Recent Updates
5-3-13 The newest Soprano, Tenor, and Baritone psalteries are now listed with descriptions, pictures, and soundclips. Musicians shop with both their eyes and ears. This is the best way to compare, second only to visiting my workshop.
4-23-13 Four new tenor and two new baritone psalteries nearing completion. Three wormy chestnut/walnut tenors, one with internal pick-up installed. I also have a new sitka spruce/maple tenor with internal pick-up. The Spruce and maple are woods traditionally used for building instruments in the violin family. The chesnut tenors are built using the wood I wrote about on the Chestnut Series page.
One wormy chestnut/walnut baritone and one quilted cherry/maple. The quilted cherry is a new wood for my baritones. I was lucky enough to buy a board large enough for two baritone psalteries. The cherry is used for both the sound board and the back plate. It is some stunning cherry. I've never had any with this intense of figure. The chestnut baritone is the first from the wood I have written about of the Chestnut Series page.
4-10-13 I have had to cancel my demo, scheduled for April 20-24 in Asheville.
I have updated the Gathering page with some new information. Check it out if you are thinking about attending.
3-29-13 I have added the newest curly redwood/walnut Baritone to the web site today. There are lots of pictures and sound clips. I have also started on the next two new baritone psalteries along with several new tenors.
3-4-13 I added one new D Tenor to the site today.
2-27-13 I have added two new 2 1/2 octave Soprano Bowed Psalteries to the site. I have also added lots of new bows on the Psaltery Bows page.
2-20-13 I have some more tunes from a recent jam with my friends up in the Cumberland Gap area. I am playing a D Tenor, since most all the songs were in D. The D tenor sounds great with the dulcimers and I can even play the faster tunes, up to speed, not having to reach across to the left side for the C# and F# notes I need. They are tuned into the scale along the right. Four to five dulcimer players, two guitars, a mandolin, upright bass, and Terry was switching out between dulcimer, banjo, and the dobro. Hope you enjoy the tunes, I just want to share how the bowed psaltery works great jamming with others.
2-6-13 I have the page ready to tell the story of a new series of bowed psalteries I have started building. It is the Chestnut Series, so click that to find out more about them. One of the first is already listed on the Tenor page.
1-4-13 - I have added my thoughts on the types of bow is best for the bowed psaltery. Go to the Psaltery Bows page and scroll down to the red print to see my opinions. This stemmed from a discussion I was having the other day. I could see the common misconceptions and thought I should post an explanation of my thinking on the subject. I have also been asked where to find my adjustable tripod attachments for mounting a psaltery to a camera tripod, for double bowing. That info is at the bottom of the Tenor page. Just go there and scroll down past the instrument listings. Four new Tenor Bowed Psalteries are almost complete. Two of them have internal pickups built in. Should be ready by early next week.
Ringing Strings
Bowed
Psalteries
handcrafted by
Rick Long
Clinton, Tennessee
(865) 660-4026
psalteryman@gmail.com
Scroll Down to See What's New
Copyright Ringing Strings Music 2004-2013 All Rights Reserved
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. I take pride in offering lots of sound clips and videos, showing how my psalteries sound and are played. I even give you some sound clip examples of each psaltery I list for sale. I believe I am the only builder that offers this on their web site. The only better way to shop and compare, is to be standing in my workshop trying them out in person. You are even welcome to travel to East Tennessee to do that. I do all this because I am very proud of the quality bowed psalteries that I build and want you to be able to judge them for yourself.
Enjoy your time here, come back and visit often.
East Tennessee Bowed Psaltery Gathering
Nov. 1 - 3
at Cove Lake State Park, Caryville, TN
just off I-75 Exit 134
Go to the Gathering page for details about registration
and updates on information.
