Mystery dulcimer from 1970
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Hello all, I wonder if anyone knows who made a dulcimer my stepmother just gave me. She told me this dulcimer was “made for her by some guy she met riding a train down the east cost of the US in about 1970.” She does not remember much of the event, only that the man was very nice and upon learning that Jane (stepmom) was a music teacher, offered to make her a customer dulcimer. Her choices for peg box decoration were a dog’s head or a woman’s head, and she chose woman’s head.
The carving reminded me of some of Ron Cook's work, so I reached out to him and asked. He graciously replied right away, but said it wasn't one of his. He thought it was an "old style Tennessee version" of a dulcimer, and thought it was nicely made out of cherry wood with an oak head. I have examined the instrument thoroughly, going so far as to put an endoscope video camera into the sound holes in inspect the inside... but I found nothing.
Any idea as to its provenance? Anyone recognize the style? Seems like it was made by someone who knew their craft well. Photos below.
