Step 1) Imagining the creation: Before work starts, considerable thought and speculation takes place. The dulcimer is imagined. Considerations of voice, shape, VSL, desired visual impact, choices of wood (and their interactions) are all reviewed and pondered. If it is a custom dulcimer, the requests of the customer are incorporated into this thought process. This process usually occurs over the course of several days, although there have been dulcimers with unusual considerations where this process takes weeks.

Read about our "Selection and Preservation of Wood"
 

Step 2) Listening to the wood: Boinking wood is great fun and a process that tends to spin out of control—I sometimes boink whole stacks of wood. The process is simple—the piece of wood is held lightly between thumb and index finger with one end near the ear. The other end is then snapped at various points with a finger. This results in a sound that gives some indication how the wood will carry and display sound.

Each piece of wood has a unique sound, both in pitch and timbre. I’m particularly fond of wood that creates a resonant, chiming sound. Pieces of wood that don’t produce desirable tones aren’t used. Even though the wood pieces will undergo many shaping processes and ultimately become a part of a bigger whole, I’m convinced that these tonal characteristics endure.

Generally, the two pieces that will make up the top are matched for compatible voice. If one has a lower pitch (which is usually the case,) it will be marked for use on the bass side of the fretboard. Particular care is taken in selecting the wood for the fretboard. Not only must it be straight and true, but its tone must be carefully considered.

Step 3) The Intarsia Process: Although the majority of Timbre Hill dulcimers are made with tops and backs from the same woods, some are created with patterns composed of combinations of woods using a modification of a process called intarsia. Although the process is mechanically simple, it can create dynamic, mirror image patterns.

I came upon the process by accident—I had two wonderful pieces of wood that were too narrow to make a back. In figuring out how to incorporate another piece of wood in an esthetically pleasing way, I stumbled onto this fascinating process. The process is complicated enough that I can reproduce only the most basic patterns. There seems to be no outer limit to the kinds of patterns that can be created. I find myself intrigued by the process. I see it as being squarely in the folk art tradition. At this point, there is no extra charge for intarsia work.

The process itself involves making a “sandwich” out of four pieces of wood. This “sandwich” is then cut lengthwise along a curving line. This results in eight pieces of wood that can be combined in various ways. They are glued up in pairs of two, which results in another four pieces of wood. These are put into a “sandwich” and the process is repeated. Interesting things happen when two such sets of wood are brought along together and matching pieces are swapped between the two sets. The possibilities are endless, although I generally stop when my eyes start to cross or I’m tempted to start throwing things.

Beyond the process’s capacity to provide entertainment and interesting visual effects, I’m convinced that dulcimers created from a variety of woods produce a “wider” more nuanced sound. Plus I like the idea that different entities with unique characteristics brought into harmony and working together can create more through their unity than any single entity.

Step 4) Bringing the wood to final thickness. The thickness of the sides, top and back of Timbre Hill dulcimers are determined by flexibility rather than measurement. Although this is a very subjective evaluation, there is a point when wood goes from being “kinda” flexible to being “really” flexible. It’s also the point at which tap tones diminish significantly. The difference between these two levels of flexibility usually occurs with a one eighth turn on the drum sander adjustment—which translates into a theoretical difference of 1/128^th of an inch.

Since different woods reach this flexibility at different thicknesses, a simple thickness measurement generally results in a less usable evaluation. I’m also convinced that using wood of these dimensions is basic to the particular voice and characteristics of Timbre Hill dulcimers.

Back braces—these braces run perpendicular to the length of the dulcimer. There are usually 6-8 individual braces. Once glued in place, they are hand carved to taper down toward the outer edges.

Side to Side braces—these run from one side to the other. They serve to make the sides square and add strength and stability. I’m convinced that they create “mini-resonating chambers” that add significantly to the voice of the dulcimer, particularly in regards to sustain. Once in place and the glue dry, these braces are also carved by hand.

These braces are beveled on the ends to fit the curve of the dulcimer’s sides. Another small, beveled piece of wood is glued to both the end of the brace and the side. This increases the gluing surface—I’ve yet to have a brace come loose.

Top bracing—These braces run in a diamond pattern the length of the top. Besides the strength and structural support they provide to both the fretboard and the top, they are essential to shaping the sound. With the braces and fretboard glued to the top, the tap tones can be adjusted up and down the length of the fretboard by carving the braces. Taking just a bit of wood off a brace can make significant changes to the tap tones in various areas of the fretboard. This results, I hope, (but cannot prove) in a more consistent and balanced final sound up and down the fretboard.

Butternut, Ohio Buckeye and old growth Redwood are primarily used for bracing the tops. These are all softer woods with generous and unique tonal characteristics. Since Timbre Hill dulcimers generally are made with hardwood tops, these woods provide a juxtaposition of hard and soft and create a unique depth of timbre.

My faithful shop-dog, Sweep, seems to be particularly adept at sensing these approaching situations. I’ve learned to pay attention to him and his requests—he seems particularly adept at sensing those times when a task is calling to my inner idiot.

Sweep came to us bearing a checkered and tarnished history. He has strong herding impulses. At his previous home, these were expressed by herding Amish bicycle riders—something that did not endear him to the neighborhood. He was also accused (perhaps falsely) of herding some of the neighbor’s young goats all the way through the gates of eternity. So Sweep came to live with us and has proven an invaluable monitor of shop equilibrium.

The bridge is made by slotting a piece of wood to accommodate the upright portion of the bridge. The two are then glued together, making a durable and stable bridge. The upright portion of the bridge can be made from a variety of materials—I use bone, deer antler or ebony.