Bear Meadow Appalachian Dulcimers
Mountain Dulcimer Makers

Bear Meadow Dulcimers-Click to see full size

The Appalachian Dulcimer

The Appalachian Dulcimer is in the midst of a second Renaissance. Musicians are taking the instrument into challenging music genre such as jazz and blues, as well as folk music and early music traditions. Others are exploring the culture that produced the Appalachian mountain dulcimer. These musicians are demanding more accurate intonation and action, and a deeper, richer, more dynamic voice from the traditional fretted dulcimer. It is an exciting time to be a mountain dulcimer maker.

Mountain dulcimer makers

Appalachian dulcimer makers are responding with more capable instruments. Some are experimenting with all sorts of innovations and new technical capabilities. Appalachian dulcimer makers are free to interpret the instrument as she or he wishes, without inhibition from conventional wisdom. The only judge is the ear of the musician. And as the instruments we build become more accomplished they in turn challenge the musician to demand more from the music, and more from the mountain dulcimer.

Hand-built Mountain Dulcimers

My goal is making Appalachian dulcimers of superb beauty, projection, voice and action. I'd be happy to discuss building one for you. And I would also like to pass on as much as I can to aspiring builders and my luthier colleagues, to advance the state of the art. The information in these web pages will give you lots of details about what models I offer and my dulcimer building techniques, which you can use to learn how to build a mountain dulcimer.

Take a little jaunt through Bear Meadow...

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What's New??

• A new model has been added to the Bear Meadow line. This new Urnes Grand features elaborate soundhole carving from a Viking church built in the Dark Ages at Urnes, Norway.
• Bear Meadow dulcimers are featured in an article on the Lois Hornbostel's Mel Bay site for mountain dulcimers! Check it out Lois' site at dulcimersessions.com She is doing a real service for the dulcimer community.
• I've published a chapbook of poetry, "Under the Only Moon." Check out the samples from it here!
• Newest new?? Check it out! The RMC pickup/MIDI system. This is a dulcimer that wails, and delivers oodles of clean acoustic power.
• Don't miss the new Apprentice Programs!
• Likewise for the Dulcimer Building Classes.
• Ditto for the Northeast Dulcimer Symposium Building Class in the Adirondaks. (It's beautiful there in late June...)
• Have you checked out this guy over on the right?
  Dwain is getting a bit chatty about this, that, and the other...

Visit with
Dwain Wilder

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My guestbook has excellent anti-spam features for your protection as well as mine. Please write me there at Guest Book

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