Folkcraft Custom Series Dulcimer Create your own custom Folkcraft Hourglass Mountain Dulcimer. Every choice is yours to make, the possibilities are limitless and the instrument that you create is as unique as you are. Body Type Traditionally, mountain dulcimers had thin, narrow bodies, but some modern players prefer the sound of the higher volume instruments. As the height and width of a dulcimer increase, the instrument becomes louder and has greater bass response. 1 3/4" Sides (2" Body Height, 2 1/4" Total Height), Traditional Folkcraft Body (6 1/2" wide) No additional charge 2" Sides (2 1/4" Body Height, 2 1/2" Total Height), Traditional Folkcraft Body (6 3/4" wide) No additional charge 2" Sides (2 1/4" Body Height, 2 1/2" Total Height), High Volume Body (7 3/4" wide) No additional charge 2 1/4" Sides (2 1/2" Body Height, 2 3/4" Total Height), Traditional Folkcraft Body (6 1/2" wide) + $5.00 2 1/4" Sides (2 1/2" Body Height, 2 3/4" Total Height), High Volume Body (7 3/4" wide) + $10.00 Body Choose the type of wood that will compose the body (back, sides, fingerboard, and head) of your dulcimer. If you want to mix and match these wood combinations, feel free to give us a call and we'll be happy to find your ideal combination. African Mahogany No additional charge Creates powerful projection with rich overtones Northern Cherry No additional charge Creates a bright full sound that has slight ringing overtones Black Walnut + $5.00 Creates a fat, mellow tone with great resonance Padauk + $10.00 Creates deep well-liked quality with ringing overtones and strong projection Sugar Maple No additional charge Creates bright and high midrange tone that projects Hickory No additional charge Creates a bright sound Curly Maple + $50.00 Soundboard Historically, the harder woods like walnut and cherry were used for dulcimer soundboards. These hard woods tend to amplify the treble frequencies. Soft woods like cedar or spruce tend to dampen the treble frequencies. Generally, this means that the harder woods sound tinny compared to the softer woods, but they are a little bit louder. Western Red Cedar No additional charge Responsive and open, notes have a more 'singing' quality Engelmann Spruce + $5.00 Sitka Spruce + $15.00 Creates a bright and high midrange that projects with excellent separation of notes African Mahogany No additional charge Creates a strong tone with powerful projection Black Walnut No additional charge Creates a fat, mellow tone with great resonance Northern Cherry No additional charge Bright full sound with a slight ring in the overtones Purpleheart + $5.00 Creates a denser pleasing sound Butternut + $20.00 Lacewood + $5.00 Creates a clearer mid tone Zebrawood + $20.00 Creates a lower mid range frequency Sycamore No additional charge Creates a bright sound Quarter Sawn Red Oak No additional charge Creates a mellow tone Basswood No additional charge Creates added clarity and high tones that project Hickory No additional charge Creates a bright sound Sugar Maple No additional charge Creates bright and high midrange tone that projects Curly Maple + $15.00 Tone Holes Classic "F" No additional charge Butterfly No additional charge Circle Of Hearts No additional charge Leaf-Heart No additional charge Cat No additional charge Classic Heart No additional charge Celtic Cross No additional charge "F" Heart No additional charge Weeping Heart No additional charge Hummingbird No additional charge Maple Leaf No additional charge Dolphin No additional charge Circles No additional charge Seagull No additional charge Celtic Shield No additional charge Scale Length 25" No additional charge The 25" scale length puts the frets a little closer together so players with smaller hands can do advanced chording easier. 27" No additional charge 27" is the standard scale length that we offer and will work for most people. 29 1/4" No additional charge Fingerboard Width The width of the fingerboard is a purely subjective decision. If you are going to be doing much fingering rather than standard chording, the wider fingerboard may be a little bit easier to use. The wider fingerboard is required for six string and baritone models. 1 3/8" No additional charge 1 1/2" No additional charge Head Type Scroll Head No additional charge Traditional Flat Head + $50.00 Contemporary Flat Head + $60.00 Accent Wood Choose the type of wood to use for the accent (fingerboard veneer, flat head veneer, center inlay strip on back, and heel cap). We can create any combination of these if you like, just give us a call and will be happy to find the perfect combination for you. Padauk + $15.00 Purpleheart + $15.00 Wenge + $25.00 Bubinga + $15.00 East Indian Rosewood + $60.00 Ebony + $200.00 Lacewood + $15.00 Zebrawood + $30.00 Quarter Sawn Red Oak + $15.00 Hickory + $15.00 Tuning Machines We offer a variety of different style tuning pegs. We suggest using Enclosed Gear on Flat Heads and using Open Gear or Planetary tuners for Scroll Heads. The Planetary Tuning Pegs will help your instrument stay in tune longer and are ideal for dulcimers that will be used for performance. Open Gear, Chrome No additional charge Scroll Head Only Open Gear, Pearloid No additional charge Scroll Head Only Enclosed Gear, Chrome Finish No additional charge Flat Head Only Enclosed Gear, Black Finish No additional charge Flat Head Only Enclosed Gear, Gold Finish No additional charge Flat Head Only Stewart-MacDonald Five-Star Planetary, Pearloid Buttons + $90.00 Pick guard No Pickguard No additional charge Purpleheart + $40.00 Bubinga + $40.00 Padauk + $30.00 Wenge + $40.00 East Indian Rosewood + $40.00 Ebony + $85.00 Lacewood + $40.00 Zebrawood + $40.00 Quarter Sawn Red Oak + $30.00 Hickory + $30.00 Honduras Mahogany + $30.00 Nut and Bridge Stock Delrin (Recommended) No additional charge Delrin is recommended for its superior resonating qualities and durability Ebony + $15.00 Strings Folkcraft No additional charge Black Beauty + $10.00 Squeakless No additional charge Fingerboard Finish Wax No additional charge Lacquer No additional charge Galax Performance Back The galax performance back essentially gives your dulcimer a double back with an airspace between them. This gives you a louder and brighter sound as the back is able to vibrate freely. No Option Selected No additional charge Install Galax Back + $150.00 Fret Pattern The fret pattern makes up the notes that will be available to you on your instrument. The patterns shown below are our most popular, but you can have just about any pattern you want. Just give us a call and we will be happy to find a pattern that is perfect for you and your playing style. Fully Diatonic No additional charge Traditional; No half frets Fully Diatonic With 6 1/2 & 13/12 Frets No additional charge Our most popular choice Fully Diatonic With 1 1/2, 6 1/2, 8 1/2, & 13/12 Frets + $40.00 Adds flexibility to playing style Chromatic + $15.00 All notes in every scale are available Fret Dot Pattern Fret dots are visual aids to help you know where your hand currently is on the fingerboard. The patterns shown below are our most popular, but you can have just about any pattern you want. Just give us a call and we will be happy to find a pattern that is perfect for you and your playing style. 3 Only No additional charge 6mm dot at fret 3 3-7-10 No additional charge 6mm dot at fret 3; 4mm dots at fret 7 and 10 3-7-10-14 No additional charge 6mm dots at fret 3 and 10; Double 4mm dots at fret 7 and 14 Chromatic No additional charge 4mm dots at fret 1 1/2,3, 4, 5, 8 1/2, 10, 11, and 12; Double 4mm dots at fret 7 and 14 Retail Price for this Model: $630.00 (with Deluxe Hard-Shell Case) Retail Price for this Model: $795.00 (with Deluxe Hard-Shell Case and L.R. Baggs Pickup)* Retail Price for this Model: $920.00 (with Deluxe Hard-Shell Case and Fishman Prefix Pro Pickup. Requires 2 1/4" Sides)* *Additional Options Will Be Available After You Save This Model
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Mountain Dulcimer
