The mountain dulcimer needs to be among the most gorgeous instruments on earth, using a special voice and a tone which needs to be heard to be believed. Whether you’re a lover of folk music, then a committed bluegrass player or only a lover of amazing music, then the mountain dulcimer belongs in the repertoire.
Whether you’re a professional artist or simply play for fun, then you need a mountain dulcimer that provides you with the greatest musical bang for your own device buying buck. Here are just 6 of our best mountain dulcimers, every one a wonderful option for players of all ages and skills.
Contents
- The Best Mountain Dulcimer
- 1. Seagull Merlin Mahogany SG Dulcimer Guitar Natural
- 2. Johnson FI-220 Lap Dulcimer
- 3. ROOSEBECK EMMA MOUNTAIN DULCIMER 4-STRING F-HOLES
- 4. Applecreek ACD100 Dulcimer
- 5. Roosebeck DMWR Wildwood Dulcimer, Rosewood, 3 Round Openings and Flat Pegbox
- 6. Roosebeck Grace Mountain Dulcimer 4-String Vaulted Fretboard Spruce Knotwork
- How To Choose A Mountain Dulcimer
- Conclusion
The Best Mountain Dulcimer
1. Seagull Merlin Mahogany SG Dulcimer Guitar Natural
Inspired from the dulcimer, the Seagull Merlin is a portable 4-string diatonic acoustic instrument that is just simply enjoyable to play and difficult to put down. The Seagull Merlin Natural Mahogany SG includes a solid Mahogany top using a mustache-style Tusq bridge, compensated saddle, 3-piece rock maple body using drive-through neck layout and tune-up with classic style open-geared tuners.
Highlights
- Strong mahogany top
- Rock maple, the string-through entire body.
- Rock maple neck, drive-through neck style
2. Johnson FI-220 Lap Dulcimer
As its name suggests, the Johnson FL-220 sticks together with the traditional laptop layout of the Appalachian mountain dulcimer. It includes 4 strings and heart-shaped solid holes around the mahogany body for improved resonance. The strumming region is scalloped to assist players to make the most of the 15-fret fingerboard.
Having a scale length of 26.5 inches and a weight of 4 pounds, the FL-220 is going to be as playable as another adequate version. Just note that the bridge has been positioned somewhat high, so you are going to need to press down hard to the strings to have very clear audio at the’guitar position’. However, as you may remember, the dulcimer was made to be played from the lap.
Highlights
- Mahogany Body
- Decorative Heart-Shaped Sound Holes
- Scalloped Strumming Area
3. ROOSEBECK EMMA MOUNTAIN DULCIMER 4-STRING F-HOLES
This Deluxe version gives the best characteristics in the Roosebeck Mountain Dulcimer lineup! The vaulted fretboard and also the fully spruce soundboard are lightweight and permit for more sound vibration, making outstanding audio quality. This mountain dulcimer comes with an hourglass shape along with 4 of those traditional f-hole openings onto the audio board. The entire body, neck and fretboard are strong walnut along with the tail bit has a golden color and can be shaped just like a crown.
Highlights
- Following accessories are included with item: pick, noter and owner’s manual
- The nut and bridge are bone
- The carved scroll peg head features 4 golden coloured mechanical geared straight tuners using a 4:1 ratio
4. Applecreek ACD100 Dulcimer
If you’re a folk or bluegrass music enthusiast then your search ends here. Even the Applecreek ACD100 is excellent for creating folk songs. It’s a wonderful tool to learn music from the start and is terrific for players that wish to practice mountain songs.
The body is laminated (top, back and sides) and it’s a brief scale dulcimer that makes it much easier for novices to understand. The instrument is lightweight and therefore simple to take care of.
Highlights
- 6 1/2 Frets
- All Wood
- Laminated spruce top, back, and sides
- Maple neck and fingerboard
5. Roosebeck DMWR Wildwood Dulcimer, Rosewood, 3 Round Openings and Flat Pegbox
Fun, lightweight, and simple to play, our Wildwood Dulcimer gets got the rich sound of a mountain dulcimer with only a small bit of banjo twang. The body design of this Wildwood makes it to be played as a guitar rather than the conventional”flat in the lap” standing of this mountain dulcimer. The teardrop spruce soundboard using 2 rosettes stands out in contrast to this long, slender rosewood fingerboard.
Highlights
- Fun to play, simple to play
- Solid spruce soundboard to get a warm tone
- Ukulele design tuners for Simple tuning
6. Roosebeck Grace Mountain Dulcimer 4-String Vaulted Fretboard Spruce Knotwork
As one of the latest additions to our Roosebeck Mountain Dulcimer lineup, this Grace version has many fantastic features! Its vaulted fretboard makes it lighter and more consequently there’s more soundboard vibration along with outstanding sound quality. It’s an hourglass shape and also its own entire body, nut, neck, bridge and fretboard are all strong sheesham. Its end peg has a silver colour and is shaped just like a crown. The soundboard is spruce and contains a magical sheesham skirt layout on the two ends, along with 4 heart openings.
Highlights
- Neck at Nut: 1.25 inches in width
- Neck at Body Joint: 1.25 inches in width
- Nut: 1.25 inches in width, made of sheesham
- Scale Length: 25.5 inches
- 4 tuning pegs/ levers
How To Choose A Mountain Dulcimer
- Appearance: Dulcimers are amazing instruments with exceptional attributes and fine styling. It may be tempting to get one only as it strikes you with its tasteful layout or eye-catching flair. The exact same goes for people who may be searching for guitars, ukuleles, violins, etc. Appearance is important in case this can affect your enthusiasm for practicing and playing, but it shouldn’t be the very first thing on your list of priorities. Delve deeper into the practical features to understand what’s really suited to you. Otherwise, you may get a decorative thing you will soon eliminate interest in.
- Materials: The types of materials utilized will have a profound impact on the standard of the sound along with the durability of this product. For dulcimers, the principal ingredient is generally wood together with knobs. You could save yourself a good deal of money purchasing an instrument made from cheap wood however, you might not be happy with the sound it will create. It won’t be complete or gratifying. Most experienced players prefer to spend more to acquire top quality hardwood in their own instrument. This will raise the burden but it is going to also make playing far more pleasurable. The thing should last considerably longer too, since drops and lumps won’t faze it.
- Portability: The standard means of playing with a dulcimer would be to put it upon your lap so weight isn’t quite as much of a problem like a violin or a guitar. Your legs need to have the ability to support a few pounds without difficulty. In the event you receive uneasily, you can always put it on a low table rather and play as you normally could. But it can be complicated if you’re frequently travelling along with your own instrument. Lugging a heavy product in your back may get tiring. This can be true for those that might be practicing school or taking lessons everywhere. A smaller and lighter choice could be better, particularly for anyone who has a tiny frame.
- Price: Just as with any purchase, you have to be mindful of if you’re overspending or never. This can be a market instrument which won’t yield as many chances to perform professionally in comparison to other people. But, those who understand it’s shown that they can bring in enough attention to really go areas with their dulcimer. If that is merely a passing fancy, then you certainly do not need to devote much for the enjoyment of owning one. You may discover bargains for under $100 which will hardly make a dent on your pocket. People who have more to spare will probably be delighted to understand that professional-grade choices do not cost a lot more at about $300.
Conclusion
The mountain dulcimer is an awesome instrument. And, it is all-American. Therefore, it’s an excellent selection for those who lover Americana. However, don’t allow the strangeness of this mountain dulcimer fool you. There’s little too locating among the very best mountain dulcimers on the market.
We expect that today’s post about mountain dulcimers has opened the eyes to the wonder and majesty of the instrument. Consequently, if you would like to play American folk songs, you want among those mountain dulcimers in our top 6 star. However, you do not need to become a folk musician to adore the mountain dulcimer. Everyone can love this particular instrument. Try 1 now and find out for yourself.
