The Two-Storey Dulcimer

by Roger Alan Skipper

Originally published in American Lutherie #101, 2010



I read John Calkin’s “Dulcimer 101” in AL#98 with interest, but with little expectation of practical application.

I’ve never built a dulcimer; I’ve never wished to build one (sung to the “Purple Cow” jingle). Within a month, though, my best customer and great friend Dr. Gerry Snelson asked me to do exactly that. Perhaps anticipating my reluctance to regress to such a basic instrument, Gerry came armed with photos of high-end dulcimers, video clips of accomplished players, and with his normal bundle of challenging demands and fresh ideas.