It's Here (Kinda!)

No idea who sees these posts, but I wanted to share that the dulcimer guitar I started designing 2 years ago is finally in a playable, quality, ready for outside eyes shape... and it's magnificent !

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!

For those who haven't met me, I run a micro-store online that's sold Seagull Merlins and accessories, as well as various educational resources, but the pandemic essentially killed Merlin production.  And I knew they were not the best instrument that could exist, so I started sketching my ideas out in early 2021.  I had NO IDEA it would end up taking this long to get something fully finished (but that's what happens when you aren't an expert woodworker and don't have a woodshop, LOL!).

Fast forward to last week when I picked this up from my local luthier (Nick), who'd been helping with sort out the action.  I'd expected that he'd make it better, but he made it beyond great.  It's a precision instrument now, and I love it.

Walnut top, mahogany body/neck, walnut laminate under the purpleheart fretboard (and purpleheart bridge). There's a bone nut and a carved bridge saddle, which are a few of the components Nick added/changed to make it play 100% in tune at every point on the board.  No more 0 fret or fret-as-bridge for me!

There's a maple body + cherry top version on the bench right now, so I'm very curious to see how it compares tonally to this walnut one.  It should be brighter and louder, but how much?

Thoughts or questions, anyone?

Hey, if you want to let others know about this effort, please point them to my Model 1 waitlist page !