"Langeleik" SDD 0046

My second custom "non-dulcimer." A woman from Colorado contacted me about building a "Langeleik" for her. These instruments are believed to be one of the older Norwegian influences that contributed to the design of the Mountain Dulcimer. It is basically a rectangular box strung with eight strings. Only one string is fretted while the other seven are played as "drone" strings. There are also included some small "movable" frets that can change the tuning of the drone strings like a capo.

Hourglass SDD 0014

Aromatic cedar soundboard. Hard maple fingerboard. Scroll peghead. Orthodox cross soundholes.

Back View of Sdd 0014

Hard maple back. Laminated peghead.

Hourglass SDD 0015

Hourglass shape, hard maple fingerboard, aromatic cedar soundboard with "f" soundholes. Scroll peghead

Hourglass SDD 0016

Aromatic cedar soundboard. Hickory fingerboard. Four different soundholes as selected by buyer. Custom carved peghead (whale tail fluke).

TEARDROP SDD 0018

Teardrop shape, Sitka Spruce soundboard and Purpleheart fingerboard. Tapered scroll peghead. "f" soundholes.

HOURGLASS SDD 0019

Western Red Cedar soundboard on hourglass shaped body. Scroll peghead with down swept arch. Evergreen tree soundholes. Black walnut fingerboard with maple inlay dots.

Hourglass, SDD 0020

Aromatic cedar soundboard, hickory fingerboard. Horsehead and geometric dot soundholes. Tapered scroll and upswept arch peghead.

Stand at first Bazaar

The Spring Bazaar at the Evergreen fairgrounds in Monroe, our first event in 2015.

SDD 0022

Aromatic cedar soundboard with Penguin soundholes. Laminated peghead. Gold tuning machines with black knobs. Special order Ebony fingerboard.

Hourglass, SDD 0025

A couple of things to point out here. First notice the "Cannarywood" side on the body. This imported exotic hardwood has some beautiful grain patterns with colors ranging from browns to reds and oranges. Also the peghead has a different design. I was just experimenting while building it and ended up with something that reminded me of a turret on a castle.

Hourglass, SDD 0024

Classic "hourglass" shape with leaf soundholes.  Western Red Cedar soundboard and scroll type peghead.

Hourglass, SDD 0027

Sides are one of my favorite exotic woods called Canarywood. Usually has multiple colored grain streaks ranging from very light to deep reds and even purples. Standard hourglass shape with Aromatic Cedar soundboard. "Bubble" soundholes.

Teardrop, SDD 0028

Teardrop shape, stylish heart soundholes with dots above and below. Aromatic Cedar soundboard,

Diamond, SDD 0034

Diamond body with matching soundholes. A tribute to some of the very early designs primarily from the Melton's of Virginia. Western Red Cedar soundboard, nicely grained Cherry back and sides.

Hourglass, SDD 0035

Western Red Cedar on Hourglass shaped body. Padauk sides and back. Eight notes on upper "bout" and hearts on lower.

Rectangle, SDD 0037

Rectangular body with rectangular soundholes produces a nice, clear sound. Built with contrasting colors to produce a light/dark theme. Soundboard is light colored Poplar. Sides are a dark Walnut and back is a bright Eastern Maple.

Hourglass, SDD 0039

Fleur de Lis and Butterfly soundholes. Western Red Cedar sound board, Cherry back and Red Oak Sides.

Ellipse, SDD 0040

Ellipse shaped, "f hole" soundholes. Soundboard is Red Alder, Backm is Black Walnut and sides are Cherry.

Hourglass, SDD 0043

Four different soundholes on an hourglass shaped body.

Ellipse, SDD 0045

Ellipise shape.

Hourglass, SDD 0047

Hourglass.

0051

Certainly one of my top five favorite instruments. I found a piece of poplar that was "marred" by a dark stripe within the grain of the wood. After some creative book-matching and milling I ended up with a unique looking soundboard for this elliptical dulcimer.

Rectangle, SDD 0052

Tribute to early builders that used whatever they could find for building materials. Sometimes they would use cigar boxes to construcg the body, creating an instrument with a rectangular shape like this one.

Ellipse, SDD 0053

Eliptical shape with standing bear and howling wolf soundholes.

"Very Custom" SDD 0054

Ordered by customer in Vermont.

Diamond, SDD 0055

A little different view of a lesser used shape - diamond.

"Trumpet" Shape SDD 0061

A bit of a different design that I tried out in an attempt to come up with a less expensive dulcimer. It was not a lot less to build but did evolve into another "Economy" model that I am now building.

Elliptical, SDD 0065

Custom order instrument. Notice the laminated woods in the peg head. I enjoy doing this little extra touch and feel that it adds to the uniqueness of each instrument.

Teardrop, SDD 0067

This soundboard is Aromatic Cedar, also known as Tennessee Cedar. While it has been a popular option with many of my customers, I am finding that good quality lumber of this species is getting hard to get.

Rectangle, SDD 0076

Basic model with some upgrades. Soundboard is Western Red Cedar.

Hourglass, SDD 0077

Hourglass shape, Crescent moon soundholes.

Teardrop SDD 0083

Another commissioned Langeliek for a customer in North Dakota. SDD 0087 This is considered one of

SDD 0088, Hickory bookmatched back with laminated racing stripe adds a distinctive personal touch.

Peghear detail for SDD 0090. Laser edched initials or other items can also be added onto scroll typ