Elliptical Dulcimer Build

Having completed (sort of, it's getting coats of tung oil) my strum stick dulcimer, I got back onto the elliptical dulcimer. Now I don't know which is dulcimer #1 or dulcimer #2? Tonight I glued the front onto the sides. For this build, that means the frets are installed, fretboard is glued to the top. The nut and the bridge are fixed as they are integral to the build.

So far one thing is bothering me. I made the neck with a 1/4" walnut fretboard glued to a 1/2" piece of cherry which is hollowed out in the middle. All of this was super straight when I started. When I installed the frets the walnut fret board bowed up a bit. Then when I glued that to the cherry... also very flat, it bowed a bit more! I will scratch my head over that one for a long time. It's wood.

I was going to omit the center brace which on the plans is 1/8" thick by the height and width of the interior. I suppose I should put in a brace to hold the neck down flat but I'm thinking I'll do 2 conventional braces, each installed side to side on the front and also on the back. My thinking is this will be equally as good as the one called for on the plans.

It looks like prepping and gluing in 3 more pieces of wood will complete the wood assembly and then the work begins. :)

Yes! I'm having fun.