Clifford Glenn 4-String Appalachian Dulcimer (1980)
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Clifford Glenn 4-String Model Appalachian Dulcimer (1980), made in Sugar Grove, North Carolina, natural finish, Wormy Chestnut top and back, cherry sides, 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 from his father. The Glenns as well as several other notable dulcimer makers were descended from Eli Presnell who created a 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 is a pretty straightforward but very well-constructed example of a 4-string Appalachian dulcimer; Clifford usually made 3-string dulcimers, but "coupled-string" dulcimers were available upon request. While the sides and details are made from what appears to be cherry, the top and back are made from wormy chestnut which is quite literally chestnut that gets its distinct cavities from worm trails! It has a narrow headstock with larger friction tuners, stainless steel frets, and the family tradition hourglass body with those ever-charming heart shaped soundholes. The nut and bridge are pre-cut to allow several different stringing options.
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 36 in. (91.4 cm.), 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth at deepest point. Scale length is 28 in. (711 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/16 in. (33 mm.).
This is an elegant example of a visibly higher quality genuine handmade dulcimer. The wormy chestnut appears unscuffed and hardly touched with minimal signs of use overall and no evidence of any repair; a scattering of (intentional!) worm holes dot the top. Clifford learned well from his father, and the superior buildsmanship shines through not only in the svelte design of the dulcimer but in the smaller decorative details. There's a bit of delicate carved details around the top and back edges that are a nice touch, and the tuners and headstock scroll are tactfully swirled out of cherry wood. The handwritten Leonard Glenn label is a touch faded over the years but still completely in tact and legible inside the lower treble side bout soundhole. 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. Excellent 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 from his father. The Glenns as well as several other notable dulcimer makers were descended from Eli Presnell who created a 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 is a pretty straightforward but very well-constructed example of a 4-string Appalachian dulcimer; Clifford usually made 3-string dulcimers, but "coupled-string" dulcimers were available upon request. While the sides and details are made from what appears to be cherry, the top and back are made from wormy chestnut which is quite literally chestnut that gets its distinct cavities from worm trails! It has a narrow headstock with larger friction tuners, stainless steel frets, and the family tradition hourglass body with those ever-charming heart shaped soundholes. The nut and bridge are pre-cut to allow several different stringing options.
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 36 in. (91.4 cm.), 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth at deepest point. Scale length is 28 in. (711 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/16 in. (33 mm.).
This is an elegant example of a visibly higher quality genuine handmade dulcimer. The wormy chestnut appears unscuffed and hardly touched with minimal signs of use overall and no evidence of any repair; a scattering of (intentional!) worm holes dot the top. Clifford learned well from his father, and the superior buildsmanship shines through not only in the svelte design of the dulcimer but in the smaller decorative details. There's a bit of delicate carved details around the top and back edges that are a nice touch, and the tuners and headstock scroll are tactfully swirled out of cherry wood. The handwritten Leonard Glenn label is a touch faded over the years but still completely in tact and legible inside the lower treble side bout soundhole. 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. Excellent Condition.