Carbon Fiber Instruments
On this page:
- Carbon fiber flex hammers
- Carbon fiber hammer dulcimer
- Carbon fiber mountain dulcimer
My carbon fiber dulcimers are my current favorites due to their wonderful tone, light weight, and ability to stay in tune. Carbon plays an important roll in my favorite hammers also.
HAMMERS
My newest hammers are the result of many years experimenting to achieve the best tone and playability. Carbon graphite shafts provide ideal flexibility for best tone. An optional ergonomic hand grip is available to ease wrist, finger, and joint problems. See the Hammers page for photos and details.
HAMMER DULCIMERS
Nicholas Blanton and I are now making my hammer dulcimer designs available with carbon fiber backs and resin-sealed interiors. These features improve tone, reduce weight, increase strength, and enhance tuning stability. They are my favorites. See the Dulcimer page for models and prices.
Carbon Compact hammer dulcimer
My newest experimental hammer dulcimer uses mostly carbon fiber components, including the soundboard, and it has quickly become the instrument I play the most. It is a RIZZETTA COMPACT model and is several pounds lighter than our COMPACTS with carbon backs and redwood soundboards, making it extremely portable and easy to carry. While the sound is strong, it is not quite as loud as some of my heavier dulcimers with redwood soundboards. However, the tone is sweet, rich, articulate, and musical with a lush warmth and balance throughout the entire range. Sustain is controlled to a pleasing level and individual notes are well-defined with very good projection. Sound is somewhat reminiscent of a mahogany soundboard dulcimer with an especially nice and strong tone for its size.
The major tone and structural components, the soundboard, back, and frame, are carbon fiber. Wood is still used for bridges, pin blocks, and internal braces. The exceptional strength of carbon fiber allows me to save a lot of weight while still making a professional, high quality dulcimer that stays in tune. Weight is 10 lbs., about 60% the weight of an all-wood COMPACT. Since the carbon structure is impervious to moisture, humidity has no effect on tuning. This greatly reduces the risks of traveling or performing outdoors.
The twill weave pattern of the carbon cloth shows through on the frame rails.
The carbon Compact is mostly carbon black in color, although I made the soundboard purple on the test instrument pictured just for fun! Future versions will likely be all black. My usual decorative soundholes are absent. Soundholes would weaken critical areas of the top, so soundholes are in the back and sides. This also works better for projecting sound toward an audience and providing convenient locations to place microphones. For those who prefer a more traditional look, we plan to make carbon dulcimers available with a perimeter frame of decorative hardwood.
I plan to build a few carbon dulcimers to be sold when completed rather than built on order. My friend and collaborator, Nicholas Blanton, may accept orders for them soon. Expect prices to be higher than for non-carbon versions since materials costs and labor are greater.
MOUNTAIN DULCIMERS
Mountain dulcimer have not been forgotten during my experiments with carbon fiber.
I am delighted with the tone and design features of my new carbon fiber fretted dulcimer. The sound is rich and powerful with the characteristic tonal clarity of carbon fiber. And it is waterproof! In a pinch you could use it for a canoe paddle! I’m not yet taking orders but may build a few if there is interest.
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I do not have a walk-in store, but my dulcimers can be seen and played by appointment at my Inwood studio or at some of the festivals where I perform, teach, or exhibit.
Sam