Clifford Glenn 3-String Appalachian Dulcimer (1994)
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Clifford Glenn 3-String Model Appalachian Dulcimer (1994), made in Sugar Grove, North Carolina, natural varnish finish, Cherry, handmade gig bag case.
Watauga County, North Carolina was a cradle of culture as a renewed interest in traditional folk music swelled in the nation as the 1950s followed WWII. Clifford Glenn was the son of largely self-taught luthier Leonard Glenn and learned the art of making folk instruments directly from his father. The Glenns as well as several other notable dulcimer makers were descended from Eli Presnell who created a standard dulcimer pattern from what was thought to be the original classic hourglass Appalachian dulcimer. Clifford and his father's instruments came to be in fairly high demand in the area and with traditional musicians all around Appalachia.
This well-constructed and somewhat modernized example of a classic 3-string Appalachian dulcimer is made from cherry. This was a tonewood indigenous to the area, easily and readily available in the woods surrounding the Glenn workshop. The entire instrument is made of cherry save the rosewood nut and bridge, the three screw endpins, the stainless steel frets, and the addition of Japanese-made chrome plated machine tuners rather than the traditional friction pegs in the narrow lump-scroll headstock.
This instrument is clearly marked with a stamp on the back of the headstock "Clifford Glenn Sugar Grove NC" and the date of February 25, 1994. The geared tuners, dot markers on the fingerboard (possibly added, as these are unusual on a Dulcimer) and general buildsmanship mark this as a later-career effort from Glenn. It still bears the family tradition hourglass body with those ever-charming heart shaped soundholes, the top and back have elegant scribed lines all around the outer edges.
Crucially, the Glenns are widely known to have built many historically significant Appalachian folk instruments for their neighbor, Frank Proffitt Sr. Proffitt is not only renowned as a builder, but as a folk performer who made a major contribution to American musical history including being featured in Alan Lomax's essential "Folk Songs of North America." Clifford and his "made to be played" instruments remained a constant in the community until his passing in 2015. This is a beautiful traditional instrument, finely built with exacting attention to detail delicate touches particular to this family's instruments.
Length is 35 in. (88.9 cm.), 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm.) in depth at deepest point. Scale length is 28 1/8 in. (714 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/8 in. (35 mm.).
This is another visibly higher quality and somewhat more modern handmade instrument from the long line of Glenn dulcimer makers. The cherry body is well-kept with only a few little camouflaged scratches and no major scratches or dings. There are a smattering of small grain cracks along the bottom edge of the sides on both sides, all of which are visible in hand but expertly sealed and unproblematic.. The narrow 3-string peghead is clean as a whistle outfitted with three machine tuners rather than traditional friction pegs; the original rosewood nut and bridge as well as the stainless frets are healthy and little worn. One of the pearl sticker fret markers has peeled off and left a slight silhouette behind.
Clifford learned well from his father, and the superior craftsmanship shines through in the smaller decorative details such as the classic heart soundholes, the subtle taper of the fingerboard beyond the frets, and the subtle decorative etching around the top and back. Clifford's signature is indelibly stamped into the back of the headstock rather than on a label inside. It would almost certainly have not left the shop in an original bag or case, but it now cozily resides in an specially ordered Amish-made dulcimer bag. Very Good + Condition.
Watauga County, North Carolina was a cradle of culture as a renewed interest in traditional folk music swelled in the nation as the 1950s followed WWII. Clifford Glenn was the son of largely self-taught luthier Leonard Glenn and learned the art of making folk instruments directly from his father. The Glenns as well as several other notable dulcimer makers were descended from Eli Presnell who created a standard dulcimer pattern from what was thought to be the original classic hourglass Appalachian dulcimer. Clifford and his father's instruments came to be in fairly high demand in the area and with traditional musicians all around Appalachia.
This well-constructed and somewhat modernized example of a classic 3-string Appalachian dulcimer is made from cherry. This was a tonewood indigenous to the area, easily and readily available in the woods surrounding the Glenn workshop. The entire instrument is made of cherry save the rosewood nut and bridge, the three screw endpins, the stainless steel frets, and the addition of Japanese-made chrome plated machine tuners rather than the traditional friction pegs in the narrow lump-scroll headstock.
This instrument is clearly marked with a stamp on the back of the headstock "Clifford Glenn Sugar Grove NC" and the date of February 25, 1994. The geared tuners, dot markers on the fingerboard (possibly added, as these are unusual on a Dulcimer) and general buildsmanship mark this as a later-career effort from Glenn. It still bears the family tradition hourglass body with those ever-charming heart shaped soundholes, the top and back have elegant scribed lines all around the outer edges.
Crucially, the Glenns are widely known to have built many historically significant Appalachian folk instruments for their neighbor, Frank Proffitt Sr. Proffitt is not only renowned as a builder, but as a folk performer who made a major contribution to American musical history including being featured in Alan Lomax's essential "Folk Songs of North America." Clifford and his "made to be played" instruments remained a constant in the community until his passing in 2015. This is a beautiful traditional instrument, finely built with exacting attention to detail delicate touches particular to this family's instruments.
Length is 35 in. (88.9 cm.), 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm.) in depth at deepest point. Scale length is 28 1/8 in. (714 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/8 in. (35 mm.).
This is another visibly higher quality and somewhat more modern handmade instrument from the long line of Glenn dulcimer makers. The cherry body is well-kept with only a few little camouflaged scratches and no major scratches or dings. There are a smattering of small grain cracks along the bottom edge of the sides on both sides, all of which are visible in hand but expertly sealed and unproblematic.. The narrow 3-string peghead is clean as a whistle outfitted with three machine tuners rather than traditional friction pegs; the original rosewood nut and bridge as well as the stainless frets are healthy and little worn. One of the pearl sticker fret markers has peeled off and left a slight silhouette behind.
Clifford learned well from his father, and the superior craftsmanship shines through in the smaller decorative details such as the classic heart soundholes, the subtle taper of the fingerboard beyond the frets, and the subtle decorative etching around the top and back. Clifford's signature is indelibly stamped into the back of the headstock rather than on a label inside. It would almost certainly have not left the shop in an original bag or case, but it now cozily resides in an specially ordered Amish-made dulcimer bag. Very Good + Condition.