Welcome to Papaw's Dulcimers!
I hope you will find the information you seek on my site. If you don't, however, please feel free to contact me.
Welcome, I'm Bill Rich, the sole builder of each Papaw's Dulcimer. If there's something not quite right, I'm the responsible party. I select the wood, determine it's suitability for use and perform every other aspect of the process right up to set-up and stringing. My wife, Kay, is the inspector general and every now and again finds something that sends Papaw back to the shop.
I retired from the Engineering field back in '97. In 2000 Kay thought she'd like to have a dulcimer. Being a woodworker, and having a bit of a music background, (and being cheap) I thought: " I'll get a kit ! " Well, after only two years, the kit became a dulcimer. Then there was one for the daughter's family and one for the son's family and one for sister-in-law and one for a special niece and one as a wedding gift . . . Lo and Behold, I wasn't retired anymore ! As of this writing I've fashioned 340 dulcimers.
In the Dulcimer World that qualifies me as a serious beginner.
Quick-link to
Soundhole Designs
Quick-link to
Extra Frets
Quick-link to
Tennessee
Quick-link to
Possum Board
Each of these photos has a Quick-link to other pages of interest.
Papaw's Dulcimers