# Psaltery?



## georger (Sep 15, 2003)

I'm looking forward to trying to learn more about making my own musical instruments based on old designs.

If I learn enough and if I work hard at it, maybe I can make a few and sell a couple, start a home based cottage kind of industry.

I favour small Kokles and Guslis for their sound but I realize how similar these are in essence.

Does anybody have any resources (instructional books) which could be useful to someone who wants to learn?

Thank you,
geo


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## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

I love this shop in Black Mountain, NC

http://www.songofthewood.com/plucked_psalteries.htm

I ordered from them YEARS ago and would think that you could as well. Their instructional books are fantastic.

I used books from this shop to learn to play the dulcimer a long time ago. I loved it!


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

those remind me a lot of my hammered dulcimer (I need to get out and try to play again).

I'll have to investigate more on that site.


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## georger (Sep 15, 2003)

Since asking here, I found a Yahoo group and I got some e-mailed advice from some of the members there too!

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/kanteleplayers/

One of the people there lives just 1/2 an hour from me, over in Fergus. Based on some of the advice offered to me, I went to a wood shop over in Guelph and picked up some Baltic Birch 1/8" plywood sheets and some hard Maple for the framework.

I was going to look for tuning pegs but on the way home yesterday through Fergus I stopped at a music shop and the shop keeper offered me free "Lyra" classical guitar tuning machines which had been salvaged from discarded guitars.

Today I started laying out the basic shape I had in mind for the sound board and with just knife blades I've started gradually cutting the pattern out of the Birch. I want as clean an edge to the wood as possible.

A lot of the cleanup work that's needed (such as sanding, etc) with much modern wood working is due to the coarseness of modern wood cutting machinery. I'm attempting to do as much as possible entirely with hand tools, it's quite an interesting challenge.

I have tuning provision now for 12 strings and I have 2 packs of 12 guitar strings so I'm hoping that i'll be able to make progress on learning a new skill.

Thanks,
geo


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## HOTW (Jul 3, 2007)

I play the Bowed Psaltery and one thing to consider if the tension which is why the tuning pegs are used the tension is incerdibly tight compared to a guitar. The strings are all the same -not sure what one it is, but I will say is if you accomplish the making try to make ones from unusual woods and unique sound holes my DD wants one and she has rejected sooo mnay because she want something different!! Also most makers make just the 2 or 2.5 octave it would be interesting to look into th ebaritone sizefor more variety, also if you accomlish hammered dulcimer for a good price i am sure you'd get a gret amarket the main reason I have not gotten one is th eprice my Psaltery was much cheaper and I think I would prefer the hammered dulcimer I have not had an opportunity to try. And once you becoem a maker there is a huge market at Ren Faires!!! There are so many sttrineger instruments. I am trying to learn toplay Guitar but I try playing it liek a Dulcimer and it is so much easier anyone want to trade??LOL


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

I love Song of the Wood, listed above. If you ever get a chance to be near Asheville, NC, and the builder is in town, contact him before hand to see if you can visit his workshop (it's in his home several miles from the store). I have purchased several instruments at Song of the Wood.

I would suggest you try to find a local luthier who could help you get started building. You can usually find out about them from local musicians, or from your local woodworking store (not home depot or Lowes). Someone might be willing for you to help them for a while in order for you to gain skills in this area. I consider Rick Long http://www.ringingstrings.com/ to be one of the best Psaltery builders in the southeast, but there may be some good builders up your way.

There is a Psaltery festival held near B'ham, AL at Tannehill State park the 2nd weekend of June every year, and before fuel prices went up so much used to get people from all over the country (several came from Canada and California each year).

Angie - Bring your Hammered dulcimer and join us for the Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Festival at Tannehill state park this year. Guy George will be teaching classes on HD on Saturday (and would probably be willing to teach privately a few days before). It will be May 5-8 this year.

Dawn


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## happyooper (Dec 8, 2002)

There is someone in our art gallery that makes his own psalteries and sells them. There is a small write-up on how he got started and a picture of him and his instrument. Go to upmadeartistmarket.com and see it. hp


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