instant hit with the then-younger generation of sensational dulcimer players: Erin Mae Lewis, Aaron O’Rourke and Sarah Kate Morgan. It combined compact form with real punch and sweetness, suiting those accurate and tasteful pick players in particular. David has not built dulcimers for a while and, in his absence, the reputation of – and demand for – this instrument has grown. Step up Terry McCafferty from Texas who crafts exquisite dulcimers of his own design. He worked with David to replicate as faithfully as possible the original Beede model. And this is the stunning result. It looks and sounds exactly like the original Beedes – though there should be plenty of maturing of the wood and mellowing of the sound still to come!
Slightly shallower and narrower body than a standard McCafferty, with bookmatched ribbon mahogany back and side, and high quality spruce close-grained top. Soundholes are stars (UB) and sun/moon (LB) exactly as the original. Elegant small swirly flat headstock with black 1:18 ratio Grovers. Ebony fingerboard with restrained but classy mother of pearl decoration/markers, signifying frets 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14. The fingerboard has a shallow 10” radius to help accurate finger/hand movement up and down. Has all the extra frets and goes up to fret 18. Short strum hollow followed by a key ingredient – a short, undercut/floating tail on which the strings are anchored leaving the rear body to vibrate freely. White Tusq nut and bridge, the latter intonated. The body has flush, rounded edges and a neat cutaway bevel/arm relief – a Beede signature – on the nearside lower bout, made from claro walnut. Fitted with a K & K twin pickup and strap buttons. Overall length 36″, upper bout 5⅝”, lower bout 7⅝”, depth 2¼”, FBW 1½”, VSL 25” (short/medium), weight 2lb 3oz (998g). 1+, 6+, 8+ and 13+ frets. Strings 12/12, 15, 24w.
This is a beautifully executed recreation of the original and highly desirable Beede model, using the best materials and accurate, painstaking workmanship. The result is a stunning package with well-differentiated notes across all strings, including a clear bass; plenty of volume if required; great responsiveness to good left hand technique; and a lovely tight action for picking with the RH and fingering chords with the LH. Yes, it’s expensive, but it might just be the dulcimer you’ve been dreaming about!
Here is the full spec – including US price less shipping and import duty! – of an adjacent Beede instrument (#12608) which is identical.
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2.287 2015 McCafferty Hourglass #253 4 String 3 Course £850 inc. original branded soft case
Printed oblong label: “McCafferty Instruments/ Brookshire, Texas/ [Tel. No. & email]/ Model: HGWB SN: 253/ Body –Walnut, Spruce, Ebony / By: TTM ?[signed] Date: March 2015”.
The same classic Kentucky shape but with a very different scale length and tail/bridge design to most later McCafferty models. This has a large fiddle-edged walnut body, bookmatched on side and back. The back is particularly attractive with a striking grain and brown, purple and orange flecks – probably Claro Walnut. Fine-grained spruce top with black bound F-holes and a purfling strip ¼” from the edge, running all the way round. The ‘scroll’ is like a Mize – chamfered from pegbox to tip – but the head moves elegantly from scroll to flat head, mounted with gold Grover enclosed tuners. Walnut, hollow fingerboard with shallow overlay of ebony. Elaborate (CNC-engineered?) mother of pearl inlay pattern comprising butterflies, hummingbirds and flower arrangements – #5 of Terry’s standard patterns. The design also helpfully marks frets 3, 5, 7 and 10. Bone nut/zero fret and fully compensated bridge to provide excellent intonation. Slight crazing to the surface of the shallow ebony overlay suggests that frets 1+ and 8+ were added later. This, the longest standard scale Terry builds, has a high tail in traditional fashion, with a channel and drilled holes designed for LH or RH string patterns – but suitable for ball-end strings only. Black strap buttons each end. Overall length 36¾”, upper bout 6½”, lower bout 8½”, depth 2⅜”, FBW 1½”, VSL 28⅛” (28.125)” (medium long), weight 2lb 3oz (998g). 1+, 6+, 8+ and 13+ frets. Replacement strings 12/[12], 15, 25w (originals I think had a 24w bass).
A very impressive-looking dulcimer with a well-balanced shape and excellent materials/construction. Sounds very impressive too, with excellent balance, good volume and a refined sound. In excellent condition, with no marks on the body or the vulnerable fiddle-edges. Just a few indications of use on the melody string frets, lower down. A bargain at half the price of its new equivalent!
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4.51 2025 McCafferty Traditional Model Hourglass #926 £Sold inc. high quality soft case
Printed oblong label: McCafferty Dulcimers/ Model SH4S258F150 SN 926/ Body: curly cherry Top: old growth sinker redwood/ VSL 28.85 Flat Inlay: #28/ Date: September 2025/ By Terry L McCafferty/ String Sizes [ticked chart] 12, 15, 24”.
Elegant traditional dulcimer hourglass body shape with a clever tapering scroll and pegbox reminiscent of a Mize dulcimer – but with modern, geared guitar-type tuners (black Grovers). ‘TM’ engraved each side of the heel. Bookmatched, attractive curly cherry body with old growth ‘sinker’ redwood top, exhibiting a straight, wide grain and striking copper colouring. Top and back overlap the sides in traditional ‘fiddle-style’ edging. F-hole soundholes. A hollow, light cherry fingerboard (flat not radiused) with ebony overlay and a #28 inlay pattern with abalone accents. 1+ and 8+ frets added. White composite nut and compensated bridge. Routed tail and simple inset copper pins for string anchors – probably suitable for both ball- and loop-end strings. Black strap button on heel with chrome button/¼” jack outlet on tail. K & K pickup fitted. Overall length 36½”, upper bout 6½”, lower bout 8½”, depth 2⅜”, FBW 1½”, VSL 25.8″ (short/medium), weight 2lb 6oz (1069g). 1+, 6+, 8+ and 13+ frets. Original strings 12/[12], 15, 24w.
Has a strong sound with a distinctive and attractive voice. Plays clearly and very accurately all the way up the fingerboard. The cherry body makes it incisive, while the redwood top tends to soften and round out the sound. A great instrument for a confident player who likes a really pretty and effective dulcimer.
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