Goose Acres HD-1 Hammer Dulcimer Folk Zither (1977), ser. #146, NO CASE case.

Goose Acres HD-1 Hammer Dulcimer Model Folk Zither (1977), made in Cleveland, Ohio, serial # 146, natural wood finish, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood accents..

Here is an HD-1 hammer dulcimer from the fine folks of Goose Acres, the family business of Bob Smakula and his father Peter: two names often spoken with a distinct reverence within the world of folk instrument lovers. After humble beginnings building Appalachian dulcimers in the 1970's, a teenage Bob enlisted the aid of his father Peter, a German immigrant and all-around steward of American folk music. The pair grew a small repair operation and their "Thumb Piano Factory & Dulcimer Works" into the Goose Acres Folk Music Center.

More than just a store to share the fruits of their own lutherie, this was a repair shop and a vital meeting ground that served all manner of local pickers and folkies all the way up to the likes of Norman Blake and Doc Watson. While Bob continues to this day to build and preserve fine folk instruments under the Smakula banner, Goose Acres ceased operations in 2006 and Peter passed shortly after in 2008.

This product of their workshop is not a super common offering but still retains the quality from construction to materials we have seen in all other Goose Acres instruments we have handled so far. This hammer dulcimer has a spruce top with mahogany back and sides and rosewood accents. There is no elaborate marquetry or rosette work, just a straightforward but sturdily build example of an uncommonly found but spellbinding folk instrument used by balladeers from Appalachia to Iran!

Length is 34 1/4 in. (87 cm.), 14 in. (35.6 cm.) width, and 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm.) in depth at deepest point.

This is a fantastic quality hammer dulcimer from the Goose Acres bench, a sturdily built and beautiful instrument with no cracks in the soundboard and a lovely tone. All tuning pins work as intended and it is of the same excellent quality one can expect from the Smakula family despite what we would consider a very reasonable price tag for the buildsmanship. There a couple of open seams where the sides join the pinblock (one noticeable so) but everything is solid and not moving at all. Something that sounds like sand or tiny pebbles is inside the soundbox; it can be heard when moving the instrument around but is not causing any sonic intrusions while the instrument is played.

The strings are old and if you have ever attempted to change the strings or even retune a hammer dulcimer you will understand why. We are happy to discuss restringing this hammer dulcimer at an additional charge upon request, but it will otherwise be shipped with these totally functional but non-refreshed strings. This instrument does not come with a case or mallets; to ensure safe shipping, this will require additional tuning upon arrival. Very Good + Condition.