Mountain Dulcimer
"The Monk"

Original design based on the J. E. Thomas dulcimer housed in the Smithsonian Museum, Washington, D.C. The top is salvaged Douglas fir from a demolished Portland, Oregon, warehouse, and the back and sides are pecan. The head and tailpiece are maple. The fingerboard is pine with a black walnut fretboard lamination. The tuning pegs are hand-carved maple.

During the time I created "The Monk", I started doing a lot of carving again. I was working on two or three heads at a time. I built this one April, 2003, using pecan wood left over from a salon guitar I made the year before.

The Monk chants beautifully. He has a mellow tone that's not too soft or too loud.