What To Build Next? Survey Results
January 6, 2023
Good Morning, Y'all, and Happy New Year!
Here at Folkcraft, we're buckling down to work, getting books and strings shipped, and instruments made. It is a nice feeling, knowing that what we do makes you happy.
In the last email, I asked what you wanted us to work on (new) for 2023. I gave a few options, things we were considering, and asked for your input. While it was not a formal poll, and there's no "force of law" behind the poll results, here's what y'all had to say:
Student - 19
Travel dulcimer - 17
Hawaiian style dulcimer - 12
Solid body dulcimer (electric guitar style) - 4
Other - 6
So clearly, we should be making an inexpensive (student) small (travel) Hawaiian-style instrument. With a magnetic pickup. Ha!
My heart wants to make a cool Hawaiian style instrument, similar to the Gold Tone Dulciborn (which they discontinued), but nicer. Something loud, with a bridge that's not part of the fretboard. And the business side of my brain is advocating for an entry-level instrument, something that is good quality, but inexpensive. No bells and whistles, just a "get the job done" kind of dulcimer, but with a good action and nice tone quality. I'm torn on the travel dulcimer - the small body that makes an instrument "travel" also makes an instrument not have a big, clear, gorgeous tone quality. We've had travel dulcimers before, under both the FolkRoots and Folkcraft lines, and I was never a fan of any of them. I know you want one, and I do too, but I don't see it happening in 2023. Maybe an "octave" dulcimer, tuned DAD, but an octave higher than a standard? Those sound really cool.
So here's what we're going to do...
Oops, almost let the cat out of the bag. I'm not saying. Yet. Give us a few months to work out the details, and you (newsletter subscribers) will be the first to know. I promise. Except for Glynda, and a small group of test-drivers for the new instrument.
Thanks for reading, I hope you have an amazing January 2023!
Sincerely,
Richard Ash, wanna-build-a-Hawaiian-dulcimer-but-probably-won't-this-year luthier