Congrats on your new Flatwater, ADK. From what I see, they look and sound great, and have a great price to boot. I think McSpadden has really filled a niche with these new dulcimers.

Thank you Dusty,Ken,Wendell and Strumelia for your good wishes. You guys are an encouraging bunch!

It sounds like you are really enjoying your new dulcimer. Have fun playing it.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

It’s a win win all the way around. And the padded case is way more than I expected.Now to see if I can find someone in the family to pass my cardboard dulcimer to try.

Looks good, sounds good, AND it comes with a case...all for a quality-built McSpadden at a great price! What's not to like?

@adkzookeeper, I'm glad to hear you're so happy with your dulcimer.  And in general, it's wonderful that McSpadden is offering a more affordable model.

Congratulations, Lynn! It sounds like you got a keeper for sure. Enjoy!

@ADKzookeeper , what great news- I'm very happy for you! 

Eeeekkkk! My Flatwater arrived yesterday and it’s gorgeous! And the sound........even when I play all the wrong notes it sounds so good!  And the (I think you call it sustain?) notes just linger in the air for a long time. Sweet. I admit to asking them to put on a micarta fretboard (it helps me to better see the separate frets.....ok and I love how smooth it feels under my fingers). This Flatwater will keep me busy and happy for a looooong time😊😊😊😊. Thanks to everyone for your feedback on the Flatwaters. After a year of playing on my cardboard dulcimer this is just the push to keep me practicing.

‘Lynn

Thanks so much, @dusty-turtle ! I really love my Flatwater!   

Hi Lynn,

Dusty is right, you can’t specify the woods and while there are some visual differences (check out the Facebook page for The Dulcimer Shoppe) that only makes each one unique. The tone woods are excellent and the wood combinations vary. If you go to their Facebook site, check out the Flatwater intro video around Black Friday 2020. Former National Dulcimer Champion Duane Porterfield introduces the Flatwaters to the world and the one you’ll see him play is the one I bought. By the way, I didn’t know that until I opened mine on Christmas Day. Good luck, have fun and I hope you get yours soon and let us all know your impressions.

Thank you for the detailed feedback, Wendell and Dusty T. They do not have any in stock........they sell out fast! I’m going to call this week and order one. They certainly fit my budget, and with my current playing ability I don’t feel I can justify spending more than that (at least for now).

Lynn

My understanding is that the Flatwater models are indeed made from fine tonewoods, but you can't specify the wood when you order one.  They put the instruments together with wood leftover from their other builds.  In terms of the visuals, my guess is that they will vary a bit.  But the quality of McSpadden builds is unquestioned, so they should all play and sound very nice.

I've seen a YouTube video by FOTMD member @belinda playing one that both looks and sounds great.

Hi there, I got one of the very first Flatwater dulcimers that were made for Christmas from my wonderful wife. In fact, I by chance got the one that is played in the video that introduced them. The Flatwater is just plain fun. The wood may not be super top grade visually and the volume is not as load as my McSpadden or some of my other dulcimers. However, the build quality and tone are excellent. The 26 inch scale is terrific and the intonation is spot on. I love mine and have had a lot of fun playing it. Sweet dulcimer for a good price.

I have listened to several YouTube videos of people playing their Flatwaters. Has anyone here purchased one? What do you think of them? I am looking to upgrade from my cardboard dulcimer.

Yes. It will likely do well as a travel/back-pack type instrument too. People have an easier time taking a lesser priced instrument like that. So I think it will do well to some degree and since it really has its own niche, i think it will stick around and not just be a fad. But, what do I know.

My guess is that they will play the role of entry-level dulcimers as people's first instruments, so there will always be a small market for them, much like the Folkcraft cardboard dulcimers.  And like some of the student-model dulcimers that some luthiers make, some people may prefer them to fancier instruments.

Will they become popular or a passing fad?

This flatwater dulcimer is definitely a good idea, although it's also a sign of how expensive dulcimers have become.  It's hard to get a newbie to invest $500 or more for an instrument they're not sure they're going to play, so the price point on this model is welcome.  I also like the trapezoidal shape as well. And most importantly, the demo sounded great.

Looks good.  I don't think there has been a production trapezoid-shape ever, except for the cardboard dulcimers; they've always been one-offs by individual builders.  Looks good and sounds good, and it's a decent price point.

No problem. Thought it would be fun for people to see. 

The Flatwater looks and sounds great!  Thanks for the information, @susie! 

I know it's not a version of a $75 cardboard dulcimer! THEY were explaining in the video how it came about. They wanted to create something like a cardboard dulcimer. But through the process, they decided they wanted to take it a step further and have the quality of a solid wood instrument. They even admit that they never accomplished the task of creating a cardboard dulcimer. The video gives the whole story and they call it like it is. (The link works for me, because I have a FB account. I'm not sure it it works for everyone.)

At $265 it's not a version of a $75 cardboard dulcimer!  Call it an Entry Level instrument.  Good to see though that they're being more frugal  -- using not necessarily uber-attractive pieces of wood for their own builds.  

McSpadden will be releasing their new Flatwater dulcimers this friday (Black Friday). It is their version of the "cardboard" dulcimer, though it is of better quality, made of solid woods. It will have a 26" vsl and will have 3 strings. This is their way of creating a simpler, less-expensive dulcimer using woods that they wouldn't otherwise be able to use on their standard dulcimers, because the pieces of wood wouldn't be big enough. It will start at $265, which includes a case. They will be choosing the woods out of their supply and will use the woods that sound good and look good. They announced it on Facebook today. I have no affiliation with McSpadden, but just thought I'd pass this along to the group. 

https://www.facebook.com/McSpaddenDulcimers/videos/1082866002137021