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To our Dusty Strings community,

In order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Washington state has mandated that all non-essential businesses close their stores and offices so that Washington residents can stay home as much as possible. During this time, we will not be in the office to answer the phone, but some of our staff will be able to work from home, and we will be as available as possible by email. We look forward to staying in touch with you, and appreciate your patience if we are slower than usual to respond to your questions!

String & Accessory Orders

We know that music may be essential for many of you to get through this period with your sanity intact, and we are doing our best to ship what we can, while adhering to the guidelines for isolation. We should be able to fill most string orders, and can ship some other small accessories, but our capacity and supply are fairly limited. You are welcome to place online orders during this time, understanding that your card will be charged, and that, depending on the items ordered, it may be several weeks or even longer before we are able to ship them. We will communicate with you if your order is delayed, and once it is safe to go back to work, the orders that were placed earliest will ship first.

Instrument Orders

If you are interested in a harp or hammered dulcimer, please contact us by email! We are not able to build or ship instruments in an isolated way, but would be happy to answer questions and offer guidance, and can put you on a waiting list to get in touch with you when we are back up and running.

PD40

PD40

Dulcimer Video Page

Overview

  • 3½ octaves
  • fully chromatic
  • piano dulcimer tuning
  • solid sapele soundboard and back

Diagram showing how to find a C major scale on the piano dulcimerThe piano dulcimer represents a great new concept in the dulcimer world - an affordable and simple way to bring the unique sound of the dulcimer into any keyboard player's realm, whether it's in a church, band, soundtrack, composer's studio, at home or around the campfire. Invented by long-time hammered dulcimer designer and builder Sam Rizzetta and based on the piano keyboard, it's a compact, fully chromatic instrument.

The tuning pattern uses half-step intervals across the bridge. Each course of strings crosses two markers on the top of the bridge, with white markers designating the naturals, or C major scale, and black markers designating the sharps and flats, just like on a piano. To play a C scale, just follow the white markers up the instrument. The sharps and flats are where a keyboard player would expect to find them - next to the naturals. Once you learn the pattern for any scale, it's easy to change keys, since all the scales follow the same pattern or a mirror pattern.

Solid wood construction, 3½ fully chromatic octaves, a convenient size, a deep, rich tone, and an attractive price all come together in the PD40 piano dulcimer. An innovative feature is that the dulcimer is "damper ready," meaning that dampers can be installed when the instrument is ordered, or easily installed by the player at any time. Dampers provide sustain control and greatly increase the versatility of the instrument.

PD40: $1395 (includes gooseneck tuning wrench, double-sided oval hammers and owner's guidebook)

PD40 Damper Package: $1935 (includes above accessories, plus C45 case and dampers installed)

Compare Dulcimer Models

Complete Price List

How to Order

Options

Black soundboard shows off the strings and bridges Black Soundboard (binding must also be ordered)

Price: $130
Decorative edge binding around the soundboard

Binding and Purfling

Price: $275
Felt-covered damper bars allow the player to control the instrument's sustain

Dampers

Price: $425
Padded carrying case in burgundy fabric with black handles

Padded carrying case

Price: $215
Options for supporting your hammered dulcimer include this folding wooden stand Variety of stand and leg choices

Tuning & Specifications

Range

The PD40 has three bridges arranged in the piano dulcimer format. It is fully chromatic for its 3½ octave range, with bridge cap markers that mimic the pattern of white and black keys on the piano. The overall range is G2 to D6.

Tuning and Strings

String and tuning chart for PD40 piano-style hammered dulcimerSuperscript numbers indicate octaves (C4 is middle C). Dots indicate marked courses. PB = phosphor bronze. PBW = phosphor bronze wound. Unspecified strings are plain steel. * indicates a single-string course. Wire gauges are shown in inches.

Click here for downloadable string charts and string ordering information.

Dimensions

  • Hammered dulcimer drawing with top and bottom rails labeledBottom rail: 42 inches
  • Top rail: 19½ inches
  • Height: 17¾ inches
  • Thickness: 4 inches
  • Weight: approx. 14 pounds

Woods

  • Soundboard and back: solid sapele
  • Pinblocks and rails: eastern hard maple
  • Bridges and soundhole inserts: eastern hard maple

Compare specifications

Reviews

Reviews & Testimonials

1 Review(s)

  • Elena
    Feb 22, 2020
    I had been dreaming to buy a hammered dulcimer since long ago, and I feel so lucky now to have one! I've been searching for a chromatic instrument which would give me an opportunity to play in many pitches. I also needed a wide range to play low bass strings.
    So I chose Dusty Strings :) I just fell in love with my new PD 40 at once when it arrived, it looks splendid and sounds so amazing!! I think it's the finest instrument I've ever had.
    My greatest thanks to all the people who helped me with my order, who spent so much time writing to me, who really cared!! Thank you for the most positive buying experience :)
  Show more

"The PD40 is very intuitive for pianists. The only hard part is getting used to the fact that some degrees of the scale are on the same string, only across the bridge. Other that that, it is immediately understandable. Because you must cross the bridge so often, you have to work out hammer patterns, but that is essentially the same as working out fingering on the piano. You cannot find a teacher, but if you are a pianist, you do not need one, just practice playing songs you know, and you will improve automatically. I am more than satisfied with this instrument. If you are a pianist, especially if you are a pop or jazz pianist, THIS IS THE DULCIMER TO BUY!"

-Mack Garner (Maryville, TN)

Read More Testimonials

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