Dear Michael,

I understand your concerns very well. But don't worry! It is not my intention to let him do the work! My ambition is to do as much as possible myself. I'll stick to the instructions given by Cedar Creek and I guess I know what I want and need.

But I hope to benefit of his knowledge and his tools especially with smoothing the edges of the cut frets and his experience with adding a decent finish and things like that.

About the Wittner resp. Pegheds: my intention is to keep this dulcimer simple and "low tech". I even decided not to install a pickup. I guess I'll use the plastic (Micarta? not sure) nut and saddle.

I think I'll get along with the wooden viola tuners. But if not, I still can replace them with the high tec Wittners!

Thank you for offering your help! Maybe I'll discuss some ideas with you and benefit from your knowledge as well!

Thanks Patty and Michael,

yes, I think one can built the instrument with quite basic tools. But I am a bit fussy and would like to have a decent result, and as I have a 'ukulele builder among my friends I am decided to accept his help this "first" time.

Yes, Michael, the wood for top, back and sides is birch laminate (seems they only build their hourglass models with solid woods). But as I said elsewhere, I think I can get spruce or maple at least for the top. And I'd like to have a "double" bottom (as with Galax dulcimers), so a "motorized" milling tool should be very helpful. He also has a good reamer for the violin/viola pegs I'd like to have. I hope I can visit him and work with him on the first weekend in October. So maybe there won't be any more photos before then. But I'll try to take some during the process of building my first selfmade dulcimer.

The strips for the sides seem to have the same tension / elasticity. Anyway, I hope to achieve a symmetrical shape when I glue it.

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Michael: Keine Sorge, ich werde sicher nicht nach elf Uhr nachts anrufen, Michael. Hier im Sden gehen wir immer frh zu Bett... Aber danke fr dein Angebot - ich werd's in Anspruch nehmen, wenn ich nicht weiterkomme!

Peter, what kind of tools are needed to construct the dulcimer?