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Plans now available

You can either order the plans by themselves if you have studied making instruments or have made something before

"Stick Dulcimer plans"
Instrument, mould and Template pdf format
(zip file) £3.00

Support independent publishing: buy this multimedia on Lulu.

Stick Dulcimer making CD(September 2008)

If you are looking for the full Stick Dulcimer making Cd available september 2008 you may be interested in the preview edition that has a very short video introduction, with an e-book that includes the full plans for the Stick Dulcimer plus mould and templates,  but only the first few chapters outlining the tools, materials, using the drawings and making the mould.  If you do purchase this either as a CD or download, you can have the same amount you pay taken off the finished first edition in the spring.*

The Download version of this CD is in the format of a Tar.gz zipped archive, to unzip it you need this program which is free!

Once the software is installed you just need to right click on it and "open archive".

I may do a video walkthrough if its needed.  but to simply run the e-book just open the HOME.htm file,  if you want to make it into an autorun CD then you need to burn the 2 folders and 2 files to CD.

This Guide will look at making an instrument with a separate body and neck like a bouzouki/mandolin but also include how to make one out of a single piece of wood, plus how to make your own hard case.

*Full version out in 2008  around £15 inclusing Shipping postage

"Stick Dulcimer making CD"
preview edition
 

Support independent publishing: buy this multimedia on Lulu.

News:On Myspace, Owen Niblock Playing the Frog Song
 

stick dulcimer photoHere is an instrument that combines the portability of the guitar family with the simplicity of the Mountain Dulcimer,  Tuned to "Gdg" in the sound samples below, or in "Dad" tuning like the upper 3 courses of a Irish Bouzouki or an Mountain Dulcimer. With either tuning you can play both chordal and picking styles easily.

head of sdYou can play a lot of the music written for the Appalachian Dulcimer as well as some Banjo and mandolin tunes in the keys of G, d etc. The standard instrument has the same scale length as a guitar.

Each of these instruments is constructed in the same way as a fine mandolin with internal linings and A-style bracing.
I pride myself on fast necks that have the profile of a violin, and tone and volume beyond its size.


I have called these instruments Stick Dulcimers as its a copyright/trademark free Generic name that anyone can use.

Sound samples:

Steel string 1  /  Steel string 2

Nylon Strung 1Nylon Strung 2


Model 2  £275

The image “http://www.michaeljking.com/stick_8.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.Bound version with native/north American cherry wood or walnut body, sycamore/ cherry neck and Baltic spruce. fingerboard in plantation grown rosewood



Model 3 £325

Figured maple with binding, Alpine spruce and ebony fingerboard. Nylon or steel strung

Model 3b  £350

Indian rosewood, bound, alpine spruce and ebony fingerboard Nylon or steel strung. (note new nylon strung models have a fixed bridge)
I can add mini scratch plates for an extra £4


Electric Stick-dulcimer


solid ash body, maple neck with plantation rosewood fretboard from £375

Owen Niblock

Owen has been playing one of my stick Dulcimers since the spring of 2003, probably the most travelled Dulcimer I have made!
He has a MYSPACE.com site which has tune samples of the famous
"Frog Song"  You can access it here:

owen niblock"The first interval of the night was upon us. Yes, we had two intervals tonight. Then it was the open mic spot, which tonight was filled by the wonderfully named Owen Niblock. Owen came on stage carrying a very odd instrument, which after much research I have discovered is called a dulcimer. Owen performed a song about frog skimming and told us some laidback anecdotes. Truth be told, it wasn’t particularly amusing but the dulcimer kept us entertained, if only as most people were wondering what on earth it was."

Quote taken from here 

    Owens instrument in its case (It has a pau rosa fingerboard BTW)