Folkcraft® Cardboard Dulcimer Kit, Chromatic

My kit, cardboard, chromatic mountain dulcimer

Let me start by saying if you’re a beginner and want to learn the dulcimer there’s nothing wrong with going with the cardboard kit it gives you appreciation for what you had built. Yes I’ve own a few dulcimers all diatonic, but I want to learn chromatic so this is the way I went, as far as shipping, an actual product review. It’s all great because it’s from folkcraft.

Great kit and customer support

I got this chromatic dulcimer kit because I wanted to learn the mountain dulcimer, but being from a more classical music background I liked the idea of the flexibility of the chromatic over the traditional fretting. However, a nice chromatic instrument is not cheap to come by (not many used ones) I did work with the Folkcraft team, and I paid the installation fee for my frets because I wanted that done right. I read the instructions provided, but having the video series on Youtube was a huge help in understanding everything. I also wanted to put some form of finish to my fretboard and the cardboard itself - and again Richard was great in giving guidance on that. I actually went with an instrument lacquer on the cardboard and tung oil on the fretboard. I did do some additional work on mine that is not a part of the kit: I worked out a way that I would be able to have strap buttons installed, to be able to use a strap because I'm clumsy. I was also able to find online guidance for how to do the position marker inlays and added those also (acrylic 2mm). The final thing I did was added some art to the strum hollow, just for fun as I had a wood burner and extra position markers. This was mostly for fun. In the end, I love it!!! It's something I made and now I get to learn to play. The only issue is that I have a bit of a rattle, mostly in my middle string. Right now it's not bothering me too much - but I hope to look at it more soon.

First Build

took my time in the build over three days. print & pictures could be larger. or the toner/ink replaced in your printer. easy to follow overall. now getting used to having all the notes…