Bowed Psalteries
Soprano and Alto with Star style soundhole Alto with Comet style soundhole

Standard Chromatic
Alto and Soprano Bowed Psalteries
This hand-held triangular shaped melody instrument is played with a bow. Extremely easy to play, the psaltery's haunting, ethereal tone is used effectively with chordal instruments or in solo playing. The standard psaltery is fully chromatic, set up like a piano with the white notes to the right and the sharps and flats to the left.
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The instrument is tuned with zither pins and a tuning wrench. Included with your psaltery are a 17" long maple horsehair bow, tuning wrench, rosin, extra strings, and an Owner's Manual. There are markers embedded in the instrument for the Cs and for the Gs to help you find your way. Left hand instruments are available at no extra charge but must be ordered as I don't have them on hand. In a left handed instrument the white keys of the psaltery are on the left side of the instrument, black keys on the right.

My instruments are constructed entirely of solid wood. The soundboards of choice are thin tone woods such as Spruce, Redwood or Cedar. These woods give the instrument a warmer more mellow sound. The backs are equally thin making my instruments quite responsive. Hardwoods can be used for soundboards but it will make the instrument much more bright sounding on an already bright instrument.The pin blocks are of hard Maple and joinery between frame and pin block is such that it will never come apart.

Two Different Sizes:

The Soprano is chromatic and has a range of two octaves 25 strings (see below). The Soprano has a slightly brighter sound than the Alto. The body size of the Soprano is 22" x 81/2" x 1 3/4" (with pins 2 1/2") and weighs 2 1/2 lbs

The fuller sounding Alto has the same range as the Soprano plus an additional 1/2 octave going down to a C (32 strings). The Alto's body size is 26" x 9" x 1 3/4" (2 3/4" with pins) and is 3 lbs.

If you are purchasing the instrument for young children, I recommend the Soprano because of its smaller size and lightness.



This is how the instrument is played. You draw the bow along the right side of the instrument for the 'white keys of the piano' bowing between the posts. The sharps and flats are on the left side of the instrument. You would tilt the bow to play those accidentals; 'the black keys'. As you look at the instrument from the right side it has the same layout as a piano keyboard. Bowing is done in an up and down motion playing only one tone at a time. It is a primarily a melody instrument although there are players who play with two bows allowing some chords. The instrument must be self supported to accomplish this feat. The technique of using two bows is described in the instructional video I offer. The range for a Soprano is 2 octaves; for the Alto 2 1/2 octaves. Sound Sample (need Quicktime).






Prices:

Soprano (2 octaves (G-G)................$180, Shipping costs?( I can ship internationally)
Alto (2/12 octaves (G-C)...................$250
Fancy Alto...........................................$285

Included with your psaltery are a horsehair bow, tuning wrench, rosin, extra strings, and an Owner's Manual.

Accessories (click to visit page):

Soft Case...........................................$45 + $10 shipping (please specify alto or soprano)
Stand..................................................$12 + $10
Extra Wire #1, #2 ,or #3....................$1 for individual size, $3 for all sizes + $2 shipping (specify gauge)

Custom Sound hole design $75

Extra Maple Horsehair 17" Bow .....$15 + $3
Extra Rosin ....................................... .$2 + $2

The Bowed Psaltery Handbook...........$21 + $3
Bowed Psaltery Instructional DVD (covers introductory material and more advanced two bow techniques).....................................$25 + $3*
Electronic Tuners ...........................$ 25

Bowed Psaltery Internal Pickup..........$70

For the base price you have your choice of Walnut or Cherry back and sides with the choice of Redwood or Spruce soundboard on the Sopranos. Alto Bowed Psalteries all have either Redwood or occasionally Cedar soundboards.
Check out what I have in current stock

Fancy Psalteries

I sometimes have Alto Psalteries with different woods like Curly or Birdseye Maple or exotic woods on the sides (see photos below). That is the only difference between the fancy and the standard bowed psalteries. The tonal quality remains the same. These instruments would have Cherry, Mahogany or Walnut backs and usually Redwood soundboards. Check current stock to see what I have in this category that is immediately available. You are also welcome to order one custom (see below). You'd just have to wait a little longer.
Cherry back, Redwood Soundboard with Birdseye Maple sides Cherry back, Redwood Soundboard with Curly Maple sides


Custom Psalteries

If you'd like to have me build an instrument with exactly the woods you'd like, please review the wood possibilities and send me your request. Custom designs often don't cost more but you will have to wait 2-3 weeks to get your psaltery. I'll get back to you with a quote. I also can do custom soundholes in these instruments which like my hammered dulcimer soundholes will add a minimum of $75 to the cost of the instrument. I now offer an internal pickup as well.

Curly Maple sides, Redwood Soundboard, Mahogany back with a Custom soundhole design Custom soundhole design with Mahogany rim