David Beede's "Big Beede" full sized dulcimers

NEW Erin Rogers plays her first gig with her new chromatic dulci.

A little info on David's

"Big Beede" full sized dulcimers...
NEWish See Stephen Seifert playing his new chromatic!

This is really a "quickie" web page to deal with some of the inquiries I've been getting about my latest dulcimer design.

When I'm not so busy building I'll get some better photos up, but in the mean time this will give a glimpse of my full sized dulcimers.

The basics are: Hourglass, upper bout 5.5”, lower bout 7.5”, body 2.” deep, overall depth 3”, length 35”, 25” strings length.

This hourglass model evolved in collaboration with my friend Aaron O'Rourke , who approached me with a few interesting ideas arising from his playing style.

There are links to some videos of Aaron playing a couple of the prototypes below.

One was a bevel on the lower bout where his forearm rests while playing.

Something harder to show in a photo is the radiused fingerboard. This has become standard for many instruments, like steel string guitars, and mandolins but until recently hasn't been done on mountain dulcimers.

It greatly facilitates baring and bending strings.

Like this one they are also available without the bevel or radius fret board.

This one has a walnut body

Sitka spruce top

ebony fingerboard and peg head overlay

1 1/2 & 6 1/2 & 8 1/2 frets

Gold Ping tuners

Bone nut notched for either this very common "three string" arrangement with doubled melody string, or four equidistant strings.

Poplar body

Sitka spruce top

Purple heart fingerboard

Bone nut & bridge

"Celestial" Sun & Moon sound hole design

Here's one I built for Aaron O'Rourke with "bear claw" sitka spruce and a koa bevel.

All dulcimers use a tailpiece of my own creation. It's a variation on a “de-coupled” tailpiece, which results in a fuller bass response. The strings terminate at the end of the fingerboard which is not only inset from the end block, but is also undercut.

[Howie Mitchel was the first builder I'm aware of using a version of such an approach, in the '60s.]

Here's the full front of the same instrument.

Here's the back of Indian rosewood.

This is some "quilted cherry"

that shows up rarely. If I can get it

there is a modest additional charge.

Acoustically it behaves like

un-figured cherry but is more

challenging to bend.

I used this dulcimer on this cover of

Leonard Cohen's

Hallelujah

The dulcimer's tuned to C#.

This shows the first prototype of this model.

Mahogany, spruce and wenge fingerboard and bevel.

Stars or ovals are available in upper bout.

You can hear this one in Aaron's "Hi Mom" video

clip linked below.

I hope this hand full of pictures and videos helps give you an idea of these instruments.

I take great pride in the precision of their intonation and the quality of their sound.

I spend more time than is reasonable or sensible on the, fingerboard, frets, intonation and action... but then, I am also a player and I like to feel my fingers go "aaaaaaahhhh..." when they touch the strings. If you do too, contact me.

David Beede Chomatic Mountain Dulcimer Demo by Stephen Seifert from Stephen Seifert on Vimeo.

Price List PDF Here
Contact info is on the price list PDF too.

A little tour of a walnut, spruce and ebony dulcimer.

Beede dulcimer details from David Beede on Vimeo.

A few words about the sound I try to achieve.

Aaron plays this original composition on prototype #1 Mahogany and Sitka spruce, wenge.

Aaron plays prototype #2 Cherry & Sitka spruce with his Trio. Check out Aaron's web site.

Erin Rogers' first gig with her new chromatic

Demo of a chromatic dulcimer I built for Erin Rogers.

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A little info on David's "Big Beede" full sized dulcimers...	NEWish See Stephen Seifert playing his new chromatic!
	This is really a "quickie" web page to deal with some of the inquiries I've been getting about my latest dulcimer design. When I'm not so busy building I'll get some better photos up, but in the mean time this will give a glimpse of my full sized dulcimers. The basics are: Hourglass, upper bout 5.5”, lower bout 7.5”, body 2.” deep, overall depth 3”, length 35”, 25” strings length.
	This hourglass model evolved in collaboration with my friend Aaron O'Rourke , who approached me with a few interesting ideas arising from his playing style. There are links to some videos of Aaron playing a couple of the prototypes below.
	One was a bevel on the lower bout where his forearm rests while playing. Something harder to show in a photo is the radiused fingerboard. This has become standard for many instruments, like steel string guitars, and mandolins but until recently hasn't been done on mountain dulcimers. It greatly facilitates baring and bending strings.
	Like this one they are also available without the bevel or radius fret board. This one has a walnut body Sitka spruce top ebony fingerboard and peg head overlay 1 1/2 & 6 1/2 & 8 1/2 frets
	Gold Ping tuners Bone nut notched for either this very common "three string" arrangement with doubled melody string, or four equidistant strings.
	Poplar body Sitka spruce top Purple heart fingerboard Bone nut & bridge
	"Celestial" Sun & Moon sound hole design
Here's one I built for Aaron O'Rourke with "bear claw" sitka spruce and a koa bevel. All dulcimers use a tailpiece of my own creation. It's a variation on a “de-coupled” tailpiece, which results in a fuller bass response. The strings terminate at the end of the fingerboard which is not only inset from the end block, but is also undercut. [Howie Mitchel was the first builder I'm aware of using a version of such an approach, in the '60s.]
	Here's the full front of the same instrument.
	Here's the back of Indian rosewood.
	This is some "quilted cherry" that shows up rarely. If I can get it there is a modest additional charge. Acoustically it behaves like un-figured cherry but is more challenging to bend. I used this dulcimer on this cover of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah The dulcimer's tuned to C#.
	This shows the first prototype of this model. Mahogany, spruce and wenge fingerboard and bevel. Stars or ovals are available in upper bout. You can hear this one in Aaron's "Hi Mom" video clip linked below.
I hope this hand full of pictures and videos helps give you an idea of these instruments. I take great pride in the precision of their intonation and the quality of their sound. I spend more time than is reasonable or sensible on the, fingerboard, frets, intonation and action... but then, I am also a player and I like to feel my fingers go "aaaaaaahhhh..." when they touch the strings. If you do too, contact me.	David Beede Chomatic Mountain Dulcimer Demo by Stephen Seifert from Stephen Seifert on Vimeo.

Price List PDF Here	Contact info is on the price list PDF too.

A little tour of a walnut, spruce and ebony dulcimer.	Beede dulcimer details from David Beede on Vimeo. A few words about the sound I try to achieve.
Aaron plays this original composition on prototype #1 Mahogany and Sitka spruce, wenge.	Aaron plays prototype #2 Cherry & Sitka spruce with his Trio. Check out Aaron's web site.

Erin Rogers' first gig with her new chromatic	Demo of a chromatic dulcimer I built for Erin Rogers.
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