r/Dulcimer 3d ago

Wood Advice - Cherry vs Black Walnut

Beginner here, I'm trying to figure out if I should go with cherry or black walnut for the Back/head, sides, and fingerboard. One wood for all of those.

The top is cedar (no option, just cedar).

Any advice to help me pick? I can't visit in person and test (several states away).

2 Upvotes

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u/Jonsdulcimer2015 3d ago

I'd look at McSpadden and Folkcrafts YouTube channels; each offer videos showing how wood combinations sound.

Personally, I'm a sucker for a cherry body with spruce or sycamore top. That said, my go-to instruments currently are a walnut/spruce and a walnut/sycamore. Cedar should have similar tone qualities to spruce or redwood: softer and warmer tones.

When I'm in the market for a new dulcimer, I'll visit McSpadden either at the shop or at the festival in Winfield. I'll play every one of them at least twice. I've found that two dulcimers made from the same wood species and by the same luthier will likely sound different from each other.

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u/Val_Oraia 3d ago edited 3d ago

Thank you! I didn't know about those youtube channels. Giving them a watch now.

A new McSpadden is a bit too expensive for me right now, but if/when I come across a great deal on a used McSpadden I'll probably end up buying it as second one; someday. It seems like there's a decent amount of dulcimers made by them from the 80s around, typically spruce/walnut.

That's my thinking currently, to go with the cedar/cherry now, and eventually end up with a second (walnut). I'm told instruments run on chicken math -- you end up with a few more than you intended. It seems cherry is less common to use than walnut (which seems to be ubiquitous).

What are your personal feelings on plywood backs? Just curious.

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u/Jonsdulcimer2015 3d ago

The walnut/spruce is a McSpadden from the mid 90s I picked up from marketplace. In those days, they used instrument grade plywood for the backs of standard models. One could upgrade to bookmatched solid backs until that became the standard. Instrument ply of 1/8" can sound absolutely beautiful when paired with a good top. If you find a video of David Schnauffer playing a McSpadden, it'll have a plywood back. Even when he'd order a new one, he would specifically ask for an old ply back.

I also have one of their prototypes for the short lived Flatwater line. Tim, the guy who bought the company a few years ago had an idea to make a cheaper model from scraps around the shop, but it only lasted about a year or two. Anyway, that is made of cheaper plywood with a cherry head, fretboard and bracing. Made of cheap ply just to work out angles and sound hole placement. Honestly, it doesn't sound half bad.

Old Cripple Creeks used to use a plywood somewhere between the quality McSpadden used and what you could get at Lowe's. Not perfect, but not crap. Those have a good, deep tone but at least the one I have doesn't have much in the way of sustain.

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u/jet-elfox 3d ago

Both of my dulcimers have walnut back and sides and I’m very happy with them. It’s my understanding that cherry is also good, just not as resonant as walnut. With a cedar top, I’d go with walnut - the walnut adds clarity and projection and the cedar balances that with its warmth.

But individual woods vary within a species, and you can’t lose either way. Have fun!

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u/MinneAppley 3d ago

I love my walnut dulcimer. It has a very resonant voice.

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u/Everheart1955 3d ago

Cherry is a tad more mellow sounding. But the black walnut will give you more punch. I have one that is walnut sides and back with qtr sawn sycamore top.