Walter Miller Hourglass [Dulcimer], West Virginia

Walter Miller Hourglass [Dulcimer], West Virginia

This instrument was made by Walter Miller of Tioga, West Virginia, in 1992.

Miller, Walter

1992

DS-18

Nicholas County, West Virginia

E

Tennessee State Museum, Nashville, Tennessee

S. Conatser; Z. Law

notes in black marker visible through sound holes: "West Virginia / Mountain / Dulcimer" and "Walter Miller / Tioga, WV / 1992" ; internal horizontal bracing across back also visible; hourglass-shape, gentle shoulders on bouts; peg head a flat piece of wood mounted onto a smaller headstock with hole drilled into it with leather hanging loop; peg head carved at top; top and bottom of instrument are both made of two pieces of wood seamed lengthwise down the center; 4 geared tuners on peg head, likely original to the instrument; 4 equidistant strings; plastic nut; 14 frets; wooden bridge set directly on body of instrument; string attachment set up for ball end strings threaded through trapezoidal-shaped block of wood mounted on body of instrument; Schnaufer attributed loud volume of instrument to manner bridge and strings were mounted directly on the instrument body; 4 sound holes on top, shaped as birds in flight