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Dulcimer Comments:
Hi Mary! Just wanted to add to "Customer
Comments": The mini you made for me is absolutely wonderful. Nice rich sound and handsome appearance. So many people
stopped by to ask me about it the 1st time I played it with our string band for a church social. Thanks again! ~Joe
Mary,
Just had to write and thank you for making this exquisite dulcimer!! She
is just so beautiful that I cannot keep my hands off of her. To think that we did this all by e-mail and maybe 2-3 phone calls,
wow!! Your reputation as a terrific luthier will be growing as I am recommending you to all who are looking for a dulcimer.
Thank you again Mary. Feel free to use my name as a reference if you ever need one.
Cheryl
Mary,
WOW.......we both looked at each other and were speechless .
Our new Mini Dulcimer is magnificent. The tone and sound is exceptional.
You truly are a master craftsman. Thank you for using your skill and
talent to build us such a beautiful instrument.
Thank you again,
Frank & Gina
Hi Mary, I received my dulcimer on Saturday - Wow! It is really beautiful and much easier
to play than the student one I was using. I took it to church on Sunday, everyone gave exclamations of admiration.
We had a practice in the afternoon and I really noticed a wonderful difference in having a 25" fretboard. Once
again, I feel privileged to have such a beautiful instrument made by a true artist. Thanks again. Kaye |
"Mary, The dulcimer just came this morning. I am just thrilled! I'm fairly picky about
instruments and this one is fantastic! It not only is a piece of art but most importantly, the sound and intonation are flawless!
I am beyond being just very pleased....I'm loss for words! My friends would be very suprised! Thank-you again. Cheers!
Brian"
"Hi Mary, It's here, and what a sweetheart! Lovely sound, stunning look, sweet feel
to the hand. You are indeed an artist. With thanks, Bev."
"Hi Mary! Dulcimer arrived this week. Very very nice! The colours of the woods
do come up much better in real life than in the pictures. The cherry is almost funny - I would describe it in appearance
as "insolent" and "brash" -beautiful colour, wild grain. Just on looks alone, this has tons of personality
- sort of solemn look to it from the top with the rather plain spruce and simple crosses and straight forward fretboard, then
turning it up and seeing all this wild grain:) Then I tuned it up and played it... and sat there stunned
- the sustain is unbelievable, as is the frequency range - wonderful balance between highs and lows - good articulation in
individual notes. Even has a delightful bottom end growl that fits the grain. I couldn't be happier with the
sound quality. This instrument is capable of much more than I am. I haven't been able to put it down.
What's more, on my possum board, its even more incredible - both bottoms are very active. I found that it has at least
three distinct good voices. There is a delightful "shimmer" in the voice right off the bridge that I don't
get in my hourglass. Makes my poor all-walnut hourglass sound absolutely dull by comparison. Don't be surprised
if you get an order from me some time this year for a double Galax bottomed instrument (so you can be thinking about any necessary
engineering challenges...). You'll have to tell me how your teardrops compare to your hourglasses in volume and
range, especially in the Galax bottom version, now that you've done both. Thanks!"
"Hi Mary:
What a beautiful and great sounding
dulcimer. And it plays as smoothly as butter. It is everything I had hoped it would be, and more. It almost plays itself. Thanks again, Ron"
"Hi Mary, The resonance in the new dulcimer is beautiful. The dulcimer club met last
night and we had lots of fun. Several folks tried it out and loved it. And it got lots of admiration for its visual
beauty. You do good work! And I so much appreciate it. Have
a wonderful holiday season! Donna"
"Hi Mary,
Just wanted to let you know the dulcimer arrived
today!! Woo Hoo!!! Hubby checked it out (I have to wait until Christmas!) and said it arrived safe and sound and
is beautiful! Many thanks for your help, will email you after Christmas and let you know how I go! Hope you
and your family have a peaceful and joyous Christmas. Sandie :-)"
"Hi Mary, Thank you so much for the dulcimer. It's beautiful to look at and it sounds great. I'm
having great fun. What a difference the picks make. The red one works best for Silent Night and soft, gentle tunes - the
dulcimer's tone is just beautiful. And the bigger one works better with Joy to the World and songs that like a brighter
sound. I just thought I'd let you know it arrived and I'm having a wonderful time with it. Be well
and enjoy the holidays! Donna"
"Mary: I'm in love with my new instrument!
It is so beautiful and has such a beautiful sound. ---Yvonne, a very happy customer! :)"
"What a BEAUTIFUL work of art, so very happy!"
"I got the little dulcimer today; beautiful! Great sound for its size."
"Great little mini dulcimer, easy to play - everything exactly as described.
Thanks!"
"Beautiful dulcimer! Great tone, action, and value."
"Gorgeous craftsmanship, even sound production, Great lady!!"
"Extremely high-quality, precision, hand-crafted instruments."
"Beautiful Dulcimer. Arrived quickly, and packaged safely. Recomment."
"Beautiful craftmanship, fast shipping, well packed HIGHLY RECOMMEND AAAAA+++++++"
"Just absolutely FANTASTIC! A+ seller as well as an A+ person! Thank-you!"
"Superbe instrument , transaction toujours aussi parfaite merci+++++"
"Great instrument; arrived safely; as advertised; rapid shipper; Highly
recommend."
"Exceptional quality dulcimer &
AAA communication. A real pleasure!! Thanks Mary"
"The dulcimer arrived yesterday and I counldn't put it down. It was even more perfect
than the pic's and the sound is great. My old fingers had no trouble adjusting to the vsl. The sustain is
aus-um and I can't wait to show it off. How in the world did it stay in perfect tune all the way down here?
Thanks again Mary, I will sing your praze, loudly. You are a class act!"
"The dulcimer arrived last week, well in time. I did not open it until today (Xmas), because it
looked well travelled. Everything is there. It's absolutely beautiful, and it sounds gorgeous. Well done! It's artwork. Many
thanks for your art. I will show to many friends and I hope you get more orders."
"Hello
Mary,
I wish you a Happy New Year 2009, full of joy and happiness and also many
beautiful dulcimer. Return of a trip to India I have received your dulcimer... is perfect..."
"Hi Mary, Thank
you so much for the dulcimer. It's beautiful to look at and it sounds great. I'm having great fun. What a difference
the picks make. The red one works best for Silent Night and soft, gentle tunes - the dulcimer's tone is just
beautiful. And the bigger one works better with Joy to the World and songs that like a brighter sound. I just thought
I'd let you know it arrived and I'm having a wonderful time with it."
"Hi Mary, Just collected the dulcimer today and am blown away by how good it looks and plays.
Plus the wrist rests work very well and match perfectly. I think you can say you have one very happy customer.
Thanks, Doug"
"I picked it up at the post office yesterday! I almost slept with it last night, but I thought
that might have been a bit much. I love the way it sounds and the way it looks. Thank you so much Mary, for a
great instrument and great service."
"Mary, I just wanted to let you know that I recently purchased one of the NAMM dulcimers . I had
known of them, but never had the opportunity to play one, or even bid on one. I finally had the opportunity, and won one on
ebay. Of course it has your name and David's name burned into the back. I just want to thank you for what you do. I'm
sure, as an artist, it is satisfying to know you turn out beautiful, well-made instruments. That's all well and good.
What I want you to remember is that you also bring real pleasure and joy to the people who are able to utilize what you build.
I love the voice of the NAMM, and it's such a strikingly beautiful thing, that I always hate to shut it up in a case.
I feel like it should be displayed, instead. Anyway, I didn't just want to feel what I feel about the NAMM, and all of
your instruments...I just felt like I needed to say it to you. THANKS, and best wishes as you keep on doing your art."
"My dulcimer arrived safe and sound! I can't thank you enough for making the most beautiful
instrument I have ever seen and heard. Yes!! I was playing it less than two minutes after it got here.
It's sound is exactly what I was hoping for. You truly have a gift. I wish you all the best in your
business. Thank you again so much!!!!!"
"Thank you for the wonderful dulcimer. It arrived very quickly and without damage."
"Received the Dulcimer in todays mail. It's beautiful!! Thank you so much. It plays very well,
and has a wonderful tone. It is definitly a welcome addition to my instrument collection."
"Hi Mary, I've just opened
the dulcimer and given it a few strums. It is just gorgeous in every way. Beautifully designed and crafted. Your skill and
the pride you take in your work are obvious. I wish you great success. Many thanks."
"I love her voice...oh...I can't tell you...I have been playing a very simple student
model...and that was just fine...but, this lovely lady has a beautiful voice and incredible resonance...I love it!"
"You have crafted a truly beautiful instrument. Thanks for the great service."
"Amazing! A++++++ all the way across the board! 100% satisfied!"
"I love my dulcimer you made for me. It is the most beautiful thing I have ever held besides
my babies! Mark me down as another happy customer."
"I got the dulcimer last week and it is simply stunning. Everyone who has seen (and heard)
it is amazed at its beauty and the sustain is amazing. I could not be more pleased. Thank you, Mary. You
have earned a customer for life!"
"Hi Mary, I know I've already thanked you for the wonderful work you did in creating
my dulcimer, but now that I've had it a while and have had time to play it, I want to thank you again. It's
a work of art. Not only is it a beautiful, one of a kind instrument to look at, but the sound is superb. A wonderful
mellow tone that's even a little louder than most other dulcimers. Whenever I pull it out of the case, everyone
says "Wow" and "Look at that". It inspires me to double my efforts so that someday my playing will
be worthy of such a fine instrument. Thank you so much."
"Mary:
A quick note to let you know that my scallop dulcimer arrived safe and sound. I just opened the box and fell in love with
the instrument. Then I played it (just a little) and the sound is wonderful, too. I'm very happy with all of my choices,
especially the chromatic part.
Also, I plugged it into my amplifier and was very pleasantly surprised at what this dulcimer can do. Obviously, I'll need
to "make friends" with an instrument that is so different from what I'm accustomed to. But I can already tell
that the learning curve will be a pleasant experience.
Mary, thank you for all the love and care you lavished on my dulcimer. Every detail is perfect, and the instrument is destined
to become a family heirloom. Part of my enjoyment in playing it will be remembering what a pleasure it was to work with you
along the way.
Best, Dan Waters"
"The dulcimer arrived
today and looks great. I really aprpeciate your cutting the peghead the way you did because I think it complements the teardrop
shpe very well. You do nice work and I appreciate the ease of the transaction."
"I got my mini this
morning. It's beautiful. The padauk does show up well against the walnut. I'm going to enjoy playing it. Thanks."
"Hi Mary,
Received the mini in fine shape Wednesday, as you predicted. What a great little dulcimer! I've been working on a finger-picking
tune that contained an awkward stretch for the left hand. This dulcimer solved the problem completely. Thanks!"
"We received the dulcimer on Tuesday safe and sound. We were both overwhelmed by how beautiful
the dulcimer is . The koa you picked for the back and side is gorgeous!! It matches perfectly with the maple binding.
The best way to describe the sound of koa+spruce is it rings clear and bright as a bell. It sounds terrify
when strum and flat pick. and I'd never heard bar chords sound full and rich on a dulcimer. I'm
sure I will be the envy all my dulcimer friends when I show them my Laurel Mountain 6 string. I own couple other dulcimers
and your dulcimer is now my favorite."
"Mary, you are a wonderful dulcimer
builder. Thank you very much for sharing your artistry with us."
"The Mini
got here this morning. Nice! Great job. Sound is about half way between my dulcette and a full size, which
is what I expected. It's really a "midi" dulcimer. Again, great job and great service. Thanks."
"Your workmanship is exquisite, what
a sweet, rich sound it has! The Padauk is so stunning... the Walnut is lovely... the Cedar is warm and pretty... I just
love it all!"
"Beautiful Looking & Sounding Dulcimer. Will Treasure Always. A+++"
"Excellent workmanship/playability, beautiful woods/tone."
"Excellent instrument, great service, highly recommended."
"A beautiful dulcimer, artistic from conception to completion."
"She is here in time for Christmas
and she is lovely. Great workmanship! Thanks! I wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying the dulcimer. You workmanship
is phenomenal and the tone is so rich and full."
"Wonderful dulcimer.
A sheer pleasure to do business with."
"Hello Mary,
12/10/2007
Per my promise here is the ballance of your monies for the absolutely incredible dulcimer you built. Over
the past 20 years I have commissioned well over 20 custom instruments to be built for my collection, some for as much as $12,000.00
and I can tell you that the tolerance in the joinery is equal to the fine craftsmanship in Laurel Mountain Instruments. From
your help in the design to the willingness to allow me to supply some of the parts to the beautiful finish that was applied.
The instrument is not just breathtaking to look at but the tonal quality is superb! Well ballanced in tone from the
bass to treble to mid ranges. I truly could not be more satisfied both with the fabulous dulcimer, but the selection
in who, as to build it I am most grateful for, I will without a doubt be doing more business with Laurel Mountain Instruments.
This is an heirloom quality instrument and I will cherish it for many, many years to come. A sincere thank's
for keeping this fine craft in the CT valley.
Thanks so much and have a safe and Happy Holiday.
Brian
Horton"
"The dulcimer arrived yesterday. Thanks so much for the quick shipping! It has a lovely, full,
mellow tone. It has a nice base and a good note separation that makes it sound good for both strumming and picking. It's
very beautiful too. The finish work is just perfect and the wood is gorgeous."
"The dulcimer arrived today in great shape. It's just as beautiful as I expected
it to be.I'm extremely happy with its appearance and tone--great sustain, plenty of brightness and volume, and pleasing
resonance in the lower registers. I look forward to exploring its capabilities."
"Great workmanship, beautiful dulcimer, very well packed."
"Stunning dulcimer, gorgeous craftsmanship & tone. Couldn't be happier!"
"What a beautiful instrument!!
And you were right, it does have a good tone. I've been playing is for quite a while this evening. I think
I'm in love!! Thanks again for another quality instrument. It always amazes me to see the precision of the
woodworking, and the flawless finish."
"Dulcimer arrived yesterday.
It's really a beauty and the workmanship is terrific. I'm very pleased."
"I received the lovely dulcimer!
It sounds great and is beautiful as well."
"Good for you for putting a 8"
bout on a Tear Drop Dulcimer...they need it! As in the tradition of the FolkRoot Luthiers who use to build here in California!"
These Tear Drop Dulcimers are pieces of 3D Artwork! If they sound as beautiful as they look somebody is going to be
truly blessed!"
"Just wanted to let you know the Curly
Cherry arrived at noon today in good condition. It is a beautiful instrument and, as I had expected, it shows great
workmanship."
"Outstanding, beautiful dulcimer! Great communications, very nice!"
"I just
wanted to tell you how pleased and impressed I am with the cherry dulcimer.
Everything about it, the wood, sound, feel,
fit/finish, weight ... outstanding, I say Great work!
Thanks again for making such an excellent instrument."
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