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H A M M E R E D D U L C I M E R

O W N E R ' S G U I D E B O O K

Introduction and History

As a new owner of a Dusty Strings hammered dulcimer, you might want to

take a few minutes to read through this booklet. We have written it assuming that

you have little prior knowledge of the hammered dulcimer and of our instruments.

The intent of this booklet is to help familiarize you with the history, tuning, care,

and basic playing techniques of the hammered dulcimer. We hope it will answer

many of your questions and help you get to know your instrument and its

terminology.

First, a few words about the history of the hammered dulcimer. Some people

are surprised to learn that the hammered dulcimer is not a new instrument. In fact,

it's been around longer than most modern instruments, and is thought to have

originated in the Near East thousands of years ago. Its descendants include the

harpsichord and piano. Nearly every culture throughout the world has some form

of this instrument, ranging from the large Hungarian cimbalom to the fragile

Chinese yang chin.

The hammered dulcimer was probably brought to America by early settlers

from Europe. It was a popular instrument at square dances, and its easy portability

earned it the name "lumberjack's piano" in logging camps. In the late 1800s and

early 1900s factories were producing hammered dulcimers in quantity, and their

popularity had reached a zenith. Use of the instrument declined after the turn of

the century, and the hammered dulcimer became a rarity until the 1970s, when a

revival of interest in folk music focused attention on it once again. Today people

are rediscovering the unique and

pleasant sound of this instrument

and the relative ease of learning to

play.

The term "dulcimer" comes

from the Latin and Greek roots

"dulce" and "melos", which combine

to mean "sweet tune." The ham-

mered dulcimer is completely

unrelated to the "Appalachian" or

"mountain" dulcimer, which has

three or four strings and is

strummed.

Treble bridge

Soundboard

Top rail

Bottom

rail

Bass

bridge

Maintenance and Care of Your Dulcimer

Hitch pins

Each set of strings is called a course and is tuned to the same note (unison).

One advantage of the hammered dulcimer is that it is virtually maintenance-

free. With a minimum of periodic attention, your instrument will remain healthy

and sound beautiful for many years to come. While the strings of guitars and other

stringed instruments must be replaced often due to the corrosive effects of salt

and perspiration from the player's fingers, the hammered dulcimer's strings can last

many years with a little care. When tuning up, use a guitar pick instead of your bare

fingers to sound each string. If your dulcimer resides in a humid atmosphere, you

may notice a small amount of black corrosion or tarnish on the strings after a

while. Commercially available string wiping cloths work well for removing this

discoloration.

We use three types of strings on our dulcimers. Depending on the model,

your dulcimer will have strings that are common steel music wire, phosphor-

bronze, or wound. The string gauges and types used on each of our instrument

models are listed in the Strings and Tunings section (page 18).

The steel strings seldom break under normal conditions and will sound good

for years. If you need to replace one, you can find a loop-end guitar or banjo string

Side

bridge

of a matching gauge at most music stores, or you can purchase one from your

dealer or order one directly from us.

Phosphor-bronze strings are not as readily available. If you should require

replacements, your best bet would be to order them through your dealer or directly

from us. This type of wire has different physical properties than steel, and in some

situations provides a superior tone (as on some of the lower courses of the D35

model). However, there is a trade-off: phosphor-bronze has a lower tensile strength

than steel and "work hardens" (i.e., becomes brittle) with use, so it is subject to

more breakage than steel. If you like, you can try replacing a phosphor-bronze

string with a steel string of the same gauge, or perhaps one gauge thicker, and see

block

if you find the resulting tone acceptable.

S T R I NG M A I N T E N

S T R I N

G M A I N T E N

G M A I N T E N A N

G M A I N T E N

Treble bridge

Side bridge

Bass bridge

Back

Rail

Soundboard

S T R I N

S T R I N G T Y P E S

S T R I N

G T Y P E S

A N C E

A N

C E

Side bridge

Tuning pins