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Unique to the Southern Appalachian Mountains this handcrafted instrument’s origins are unknown and it doesn't exist in any other folk culture in the world. The trail of the dulcimer likely began when Pennsylvania Germans migrated into southwestern Virginia and West Virginia in the early 1700’s bringing with them the schietholt, (a square three-stringed member of the fretted zither family). It is believed rural mountain craftsmen, seeing the Dulcimer was easy to construct, used wood and materials they had on hand to make Dulcimers. Then they would in turn peddle them from the back of wagons to locals in the area.

The Dulcimer is known by a variety of names including delcumer, dulcymore, hog fiddle and harmony box. It almost faded into obscurity with the mass-production of fiddles, guitars, and banjos but the rediscovery of folk music of the 1950’s and '60’s saved this beautiful instrument.  Musicians such as Kentuckian Jean Ritchie brought the Dulcimer back to national and international audiences

Perspiration:

Though an inevitable accompaniment to musical effort, perspiration is hard on wood finishes. Any player of a stringed instrument will have found out after a while that it is a good idea to keep a towel on hand to wipe the fevered brow of the fiddle. But we dulcimists also need to be careful about playing in short pants! Exposing the back of the dulcimer to the sweat of your thighs can also lead to finish damage, if not wiped after a good hot session.