Clifford Glenn 3-String Appalachian Dulcimer (1975)
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Clifford Glenn 3-String Model Appalachian Dulcimer (1975), made in Sugar Grove, North Carolina, Mahogany, 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 is a well-constructed example of a classic 3-string dulcimers made from what appears to be mahogany. Builders in the region were usually left to the tonewoods that were indigenous to the area, easily and readily available for no money in the woods surrounding their workshops. Mahogany is not a common or abundant wood in central Appalachia implying that this wood might have been a special order or at the very least a less common material for Clifford. The entirety of the dulcimer and all the finer details are mahogany including the friction pegs, bridge, and nut; the loop end strings are anchored to the tailpiece by a single flathead screw. 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.
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 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.) in depth at deepest point.
Here is another visibly higher quality genuine handmade dulcimer from the long line of Glenn dulcimer makers. The mahogany, which would have been a rarer and more deluxe wood than was common practice for Appalachian mountain instrument builders, is well-kept with only a few little camouflaged scratches and one tiny cosmetic chip on the lower bout. The narrow 3-string peghead has a few little scuffs on the very head but is in perfect working order with the three original handcarved tuning pegs; the original frets are in good shape with next to no show of wear.
Clifford learned well from his father, and the superior buildsmanship shines through in the smaller decorative details such as the classic heart soundholes and the subtle taper of the fingerboard beyond the frets. The handwritten and dated Clifford Glenn label is a touch faded over the years but still completely intact 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 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 is a well-constructed example of a classic 3-string dulcimers made from what appears to be mahogany. Builders in the region were usually left to the tonewoods that were indigenous to the area, easily and readily available for no money in the woods surrounding their workshops. Mahogany is not a common or abundant wood in central Appalachia implying that this wood might have been a special order or at the very least a less common material for Clifford. The entirety of the dulcimer and all the finer details are mahogany including the friction pegs, bridge, and nut; the loop end strings are anchored to the tailpiece by a single flathead screw. 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.
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 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.) in depth at deepest point.
Here is another visibly higher quality genuine handmade dulcimer from the long line of Glenn dulcimer makers. The mahogany, which would have been a rarer and more deluxe wood than was common practice for Appalachian mountain instrument builders, is well-kept with only a few little camouflaged scratches and one tiny cosmetic chip on the lower bout. The narrow 3-string peghead has a few little scuffs on the very head but is in perfect working order with the three original handcarved tuning pegs; the original frets are in good shape with next to no show of wear.
Clifford learned well from his father, and the superior buildsmanship shines through in the smaller decorative details such as the classic heart soundholes and the subtle taper of the fingerboard beyond the frets. The handwritten and dated Clifford Glenn label is a touch faded over the years but still completely intact 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.