Dulcimer-zither
"Hopeful Maiden"

An original design, being a combination of Mountain dulcimer and psaltery. The top and back are salvaged black walnut. The sides, head, tailpiece, bridges, and rosette are maple. the dulcimer fingerboard is pine with a black walnut fretboard lamination.

After crafting several wing psalteries based on Medieval illuminations, I had the idea of combining a dulcimer fingerboard with a wing psaltery. As I've mentioned in my lectures and notes, the Mountain dulcimer had its origins in Europe as "board zithers," and most, if not all of these instruments evolved from psalteries, like the wing psaltery. Similar multi-stringed board zithers like my "Hopeful Maiden" have existed, and still exist, in Scandinavian countries, but with shapes similar to early American Mountain dulcimers. This is a sweet sounding instrument that can be played as either a dulcimer or a psaltery--or both. I've been able to combine strums, chording, and plucking to create unique duets between the two sections. Two people can play it like a Courtin' Dulcimer.