Ringing Strings
Bowed
Psalteries
handcrafted by
Rick Long
Clinton, Tennessee
(865) 660-4026
psalteryman@gmail.com
WELCOME
Here in my little corner of the "web" you will find -
- Handcrafted Bowed Psalteries
- Accessories
- Helpful Information
- Pride in Workmanship and Service
I have been building and playing bowed psalteries for the past 32 years. A love of music and woodworking began at an early age. At my fathers side, I became familiar with walnut, cherry, cedar and other woods native to North America. I gained great love and respect for the use of these materials The projects we completed provided the skills required for creating the beautiful instruments you find here today. My love for music came from my mother, she is very talented and can play the piano really great by ear. Quality and service are my top priorities. My long experience in playing the bowed psaltery gives me the knowledge to know what works well and what doesn't. My goal is to create the very best bowed psalteries available anywhere.
I love to tinker and come up with new designs. Some new ideas come out of my own head. I do listen to customers, many design changes have come from customer comments and wishes.
Please take a moment to browse the site. See the variety of figured woods used. Listen to the samples of my recordings. Visit my workshop page and see where these wonderful instruments are made There are even several videos scattered about, so you can see and hear how the bowed psaltery is played.
Enjoy your time here, come back and visit often.
Copyright Ringing Strings Music 2004-2012 All Rights Reserved
Recent Updates -
1-27-12 I have just added a new curly redwood/walnut Baritone psaltery and a new quilted maple/cherry Tenor psaltery to the site today. The pictures are in place now and ready to view, sound clips will be added later today.
1-24-12 I just added the sound clips for the first six songs in Vol. 1 on the Songbooks page. I also updated the Events page.
1-23-12 - 8:45pm CAMWAB03 baritone has sold.
1-23-12 New update on the Psaltery Bows page. I have also started cutting wood for two new Bass/Baritone bowed psalteries. These have the modification that gives you eight cello strings to use for bass drones. I sold my first three of those before Christmas, I don't even have one for myself now. There will be another curly redwood/walnut standard baritone finished in a few days. I am almost to the point of stringing it. Out of stock on a couple of wound string sizes I need for it. They are supposed to be delivered on Wed.
1-22-12 I have added a new page with the songbooks that I created to play using my psalteries. They are a very simple play by number method, you don't have to know anything about reading music. These will work with any bowed psaltery. There are a total of 68 songs in the three books. I will be recording a sound clip of each song that you can play to hear how the song should sound. Find out more on the Songbooks page.
1-20-12 Two new videos on the Baritone page.
1-19-12 Five more matched pairs of bows added today. All are cherry wood.
1-18-12 I have added five new matched pairs of bows to the Psaltery Bows page.
I have also added a new page introducing the new Double Bows. This is a way to be able to play two notes using one hand. The bows are separated the proper amount to play a melody and a lower harmony third. This is not my original idea. I remember seeing them back in the 80's, but my improvement to the design is to make the spacing adjustable. This will let the double bow work with quite a few different psalteries. One thing though, it won't work with a psaltery without even hitch pin spacing.
1-10-12 RCMA0035 soprano has sold.
1-9-12 RCMA0036 soprano has sold.
1-8-12 TEQMCR15 has sold.
1-6-12 (12:45pm) TECRCH15 has sold.
1-6-12 All of the new psalteries have been added. The pictures and sound clips up and ready to view and hear. There are four new Soprano, three Tenor, two D Tenor, and one new Baritone psalteries.
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