Ringing Strings
Bowed
Psalteries
handcrafted by
Rick Long
Clinton, Tennessee
(865) 660-4026
ricklong@ringingstrings.com
WELCOME
Here in our little corner of the "web" you will find -
- Handcrafted Bowed Psalteries
- Pride in Workmanship and Service
Rick has been making bowed psalteries for the past 28 years. A love of music and woodworking began at an early age. At his fathers side, he became familiar with walnut, cherry, cedar and other native American woods. The projects they completed provided the skills required for creating the beautiful instruments you find here today. Quality and service are top priorities.
Please take a moment to browse the site. See the variety of figured woods used. Listen to the samples of Rick's recordings. Visit the workshop and see where these wonderful instruments are made.
We look forward to the opportunity to serve you.
Please use the word psaltery in the subject of your e-mail.

Updated on 5-31-2008
Both baritone psalteries I have listed are now sold. I'm working on getting more finished.
I am also getting close to finishing more tenor bowed psalteries. I have a few folks on a list that are waiting to be notified when I have some available. Send me an email if you want to be added to that list, or if you have an idea of what you want for wood combinations. Right now I only have maple, walnut, or cherry for the body of the psalteries and quilted maple, curly redwood, bird's-eye maple, spalted buckeye, and I am going to try one with a sassafras soundboard. The soprano psalteries I have built in the past using sassafras for the soundboard have had a superior tone and I am anxious to try it in a tenor bowed psaltery.
I have lots of new Soprano psalteries listed for you to look at. There is a sound clip link at each one. This way you can actually hear the tone of the bowed psaltery you are looking at.
I updated the FAQ page with a few items that I felt needed to be addressed.
My Events page has been updated with where you can find me this year.
The last tenor psaltery sold today. More coming soon.
I seem to keep falling behind on getting tenor psalteries to the web site. They sell before I can get them on here. I am going to concentrate on new tenor instruments in the next few weeks to get ahead. If you are waiting to see some please email me to add you to the list of folks to notify when I have some ready. This is a very popular psaltery because of the 2 1/2 octave range and extremely rich tone. Makes you say "wow" when you hear
or play one.
I added some tunes from a jam of a bowed psaltery and dulcimer playing together. These are on the How to Play page.
Copyright Ringing Strings Music 2004-2008 All Rights Reserved