Charlie's Dulcimers

Share Charlie's joy in building and playing dulcimers!

[Best book on how to build a
Hammered Dulcimer! This is the one you want.]

Charlie Alm's Hammered Dulcimer Book

Item number: HDB
Charlie Alm, has written a book on Hammered Dulcimers. It is called "THE HAMMER DULCIMER BOOK - How I Build the Things". It has been advertised in Fine WoodWorking, Dulcimer Players News, Sing Out, and American Luthiers Guild. He has built over 100 of the instruments and is very well known in the midwest.

It is the most detailed book on building hammered dulcimers. It is basic enough to be helpful to a novice, and in-depth enough to help an experienced builder. There are a number of books that discuss the Hammered Dulcimer in some detail, but this goes the farthest. This is the book to help you build your hammered dulcimer. The book is now in its eighteenth printing. He has received orders from every state in the U.S. and many other countries, including: Japan, Australia, Mexico, Taiwan, England, Germany, Norway, Israel, Phillipines, Hungary, Scotland, Netherlands, Isle of Man, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Italy, Canada, Greece, Denmark, and Ireland.

For more information on Charlie's book, to see photos of ones which were built using the book, and to read testimonials from people who have ordered the book, visit his main site at Charlie Alm's Hammered Dulcimers, or you can click the button below to order now.

Only $19.95 USD

Click here for to see what customers say about the book.

Charlie Plays Westphalia Waltz on Hammered Dulcimer

Charlie plays Westphalia Waltz on the hammered dulcimer. The Westphalia Waltz , originally a risque Polish folk song called, "Pytala Sie Pani" or "Wszystkie Rybki" was know prior to 1920. Great video for beginners to learn this song, as hammering is clearly visible. The dulcimer is #63, built in 1987, a 12/11 made of Indiana cherry wood, and features wheat sheaf sound holes, sitka spruce sound board dyed black, and a lid. Charlie has a number of hammered dulcimer tunes on YouTube.

Charlie Plays Golden Slippers on Hammered Dulcimer

Charlie plays Golden Slippers on the hammered dulcimer. Golden Slippers is a spiritual made popular in the years after the American Civil War by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. It is sometimes known by its first line, What Kind of Shoes You Gwine (Going) To Wear. Great video for beginners to learn this song, as hammering is clearly visible. The dulcimer is #63, built in 1987, a 12/11 made of Indiana cherry wood, and features wheat sheaf sound holes, sitka spruce sound board dyed black, and a lid. Charlie has a number of hammered dulcimer tunes on YouTube.

How to Tune a Lap or Mountain Dulcimer

Charlie shows how to tune a mountain dulcimer. The dulcimer is made of 150 year old Indiana tulip poplar wood, and features hummingbird sound holes and Grover tuning pegs. This is the 554th Appalachian or lap dulcimer Charlie has built.

Charlie Plays Wildwood Flower on Mountain Dulcimer

Charlie plays Wildwood Flower on the mountain dulcimer. Written in 1860 by Maud Irving with music by Joseph Philbrick Webster, the original title was I'll Twine 'Mid the Ringlets. It was made famous by the Carter Family, and later Woody Guthrie used the melody for his song, The Ruben James. Great video for beginners to learn this song, as frets and fingering are clearly visible. The dulcimer is made of 150 year old Indiana tulip poplar wood, and features hummingbird sound holes and Grover tuning pegs. This is the 554th Appalachian or lap dulcimer Charlie has built.

Charlie Plays Amazing Grace on Mountain Dulcimer

Charlie plays Amazing Grace on the mountain dulcimer. Amazing Grace was written by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (17251807) and published in 1779. Great video for beginners to learn this song, as frets and fingering are clearly visible. The dulcimer is made of 150 year old Indiana tulip poplar wood, and features hummingbird sound holes and Grover tuning pegs. This is the 554th Appalachian or lap dulcimer Charlie has built.

Prairie Wind Toy Company
P.O. Box 428
Brookston, IN 47923

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