jeff....  FWIW, that original post is six years old.   

Hi Kris. I worked at J.C. Shellnutt & Co. in 1976-77. If you tell me the serial number I might be able to give you an idea of when it was made. It should be stamped in the tail stock, if I recall correctly.

If it helps, I've had some interesting and lengthy correspondence with Mr Shellnutt - and I've owned four of his instruments. Dulcimers were made in large quantities and at widely varying levels of quality.  Some were student instruments with a one piece flat headstock/fingerboard; many others were laminate and one even had a sort of formica laminate as an overlay on the fingerboard.  So they were certainly made to a price, but all the ones I've tried have played well and sounded good.  The high quality solid wood ones are particularly pretty and sweet-sounding. 

I've got photos of the 4135 but never owned one.  Looks like an intermediate model.  Can't see whether laminate or solid. Looks like mid to late 70s.  The 5 series models were just into the 80s I think.  Most I've seen have a date on the white/blue label which also has the model number....sometimes very small!

Hope this helps.

Geoff Black, Revels Music

Meant to say batch number instead of serial number............a source tells me that it might be written on the label inside............also asked what shape.........round bottom, hour glass, plywood or solid.........

Kris....the guy who wrote that article is the guy who built it.........sometime after 1972 and before 1980 I would guess...does it have a serial number on it?  Drop him a note and see what you can find out about it, I have heard of them, and post what you can find out. I'd be interested too.

http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=27309

 

 

Check this out.  Best I can do 'fer ya.