PD40 Chromatic Dulcimer

The PD40 hammered dulcimer.

Detail showing installed dampers.

Contents

• General Information
• Woods
• Dimensions
• Price
• Options
  • Decorative binding
  • Black soundboard with decorative binding
  • Dampers
• Tuning and Strings

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PD40 — General Information

Solid wood construction, 3-1/2 fully chromatic octaves, a piano-like scale pattern, convenient size, a deep, rich tone, and a relatively low price all come together on the PD40, Dusty Strings’ newest dulcimer model. Invented by Sam Rizzetta, it’s called the “piano dulcimer” because of its innovative tuning scheme, which 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 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 PD40 is well suited to people who have never played the hammered dulcimer before and those who have felt mystified by the traditional instrument’s fifth-interval tuning scheme.

Anyone familiar with the piano will feel at home with the piano dulcimer, and there’s an instruction book available, Playing the Piano Dulcimer by Madeline MacNeil.

Another innovation is that the instrument is damper ready, which means that mounting holes for the springs and guides for the foot pedal strings are already in place, making damper installation a simple process for instrument owners. We can also install the dampers when the instrument is ordered.

The PD40 has a soundboard and back made of solid quarter-sawn Honduras mahogany, giving it great visual beauty, dimensional stability, and a sound that is deeply resonant. A decorative insert with a vine design graces each sound hole. The sound is warm, rich, and well balanced throughout the range of the instrument.

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PD40 — Woods

Soundboard and back: Solid quarter-sawn Honduras mahogany. Pinblocks and bridges: maple. Rails: mahogany.

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PD40 — Dimensions

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PD40 — Price: $895.00

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

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PD40 — Options

• Decorative binding: Optional black-and-white edge binding (view photo) adds an elegant touch. Price: $185.00
• Black soundboard with decorative binding: The soundboard may be finished in a semi-gloss black lacquer (view photo), increasing the visibility of the strings under varying light conditions. The decorative binding, described above, provides an elegant finish. Price: $265.00

Close-up view of PD40 with dampers installed

• Dampers: We developed a damper system for the PD40 that’s a streamlined version of the popular system we make for our traditional line of chromatic dulcimers. Controlled by a foot pedal, the dampers use a finely balanced system of springs and felt to control sustain. They can deaden the sound completely, let it ring, or go anywhere in between. Price: $295.00 a la carte or $345.00 installed.
• Damper Pedal: Available a la carte for use with our damper systems or as a second damper pedal. Price: $95.00

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PD40 — Tuning and Strings

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.

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