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Well, my daughter was asking me to make her a bowed psaltery after she saw one being played on Youtube. So I thought this would be an interesting project that would allow her to learn how to bow without picking up a violin. The one I built is a diatonic bowed psaltery meaning it only has 1/2 the strings of a normal psaltery, and it is just the major notes on 2 octaves as opposed to 3 octaves and all notes. It is much easier to play. My daughter is 8, and I'm hoping it will get her to play some type of instrument. Since I strung it up last night, she hasn't put it down, and just loves it! Mission accomplished!

It is a cedar top, koa back and sides, cocobolo binding, walnut bridge with brass saddle, and cherry pin block. The rosette is a laser cut rosette from a dulcimer store on the internet. Overall it turned out nicely and sounds just fantastic!

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Tracy,

That's a lovely instrument and it's way cool that you are getting your daughter hooked so young. Helping them be able to play music is a fabulous life gift and one that will be hugely appreciated when she's a lot older. Now all you have to do is get her to make one.

How about a sound clip?

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Pretty Cool Tracy.

You forgot the fretboard! Grin.

From an old cellist, not bad bud, not bad.

Never hurts to gain some points with the little ones among us.

Heirloom Psalter, you should print up a little guide book for it all about hydration and care. Great job. Is it signed in any way?

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Way to go, Tracy. That is outstanding. How do you use the bow with the strings so flat? Or, is that just an illusion? Do you play them in the gaps in the pegs?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Nice work Tracy!

I would like to hear a sound clip too, if you have the time. It is just awesome that you think about your daughter and made this for her. I am confident that she will cherish it.

Well done my firend!

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Reguards,

Ken H

Thanks Dave, Bruce and Waddy! I appreciate the kind words. I'll try to get a video clip on youtube at lunch today. My daughter learned twinkle, twinkle little star, and I got some video of that. I signed the inside of the top, but also put in a nice label that is really hard to read through the rosette.

I also forgot to mention the finish is Hard Shellac on top of z-poxy for the back, and just hard shellac on the top. I really love this finish...such a satin smooth finish that is very hard.

Waddy, you play it by bowing between the pegs. Each string is a different note that is bowed. You could pluck it like a harp too, and it sounds great. Almost an ancient icey tone to it. It is a very cool instrument, and sounds great for such a small body. Glad you like. Video coming soon.

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Tracy bro I second what Dave said - way cool!!!! CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP

Now, Tracy, that I really approve. Very nice instrument for a youngster, and a good job of building it.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

DUDE! WHERE IS THE NECK

Kidding of course! Great job on the "psaltery" Did I say that right?

And an even better job on getting your daughter interested in playing it!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I bet it's retractable like a tortoise and comes out when she gets tired of playing nursery rhymes and wants to play the heavy metal shred stuff

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Gosh, that's a beautiful instrument!

The rosette is stunning!

I can see it now! "Shredding on the Psaltery"

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Way cool!

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Here is a youtube video of my daughter playing it after about 30 min of being strung up. Thanks for all your kind words and comments! Next she'll be playing Johnny be Good and plugged into an amp with this thing!

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Outstanding job! Nice technique, there! Good sounding instrument.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Tracy,

Lovely, lovely !! What's your daughters name?

Nice playing and a lovely haunting sound from the psaltery.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Tracy that is an outstanding effort! Beautiful instrument! I didn't even know what a poultry... psoltry er...was! Very nice! That's got to be the cutest Youtube I've seen!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Nice job Tracy! I was looking into building something similar for my MIL. She has really bad arthritis and couldn't handle a fretted instrument. The video is nice too.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Thanks everyone! That is Ema debuting her new Diatonic Bowed Psaltery. She is not very good yet, but is now interested in learning new songs and praticing. I guess that was the whole point. Joe, it should work really well for someone with arthritis because it doesn't take much force to produce a nice clean tone, and it can be played with one hand if you set it on a table or chair. My next project is to make a stand for it because now she doesn't know where to put it!
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Tracy thanks for the video great playing for a first time out. Where did you get the plans?

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Colin,
I got the plans from a gentleman in the UK. You can get them here:http://www.michaeljking.com/psalterymaking.htm

I actually modified the plans and didn't use any bracing and make the pins a 10 degree angle at the wrest block. Also, I just laminated some birch ply for the frame to make a 1 1/2" thick frame. I used 2mm thick sides glued to the frame. The wrest plank is solid cherry. If I had to do it over, I would just laminate a big block of birch and cut out the inside and outside shape on a bandsaw. That way you don't have to glue the mitered point. Also, mine is 370mm long and 255 wide. My back is about 3mm thick and the top is about 3mm thick. You could go thinner since there is no pressure on top since the bridge rests on the blocks. Let me know if you have any questions.

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Wow, Tracy... the video and the psaltery are outstanding, your daughter plays beautifully! You both should be very proud!

long

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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus

Wonderful instrument and video clip. I believe you get credit for the first psaltery build on the OLF. Did you by any chance take pictures of the build you can share?

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Thanks Don! It is an honor to be the first at anything

Here are some pics of the build, hope you enjoy. It was easy and fun! Pics are in the wrong order. Start from the bottom and work up!

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com