Thank you, Lisa. I never paid any attention to where this discussion was taking place. I'm glad you keep us organized.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Greetings!
I have moved this discussion from the "For Sale" forum to THIS forum for discussions about dulcimers made by various makers, and their features. It just seemed like a more logical place to discuss such instruments, since no member here is actually selling anything in this case.
(The For Sale forum is more intended to be used by members to sell an occasional musical item or instrument that they own.)
Thanks so much and please carry on with the interesting discussion!  

Thank you, Ken and Wally. I appreciate being able to learn from those who have deep roots. 

I agree with Ken that it is good to have posts which include information about historic dulcimers and builders. 

Along that line, perhaps the one you first pointed out you might have noted that it was a J. C. Shellnutt instrument. He is arguably important because he was one of the first California revival period "manufacturers."

He originated (I think) a head design which migrated to a flood of Korean instruments sold under several names in the 1960s and 70s. It is great for cutting costs, but has too much friction in the tuners and went out of fashion before 1990 or so.

On the Pyle instrument you have cited some good cautionary advice. That was good.

I just think that you should not speculate on price, and should be very careful about suggesting suitability for beginning players or collectors.

canard, please feel free to post your findings of interesting auction dulcimers. Not everyone checks auctions regularly and you may alert someone to something they are looking for. I appreciate you posting the information about Paul Pyle. He was a significant builder and contributor in the early dulcimer "revival" period. Folks should know about him. I am a dulcimer builder, player, and historian. While I find many new players lack a curiosity about the history of our beloved instrument, I take delight in those who do. Again, thanks for posting and please continue to do so.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Hi Wally, 

I realize that the opening bid and the closing bid are often very different. This instrument is not exactly a resale dream. I just wanted to make sure that it had a better chance of going to a good home.

Didn’t mean to bother those of you who know to check that site and exactly who Paul Pyle is. I’m brand new to all of this and I expect there are others here who are new, too. 

Was trying to contribute positively but no problem. I won’t post on this thread anymore. 

Early bids on ShopGoodwill are no indication of what the price will eventually be. We often see Mcspadden and Folkcraft instruments starting at something like $35 and closing at $200 with shipping.

Some of us here follow ShopGoodwill every day and only seriously bid in the last few hours.

Restore this old beauty or just appreciate it for its craft level and historic value.

Partial image of the label is included in the listing photos.

ShopGoodwill auction listing: 

“Appalachian 3 String Dulcimer by Paul Pyle No. 164 - Untested, As-Is” 

You can probably get this at a very low price. The opening bid is $14.99. Search “dulcimer” rather than the auction title on the website. 

—

”Paul Pyle was a prominent figure in the Appalachian dulcimer revival based in Tullahoma, Tennessee. 

Between the 1960s and 1980s, he and his wife Louella hand-built approximately 1,600 mountain dulcimers. These instruments are highly recognizable for their oversized, hand-carved wooden friction pegs. They almost always contain a paper label inside the soundhole that includes the instrument number and his signature.

Pyle was also an author and educator. His book, "To Build a Dulcimer," became a foundational text for hobbyist builders. While he was a significant folk historian and a founding member of the Tennessee Arts and Crafts Association, his instruments were built for traditional folk use rather than professional stage performance.

In terms of resale, Paul Pyle mountain dulcimers generally sell for $150 to $300. Their value is driven more by their historical connection to the Tennessee folk tradition than by technical precision. Collectors look for original labels and ensure the wood has not cracked, as his builds were known for being quite thin.”