Musicmakers: Psaltery Testimonials

Testimonials: Psalteries

I just finished building a Music Makers bowed psaltery kit using instructions a six yr old could follow. It looks and sounds great. Music Makers' customer service is unsurpassed. I am well pleased with their products and the way they do business.

Brian Withrow, Kissimmee, Fl.

Sorry it has taken me a little while to respond back to you. Due to a work related injury, I didn't get my hognose psaltery finished as quickly as I wanted to.

I finished my psaltery just before Christmas and I LOVE it. I tuned it slightly different, starting at the B below middle C, so I could play Carol Of The Bells and it sounds fantastic. I find that I can't keep my hands off of it and am constantly plucking and strumming on it. I have even started to create my own songs.

I cannot thank you enough for offering such a wonderful service and product. Now I just have to figure out which instrument to build next.

God bless all of you for the gift of music,
Tristan Faye

Beautiful plucked psaltery in sight and sound!
The Dragonfly rosette with the Tree of Life decal is gorgeous.
Thank you for this beautiful instrument and excellent customer service.

Regards,
Cynthia Curry

Dear folks,

I thought you'd like to know that the psaltery-building class, for which we'd ordered a number of hog-nosed psaltery kits last year, was a great success. We brought ten kits, and nine people walked away with completed, varnished, and strung-up instruments. The tenth got a late start, but she had finished all the glue-ups when the weather turned cold and damp, so she elected to finish her instrument after she had returned home.

"Wait," I hear you say. "Didn't we send you eleven kits?" The eleventh one was one I built myself, so I could learn the basics. That instrument will be donated to a non-profit later this year for auction.

John LaTorre, from Sacramento, California.

Dear Sirs:
Last week I purchased a Plucked Psaltery Kit as a woodworking/musical project for my 9 year old son and myself. We completed it yesterday evening and are very happy with the result. In fact, my whole family (wife and 7 year old son and 5 year old daughter as well) became involved during the final stringing and tuning process. The kids were fighting to play it as soon as it was finished. My wife continued to play our new instrument after the rest of us went to bed.

Best regards,
Brad Nilsson

Jerry,

Got the pin yesterday and completed the Psaltery.

Attached are some pictures. It plays very well.

Thanks for a great plan.

Bob Magowan

Well, I have now finished my bowed psaltery and I couldn't be happier!

It looks good, sounds great, and is just as easy to play as you advertised!

Also, your instructions were so clear, even a beginning woodworker like me was able to put it together without any confusion or difficulty.

Thanks again for a great kit and great customer service. When I went into a panic over a mistake I made when finishing the soundbox, you responded super fast and gave me a solution that was simple and got me immediately back on track! I am impressed with the quality of your products and your service - well done!

Judith Potts

Barbara Carter, from Provo, Utah, assembled this Bowed Psaltery and a friend painted Austrian floral designs on it. Barbara plays Austrian music with the Salzburg Folk Ensemble of Utah.

Dear Folks-

I haven't ever built anything before and decided to try your psaltery kit. It was a most pleasurable experience. Directions were clear even for someone with my inexperience. I learned a great deal and it was a perfect summer project. Thanks for providing me with such a positive opportunity and experience. I am looking forward to future projects.

Alan Scott

A few weeks ago, I purchased two hog-nosed psaltery kits. One I built. I found the kit complete and fairly easy to assemble. I've been enjoying playing it since. I used your powdered dye kit and a Celtic knot. I preferred to inlay the rosette. It added a few hours to the assembly process but I feel it was worth the effort. The second kit was a Christmas present for a friend. She's almost finished putting hers together too.

-Jeff Sugzdinis
Malvern, PA

Hi
I just finished building my psaltery and wanted to tell you how impressed I am with the kit you supplied. It was the first musical kit I have every tried. Being a total non handyman with no wood working experience I was very nervous about screwing it up but your instructions are perfectly clear. It has turned out beautifully and sounds wonderful. My family and friends are impressed. I'm now looking forward to trying another instrument.

-Hal Courchesne

Greetings, Music Makers!

A few months ago I built your plucked psaltery kit, a project well suited to a beginning woodworker.

I am a member of the Society For Creative Anachronism, an organization which tries to re-create the pastimes of the middle ages and Renaissance. Recently I entered a competition to become King's or Queen's Bard. While I did not win the competition, I and my psaltery favorably impressed a number of people who are much more expert at early music than I am. The instrument is also a novelty when we do demonstrations for scout and school groups.

I'm very pleased with my psaltery and thought you'd like to know.

Thanks.
-Lisa Joseph

I received one of your hognose psalteries about a week and a half ago. It was already assembled, not a kit. I just wanted to let you know how good sounding it is, much better than I had expected. It is surprising, given the sound of the resonating chamber. Some friends of mine and I get together to play Celtic music on a regular basis and it was a big hit. It definitely is not a toy, but a real musical instrument

-Woody Walker