11-3-19 I currently am building a tenor psaltery for a customer. No other orders right now, so my wait time from when you order is around four weeks. I am also starting to film a video series that will be availale as YouTube videos and I'll be sharing them on here too. These will be informational videos of what I think should be taught about playing and upkeep of the bowed psaltery. My Instructional DVD was filmed back in 2007, so much of that information needs to be updated. I also have questions from customers or just individuals seeking answers about their bowed psalteries. I thought it would be a simple way to present my information and answers for everyone to share. I won't be doing it as a way to create any income. Just putting it out there for free. Check back on this home page for info on the first of the videos.
6-2-19 Yes, I'm still kicking. It has been a while since a website update. I have slowed down my business as I'm am nearing retirement. This doesn't mean I have stopped building psalteries. I am currently only building as I have orders come in. Two tenor psalteries in progress for customers. You can do the same thing, have me build a psalteries out of the wood choices I have available. When finished, you would have the opportunity to purchase it. No obligation and no down payment. If you decide you don't want it, I'll make it available to the next customer in line.
I have stopped taking International orders. A recent experience with a shipment to Germany has led me to knowing it is not worth the hassle. Sales to US only.
I have stopped building thesmall soprano and baritone models. I still plan to keep building the Alto, Tenor, and D Tenor psalteries. No new baritone orders will be taken.
Ringing Strings
Bowed
Psalteries
handcrafted by
Rick Long
Clinton, Tennessee
(865) 660-4026
psalteryman@gmail.com
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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 39 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.
Blue is Alto
Yellow is Tenor
Purple is D Tenor
Here's how the voices of all the different models of psalteries I build, compared to the piano keyboard in pitch. You can clearly see that they all have quite a few notes in common. Some folks are confused by the names soprano, tenor, and baritone, but they are just names to distinguish each model I build. Other builders may have a different opinion of what they call the psalteries they build. The important thing to consider is the range of notes, from the lowest to the highest. This will tell you what to expect. The first sound clip listed by each psaltery I offer for sale, gives you something to listen to and hear the entire range of notes. Every builder should do the same, so you have a chance to hear and compare. Even with some of the notes overlapping, there are still differences in tone. The has a lot to do with the size of the psaltery soundbox and the type and size of strings used.
Click here to go to my new Ringing Strings Bowed Psaltery Facebook page. I'll be putting things on there that you won't see on my website. Be sure to like the page to
receive notifications of new content. The Facebook page will also give you
another way to contact me for questions, post them on there or pm me.
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