In-person course
in Stoke on trent Maker & location details

(29)

Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Description

The Strum stick dulcimer has just 3 strings and is tuned to D. A. D. This means the instrument is very easy to play due to the major scale fret spacing. This course is ideal for people who may want to learn about building acoustic instruments . Some of the course will include , Wood selection, fretwork, neck shaping, accurate measuring, bandsaw use, sanding and finishing etc. No experience is needed for this course just a bit of common sense! Instrument building course 8 hours with 30 mins for lunch. Friendly tutor and plenty of tea and coffee to keep us going! Please see my reviews and also look at my other 12 courses on this site.

What's included in the price?

Free parking and security on site. At the end of the day You will take home your new instrument.

Duration

8 hours

Cancellation policy

Easy - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 2 weeks before the course starts

Maker

T Blackwood at Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses

with Craft Courses since 2020

Message the tutor

My love of woodcraft was due to a meeting with a guitarist friend who had made an acoustic guitar. We talked about his guitar for many hours and I thought it would be a challenge for me to have a go! Well that was 6 years ago and now in 2023 I am in a small workshop in Stoke where I build various instruments. The Strumstick instrument build is a great way to get to grips with fine woodworking and is an ideal step towards acoustic guitar building. No experience in woodwork is needed.

Suitable for

Adults
Seniors
Teenagers
Daytime (weekdays)
Accommodation offered
Evenings
Public transport
Weekends
Suitable for beginners
Parking provided
Suitable for all abilities

What does this mean?

Message the tutor

Venue

Spode works, Elenora street, Stoke on trent, Staffordshire, ST4 1QQ

Reviews

All maker's reviews

6 May 25'

Peter Folwell reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"A really brilliant course by Ted, a skilled and knowledgeable craftsman. Before doing the course I found it hard to believe that I could make the strum stick dulcimer in just one day. But I did! Ted showed me every stage of the construction on a piece of scrap wood and then kept an eye on me when I completed the part on my dulcimer. "

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Kind words indeed Peter thank you , I hope your 3 string music stick brings you much pleasure . Remember I do the Woodwork Day course too so hope to see u again my friend Merci :-) Kind regards Ted"

23 Apr 25'

MV reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

""Great experience, I really enjoyed the Strumstick Dulcimer course. With Ted's great work approach and expertise, I had transformed a wooden stick into a quality instrument. During the course you not only learn about woodworking and instrument making, but with Ted's wide range of general knowledge you also learn some facts as well as hear some fun stories. Thank you Ted! " "

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Nice words indeed Miky, So glad we had a great day together and hope you spend many hours with your Strumstick!! Hope to see you again soon? Kind regards Ted"

9 Jan 25'

LT reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"Brilliant fun. Full days tuition. Came home with a lute dulcimer. Can’t wait to play it when the glues dried"

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thanks Laura keep on strumming !!!! see you again soon"

22 Dec 24'

Annette reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"My son completed this course yesterday & has been playing his dulcimer today. Ted was lovely - friendly, patient, kind, & gave very clear instructions, including safety alerts & good practice. The workshop was really interesting & in a great location which was easy to find & had other interesting things to see while the workshop took place. There were lots of cups of tea & great conversation throughout the workshop. The techniques used to complete the dulcimer included using a band saw, belt sander, router, drill, gluing, handsanding, hand sawing, using clamps, hand tightening, oiling; careful measuring & marking, and more. It was a great introduction to lots of techniques and to instrument making. Thanks Ted! "

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thank you Annette such kind words indeed, Harry was a great student and will in future have skills at his hand. I had some great conversation with him and yourself and he is welcome to come back anytime. I will be reading some more books as Harry has fired my imagination in the philosophy principles. Thank you again Ted "

19 Oct 24'

peter smith reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"yes I have had lovely day. I learnt about the process with hands on experience with the wood and machinery. great fun and left me wanting to do more. "

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thank you Peter looking forward to seeing you again soon and hope you have fun with your Strumstick too. You did very well my friend and still have 10 fingers 😁👍👍"

9 Oct 24'

Matt b reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"Enjoyable day on the course taught by Ted. Each step was demonstrated and well explained, then I got to do it myself. A good balance of oversight and then letting me get on with it. I liked using all the tools and my strum stick is much admired. "

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Matt made a great instrument and a nice chap too. Hope he gets many hours of fun with the Strum stick. Look forward to seeing him on another course soon. Regards Ted "

4 Sep 24'

Mark reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"Had a fantastic day with Ted - top bloke; friendly, patient and very knowledgeable. Great company and stories. Would recommend to anybody. Don’t hesitate just book on the course. I am definitely booking onto more courses… thanks!"

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Mark made a nice instrument indeed we also got to trade Police licks and even a bit of Megadeath. Looking forward to seeing you again soon Mark. Keep on strumming Ted 😎👍👍🎶🎶🎶"

16 Oct 23'

Ted Fisher reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"I'm another Ted. I spent the day with this Ted making a strumstick dulcimer. It was a 70th birthday present from my family. What a great day! We talked about all sorts of things, but mainly music. Ted is a very interesting man to talk to and listen to. He's a bit of a polymath, from music to quantum theory and relativity. I love my dulcimer and have played it every day since I made it a week ago. I was useless at woodwork at school many, many years ago, but Ted brought out the best in me. It was the first time I had ever used a bandsaw! (And I've still got all my fingers). I'll ask for another course for my 71st."

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thanks for the kind words Ted you are a real gent and the strumming has just begun, hope you get many happy hours with it and hope to see you again on your 80th 😁😁😎👍👍 kind regards Ted 😎"

14 Aug 23'

Paul reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"Ted is a top man and one of life's genuinely nice people. We could have chatted for hours and in fact we did. Muons, music, languages, classic TV, religion, community, karmic justice and many other subjects were covered. Had an excellent day. Oh, and I also made a superb dulcimer. I'm extremely pleased with the experience of the end product. If a Ukulele is too complex for you to play, make a dulcimer with Ted. You can't fail to sound good on it. Ted also supplies a little 4 chord hit for you to take away and amaze your friends with what you achieved in a day."

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Very kind words Paul ! We did go down the rabbit hole quite a way indeed. Well done with the Strumstick build you were very methodical in your working. So glad we had time to chat about the universe and sub atomic particles. If you need to come again you have my contact details. Take care and check out Chris Perkins ukuleles at Southern uke store near Brighton. Kind regards Ted"

27 Apr 23'

William reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"Bought as a present for my brother in law. His feedback was, and I quote, "Ted was brilliant, really knew his stuff. Can't believe I made a wee guitar thingymabob [dulcimer]""

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Cheers Will, Craig did excel at the hand skills and I'm pretty sure he also gained some know how too ! I also learned about running over mountains LOL :-) Look forward to hearing from you both in the future and thanks for the booking. kind regards Ted "

23 Apr 23'

Craig Walker reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"This is an absolute must do for anyone who would like an introduction into the world of crafting a musical instrument. Ted is an excellent host, a real gent, who guides you through the process with skill and patience, while keeping the conversation flowing. The day slipped by so quickly that it was hard to believe that I’d made a fully functioning and lovely sounding + looking 3 string dulcimer in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Also learned so much about the woodworking tools and techniques involved, and the why and how of each process. Absolutely brilliant! Thank you so much Ted!"

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thanks Craig I hope you have many years playing your instrument on top of Ben nevis 😎👍👍 your method of working was excellent and very physical indeed. Looking forward to seeing you on another course soon. 👍👍👍🙂 Ted "

6 Feb 23'

David Linnell reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"What an amazing experience! Did this course with very limited woodworking experience - Ted was lovely, chatty, helpful and engaging as he talked us through how to create a dulcimer. I'm genuinely blown away that we could achieve so much in the day! We got to use a variety of techniques - and also understood WHY we were using them, how to adapt along the way, when to be precise and how to build on the skills. Really pleased and would recommend the course to anyone!"

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thanks for the kind words David it was a pleasure to work with you both last Saturday. I hope you and your mum get many happy hours strumming together. It was a lot of fun and I hope you use the instrument in your band sometime. Kind regards Ted "

10 Jan 23'

Rosie reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"Absolutely fabulous course. Ted has a brilliant way of teaching and I am thrilled with the Strumstick Dulcimer - I can't quite believe I made it! I would highly recommend this course or any of the several that Ted runs for anyone interested in improving their woodworking skills."

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Rosie made a fantastic instrument that she will be proud of for many years to come. I must add that her hand to eye skills were 10 out of 10. Nothing seemed to hard for her and she was great company too. The shaping of the neck was truly beautiful so well done Rosie. Look forward to seeing you soon. Kind regards Ted "

17 Nov 22'

Robert Berry reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"I went on the Strumstick Dulcimer course and ended with a lovely instrument which plays a great sounding tune! Ted was very informative about all the techniques required and encouraged me to take these on so that I was able to work the wood to a level I did not believe possible. Ted was great company with many tales of music and musicians from the 60s 70s and 80s especially, and the day sped along happily. It was a fantastic experience, a lovely gift idea, and a refreshing break from my regular responsibilities. Many thanks Ted!"

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thanks Robert for those extremely kind words. I hope you have many happy hours with your new handmade strumstick. We did cover many things during the day and it was obvious that you have a lot of skills at your fingertips too. Look forward to seeing you soon in the near future my friend. Thank you again Ted 😉"

6 Nov 22'

Hans & Stijn Marynissen reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"What a brilliant day we had. This course was a birthday gift for my son and me. Neither of us had any fine woodworking experience. But Ted is a great teacher, very safety conscious and we felt at ease immediately. We learned so much about all aspects of fine woodworking and the course lets you glimpse into the fascinating world of the luthier. Such attention to detail, such craftsmanship. You’ll never look at a guitar in the same way. We were amazed on how our own efforts turned out. You start the day with a stick and you have a fine musical instrument at the end of it to take home and play. And what fun we had in the process, hands down the best workshop we’ve ever done. Ted is very knowledgeable about his craft and music but also has a great sense of humour and is full of stories. There was gratuitous banter as well as outright favouritism when it came to tool choice. I still have to file the complaint. Honestly, a fantastic day, thank you."

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thanks so much for your kind response. They worked very well on the strumstick dulcimers and the time flew by quickly. I'm looking forward to seeing them again soon. Hope they don't drive you mad with there version of Dueling Banjos. 😎👍👍"

5 May 22'

Ingrid reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"We have had an excellent day making our Strumstick Dulcimers with Ted. I am a complete novice at woodworking, and my husband had some experience. We were patiently guided through the process, introduced to all sorts of tools and made our very own instruments with just a little helping hand every now and then! And were entertained with stories and anecdotes. All we need to do now is learn to play our Strumsticks."

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thank you Ingrid you and Peter were such great people and I had a good time too. So glad we managed to build both instruments to a good standard. If you do feel like another course just get in touch OK? Kind regards Ted "

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Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Description

What's included in the price?

Duration

Cancellation policy

Maker

T Blackwood at Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses

Suitable for

Venue

Price:

Duration:

Time:

Next available date:

Reviews

Peter Folwell reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

MV reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

LT reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Annette reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

peter smith reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Matt b reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Mark reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Ted Fisher reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Paul reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

William reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Craig Walker reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

David Linnell reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Rosie reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Robert Berry reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Hans & Stijn Marynissen reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Ingrid reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

Have you done this course?

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