Hammered Dulcimer Builder:
Randy "Ardie" Davis Hello. My name is Randy Davis, and I build hammered
dulcimers. My friends call me "Ardie" because "R" and "D" are my first and last initials.
How-to-Build a Hammered Dulcimer Book For those interested in building a hammered dulcimer (a very rewarding experience and bound to bring lots of
comments), I've written an easy to understand and follow book called A Dulcimer Builder's Do-It-Yourself Guidebook. Check out this link if you would rather build than buy. Technique I wrote my book based on techniques handed down by the likes of Bill Spence, Sam Rizzetta and Dana Hamilton, plus a few of my own. As a result my hammered
dulcimers are a combination of master techniques and new refinements.  Moderate Sustain
The kind of hammered dulcimer built using my book is known as a "moderate sustain" dulcimer. Why "moderate sustain"? Well, high sustain dulcimers sound fine for certain kinds of music (like ballads and hymns), but get muddy when you move to faster music like Irish or American Traditional. Low sustain dulcimers can sound clunky, so my book contains a design for a
hammered dulcimer that effectively bridges the distance between fast music and slow music. Let me hear from you. If you have any questions, or would like to discuss hammered dulcimers, contact me via my Contact Us page! For the joy of music,
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