1960s Homemade Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer

This is a "yard sale" instrument -- something for sale here at the shop but a little too inexpensive to make sense shipping unless really desired.

I was handed this instrument by the daughter of its maker a few years ago. He'd built it in the '60s from some kit plans but, unfortunately, the fretting was terribly inaccurate and so it wouldn't play in tune no matter what.

A little over a year ago I pulled said frets, cut new slots with more accurate spacing, and refretted it with jumbo wire. I gave those a level/dress job and then set it all up with a compensated saddle and whatnot.  Then I stained the fretboard black to hide the old slots. It's been playing perfectly ever since and the old, wide-base Kluson guitar tuners keep it in tune better than the usual friction-peg dulcimer setup.

It's a 3-string instrument and so it doesn't have as much "shimmer" on the highest-pitched course as a 4-string would, but the sound is warmer and wider than average, so it's fun to play.

The body is ply throughout while the headstock appears to be walnut.