PD30 “Piano Dulcimer”

Partial view of PD30 hammered dulcimer. (full view)

Detail of vine-motif sound hole insert.

General Information
Woods
Dimensions
Price
Tuning and Strings

PD30 — General Information

The PD30 also called the “Piano Dulcimer” because of its innovative tuning scheme. Invented by long-time hammered dulcimer designer and builder Sam Rizzetta and based on the piano keyboard, it is a 2-1/2 octave, fully chromatic instrument.

The tuning pattern uses half-step intervals across the bridge. Each course of strings crosses two markers on the top of the bridge. White marks the naturals or C scale, and black marks the sharps and flats—just like on a piano. To play a C scale, just follow the white markers up the instrument. Once you learn the pattern for any scale it’s easy to change keys, since all the scales follow the same pattern or a mirror pattern. The sharps and flats are where you’d expect to find them, next to the naturals. The PD30 represents a new concept in the dulcimer world—a fully chromatic instrument at an entry-level price.

Keyboard players who love the sound of the dulcimer but who’ve never related to its traditional fifth-interval tuning will feel at home with the piano dulcimer. It’s also a fun approach to playing chromatically that offers existing dulcimer players new possibilities for tunes and techniques. Lightning-fast chromatic runs have never been easier or more intuitive to play on a dulcimer.

The PD30, like our popular Prelude and Apprentice models, is made with a laminated soundboard and back, and has a bright, cheerful sound.

Well-known dulcimer player Madeline MacNeil has written an instructional book called Playing the Piano Dulcimer, which sells for $14.95. We also make a 3-1/2 octave version with a solid mahogany soundboard and back called the PD40.

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PD30 — Woods

Soundboard and back: Finland birch plywood. Pinblocks: eastern maple. Rails, bridges, and sound hole inserts: Honduras mahogany.

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PD30 — Dimensions

Bottom rail:	38-1/2 inches
Top rail:	20 inches
Height:	15 inches
Thickness:	3-3/4 inches
Weight:	13 lbs.

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PD30 — Price: $435.00

Includes regular hammers and T-handle tuning wrench. Optional C35 case: $115.00

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PD30 — Tuning and Strings

diagram showing note array and string gauges
Superscript numbers indicate octaves (C⁴ is Middle C).
White and black boxes indicate white and black bridge markers.
All strings have loop ends.
Unspecified strings are plain steel wire.
Wire gauges are shown in inches.

Downloadable string/tuning chart for the PD30: pd30_chart.pdf (12 K) (*)

Downloadable string order form: hd_string_order_form.pdf (10 K) (*)

* Note: PDF (Portable Document Format) files require Adobe Systems Incorporated’s free Acrobat Reader software to view and/or print. This software is available for download from the Adobe web site.

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Full view of PD30 hammered dulcimer. (Detail views)

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