Official Luthiers Forum!

Greetings from sunny New Orleans! I am making progress on my scratchbuild mountain dulcimer and am curious as to whether or not to radius the fretboard. None of the literature I have read makes any mention whatsoever about radiusing the fretboard on a dulcimer. However, it seems like it would be a good idea, and it would give me some experience for future guitar builds. Soooo, does anybody know if I should or if there is a reason I should not? And if I do radius, what would an appropriate radius be? Thanks!

Nope, not that I've ever seen.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Lap Dulcimers are played from above, either with a noter (a stick) or the fingers. In both cases, a radius is unnecessary and in the case of a noter would be deprecated.

Also, it's a folk instrument and simpler is the way to go.

Be flat, and be happy (planaria)

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-donh-

Everything is a tone control!

I stumbled onto this whole world of building guitars by taking a class in 1974 on building a dulcimer.
I was hooked. Been doing it ever since and have that dulcimer class to thank (some days to blame).
I think a flat board is critical and any radius would make it much harder to play.
Great instrument to start any building career or hobby.

Best
Bruce

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Bruce Herrmann
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."