Back to our original post:

Sorry James, as for hickory it can be quite bright, like most inquiries on wood selection, there are many factors to consider along with the wood selection to determine the final timber of a dulcimer.

With a zero fret you don't really have a nut, it is just an alignment piece. Zero frets can be quite "bright".

Micarta IS a kind of plastic -  a composite of linen, canvas, paper, fiberglass, carbon fiber or other fabric in a thermosetting plastic.

Ken, Do you know, is this micarta? It looks and feels like plastic...

When I have had all three dulcimers side by side, all walnut, all cherry, all hickory and all Folkcraft, my perception is that the cherry is the brightest and crispest in sound, followed by the walnut and then the hickory. My personal choice is the walnut which is what a play most of the time. I have noticed that you can change the sound the all of these dulcimers by changing out the nuts and bridges. Replace the micarta nuts with wood and you will get a mellower sound.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

James, my hickory model is exactly the same as your poplar model except 3/8" deeper body. Defiantly a more mellow tone and notes have a very clear undistorted quality. Less overtones perhaps ? This is the only hickory dulcimer I've made so can not say if all hickory dulcimers will sound this way... Robert...

lynn mc spadden once told me the thickness of the soundboard on various woods was more important than the type of wood. 

You said "The Folkcraft site makes it sound as if the hickory comes in, sound wise, between cherry and walnut. Does that seem a fair description?"

I have to say no.  That sounds like marketing.  The effect of wood species on sound quality is very fa down the list of known factors which effect sound quality.  Buy the dulcimer that sounds like what you want rather than buying a wood type, shape, size, or string count.

We have two Folkcraft hickory dulcimers in the house (Folkroots custom models)...they pretty much rock!

I bought an all-hickory Folkcraft FSH model teardrop a bit over a year ago. I love it! The build quality is top-notch. To me, the sound is clear and even. I play noter/drone style with a nylon pick and I find the instrument to be very responsive and fairly loud.

I think that if you are planning on getting one, you won't be disappointed. Folkcraft is a fine company to work with. I also have not seen hickory dulcimers from other builders (I'm sure there are others out there, but I haven't found them).

Good luck!

Got a question: Does anyone have a Hickory Folkcraft? What do you think of the sound, etc? Any thoughts/insights would be greatly appreciated.