Stephen Miklos, Luthier
Each of my solid-wood dulcimers is unique; I don't have a model series. When I find a good board of Walnut, I'll make a few Walnut instruments, et cetera. Always the boards come first. Therefore, I don't have a "standard walnut" model for a fixed price. The instruments shown here are the ones I have currently available. I update very frequently, so it will be rare to see something here that has already been sold, unless it is marked as such.
As of June, 2011, I have been for some time not making instruments, due to a series of illnesses. I hope to resume this summer.
For information on ordering, payment, and shipping, contact steve@carrotcreek.com
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Click one to see details, or scroll down to see all.
| #0031
"Snow" I was preparing to go to the first Dulcimer festival of the year, the 2007 Winter Dulcimer Fest of the Pocono Dulcimer Club, when I thought of this idea for snowflake soundholes. Anyone who'd been to the 2005 fest will appreciate it! This instrument has the same woody, full tone as the "Double Happiness" above, though it has fewer frills. Butternut soundboard, back, and sides, Mahogany fretboard with a cocobolo overlay, and a rosewood-maple sandwich overlay on the peghead. Open geared tuners facing upward.
This instrument has been damaged (someone poked a finger into one of the snowflakes) and is not for sale. |
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Click any photo for a larger view |
| #0028
"Carved Gothic" I make several instruments each year with the "Gothic" soundhole design, along with my less conventional soundholes. The gothic design makes me think of cathedral lights and is a settling, serene, accompaniment to the combination of dark walnut and grainy butternut.
This butternut soundboard and walnut back and sides, with walnut scroll head and fretboard, has Gotoh tuners. The scroll is carved to a graceful shape. The sound is woody with a slight twang when strummed hard. This instrument is not for sale. |
Click any photo for a larger view |
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The case we supply is a soft-sided padded case made of
tough 600 denier luggage fabric,
with a music-book sized pleated accessory pocket. Fits dulcimers up to 40"
long, 9" wide, and 3 1/2" deep.
Includes padded shoulder strap with attachment clips for either horizontal
or vertical carrying.
Available in Gray. The case is $35 with the purchase of a dulcimer, $55 on its
own.
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"Double Happiness" The Chinese character in the soundhole is "XiXi", a combined symbol of two copies of "Xi", which means "happy, happiness". The double happiness symbol is widely used in Chinese culture, especially in association with holidays and weddings. The flower is the hibiscus, or "Rose of China". This instrument is made of butternut (soundboard, back, and sides), with a mahogany fretboard and cocobolo fretboard overlay, and rosewood and maple binding all around the soundboard and back, and a rosewood-maple sandwich peghead overlay. The position markers are made of butternut from the outer scrap of the soundboard. The tuners are Gotoh. The peghead is a new design for me, based on the dobro and old-time slotted steel-string pegheads. It combines the flat-headed look many prefer with the convenience of tuning buttons that face straight up and all tune in the same direction (clockwise for sharper, counterclockwise for flatter). This instrument has a fine, woody tone with plenty of volume. I love the sound of butternut as a soundboard, and the all-butternut tone is, if anything, a little richer. This instrument was fitted with a 1-1/2 fret and hand-turned cocobolo strap buttons at the request of the purchaser.
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Click any photo for a larger view |
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#0405 Walnut back and sides, walnut top, violin-style F-hole soundholes, planetary tuners. Warm, deep, and intimate tone. This instrument is not available
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Note on the "Sun" soundholes. I make these individually and do the design right on the wood. Each one is different. I've made so far only the two shown here, but I plan to make more, each with its own distinctive character. |
Number 0402 |
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The tone of this instrument is clear and broad, good for strumming as the pure tones don't clash, and good also for finger- or flat-picking more intricate melodies. This instrument has been sold. |
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#0403 Walnut back and sides, Butternut top, “Gothic” soundholes. Very easy-playing, mellow and woody but not quiet. Gotoh tuners. This instrument has been sold.
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#0504 A sprawling sun soundhole in the spruce challenges the spectacular curly maple back and sides for visual distinction. A balanced tone, edging towards bass. Gotoh tuners. This instrument has been sold.
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#0503 Walnut back and sides, butternut top, F-holes, Gotoh tuners. Brash, full-bodied tone, with strong volume projection and depth. Very easy action. This instrument has been sold
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Number 0404
A butternut soundboard with natural knotholes providing the soundholes makes this instrument truly unique "by nature"! The walnut back features a constellation of pin knots and the wild figure associated with such wood-growth characteristics. The sound is mellow with good volume and projection.
This instrument has been sold.
Number 0307W
The back of this instrument is of cherry with wild grain and pitch markings, a very interesting board indeed. The top is a very even-grained Western Redcedar. The tone has a brash ring to it, with very good volume and sustain. Walnut fretboard, cherry scrollhead.
This instrument has been sold.
Number 0311W
The walnut top and back of this dulcimer were made from four successive slices of the same board. You can see the wild grain on the back that marks the beginning of the knots that appear on the front. The sides and scrollhead also came from this board. The shimmer of the curly grain changes as you tilt the instrument one way or another. I wanted to leave the knotholes on the front, but they were too small to serve as soundholes, so I added hidden soundholes beneath the scalloped-out sections of the fretboard. This instrument has a very sweet, mellow, intimate sound, quiet and unassuming. Chamber music rather than brass band. Fitted with premium planetary-geared tuning machines.
This instrument has been sold.
Number 0312W
The driftwood-like appearance of the mahogany board I chose for this instrument suggested the shoreline theme. I traced the template for the lighthouse from a photograph of the Cape Hatteras light. Walnut fretboard and scrollhead. The instrument has a deep tone with a broad tonal spectrum, almost guitar-like, but slightly darker.
This instrument Has been sold.
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#0501 The Ambrosia Maple back and sides are marked with wild patterns of mold stains from an infestation of Ambrosia beetles. The coloration and patterns suggested the desert and Southwest motifs are chosen for the soundholes in the Butternut top. A somewhat bright, woody tone. Gotoh Tuners This instrument has been sold.
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#0502 Walnut back and sides with a spruce top. The soundholes are the “Gothic” design, recalling cathedral lights. This instrument really sings, with a loud, clear voice. Gotoh Tuners. This instrument has been sold
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The case we supply is a soft-sided padded case made of
tough 600 denier luggage fabric,
with a music-book sized pleated accessory pocket. Fits dulcimers up to 40"
long, 9" wide, and 3 1/2" deep.
Includes padded shoulder strap with attachment clips for either horizontal
or vertical carrying.
Available in Gray. The case is $35 with the purchase of a dulcimer, $55 on its
own.
