Rick Thum the Builder

The Rick Thum dulcimer is an unadorned expression of exacting workmanship. The joints are finely fitted. Its visual beauty lies in its direct simplicity. The woods are top quality and highly figured. You have a choice of walnut, cherry or maple. The grain on the red spruce top is fine, straight and parallel. It is the same wood used on the most costly Martin, Gibson and Santa Cruz guitar tops. Rick Thum has gone to extreme effort to make the low tones of the bass bridge clear, true, and sweet. During the course of design of this instrument, Rick Thum experimented with various string combinations. In the end the final design uses steel, brass and wound strings. The wound strings in the low range are made to Rick Thum’s specification and cannot be purchased at a local music store. He has experimented with various combinations to determine the proper core diameter and winding weight. Wound strings for Rick Thum Dulcimers are unique products of proprietary design. This dramatic attention to detail has produced a quality sound for Rick Thum dulcimers through its tonal range. The offset, double sound holes of the Rick Thum dulcimer add to the visual appeal of the instrument. The natural finishes allow the beauty of the original wood to speak to the player and viewer.

Edit