Home » Handmade Folk Instruments » Bowed Psalteries

NOTICE: SHOP ON HIATUS

Walter is recovering from and working through some health issues.

As a result, he has suspended selling & making instruments for now.

Please check back later on!

Bowed Psalteries

The Cabin Creek Bowed Psaltery, handmade for ease of playing, easy on the pocketbook, big on sound and quality of workmanship and available in 3 sizes — Soprano, Alto and Baritone. Each Bowed Psaltery is signed, numbered and dated

A frequently asked question is “What is the easiest instrument to play?” The answer is, the Bowed Psaltery. It looks complicated because it has so many strings, but you only bow one string at a time. Cradling the instrument in your arm, you draw the bow over a string, playing a note, and then move the bow to another string playing another note. Nothing could be easier.

The bowed psaltery has a chromatic scale with natural tones (do, re, me) on one side and the sharps and flats on the other. The sound created is hauntingly beautiful and indeed an instrument anyone can play.

Included with each instrument:

A very easy instruction/ song book
Horse hair bow
Rosin
Tuning wrench
A note chart that attaches alongside the strings showing the notes
A quality padded nylon case with pocket and 2 carrying straps
Extra strings, bows, horse hair, rosin and electronic tuner/pickup are available–see the accessories page

Note: I highly recommend tuning this instrument with an electronic tuner. It makes tuning much faster and easier, I couldn’t live without mine (see accessory page)

EACH BOWED PSALTERY LISTED BELOW IS FOR SALE RIGHT NOW!

Click one of the buttons below to jump to Psalteries of that type.

Soprano Psalteries

Alto Psalteries

Baritone Psalteries

Soprano Bowed Psaltery

Soprano Bowed Psaltery / #1047

The soundboard is BUTTERNUT with a few tiny worm holes on the upper end. It has a wheat patterned soundhole. The back and sides have a very nice piece of curly maple with interesting grain. (Price: $265)

(SOLD) Soprano Bowed Psaltery / #1042

The soundboard of this psaltery is a beautiful piece of straight grained red MAHOGANY. The soundhole has a fleur di lis design. The back and sides are cherry which perfectly matches the top. (Price: $265)

Soprano Bowed Psaltery / #1041

Price: $265 A very nice piece of BLACK WALNUT graces the top of this instrument. Its soundhole is a Pa. Dutch Hex sign. The back and sides are constructed from maple. There are some worm holes scattered on both the back and sides. They create no problem only add...

Soprano Bowed Psaltery / #1060

The soundboard of this soprano bowed psaltery is distinctive looking SPALTED POPLAR. It has a Fleur de lis patterned sound hole. The sides and back are maple, and the sound is crisp, clean and balanced. (Price: $265)

Soprano Bowed Psaltery / #1059

SASSAFRAS is the soundboard of choice for this soprano bowed psaltery. It has a dove sound hole and the sides and back are ash. The sound is quite balanced, alive and responsive. (Price: $265)

(SOLD) Soprano Bowed Psaltery / #1022

Straight grained brown WESTERN RED CEDAR is the sound board choice for this soprano bowed psaltery. The sound hole is wheat patterned. (Price: $265)

Soprano Bowed Psaltery / #1026

The sound board of this soprano bowed psaltery is a very curly piece of TULIP POPLAR with a wheat motif sound hole. If you like curly wood then this instrument might take a second look. The rest of the instrument is cherry including the tip of the bowed psaltery. (Price: $265)

Soprano Bowed Psaltery / #1019

The sound board of this instrument is RED CEDAR with a wheat patterned sound hole. It also has a black walnut tip on the pointed end adding interest. The back and sides are black walnut. (Price: $265)

Soprano Bowed Psaltery / #1032

This soprano bowed psaltery soundboard is WESTERN RED CEDAR. It also has an overlay Celtic cross as its sound hole. The sides are ash and the back is maple. The sound is clear, crisp and full. (Price: $265)

Soprano Bowed Psaltery / #1015

CURLY TULIP POPLAR is the wood of choice for this bowed psaltery sound board. It has a wheat patterned sound hole. The sound is quite balanced, warm, neither too crisp nor too mellow, creating a very pleasant sound. (Price: $265)

(SOLD) Alto Bowed Psaltery / #415

The soundboard is medium WESTERN RED CEDAR. It has a swirl design for the soundhole. The back and sides are maple with a small knothole smack in the middle of the back. It is harmless and looks kinda neat. (Price: $290)

Alto Bowed Psaltery / #414

The soundboard is a beautiful piece of RED MAHOGANY with a hummingbird soundhole. The sides are curly maple which contrasts nicely with the luscious mahogany top. (Price: $290)

Alto Bowed Psaltery / #413

The soundboard is an interestingly grained piece of CHERRY with a dove soundhole. The back and sides are maple with some curl. (Price: $290)

Alto Bowed Psaltery / #409

A nice piece of BLACK WALNUT graces the top of this alto bowed psaltery. It has a wheat patterned sound hole. The back and sides are a nicely contrasting piece of oak. (Price: $290)

Alto Bowed Psaltery / #401

Price: $290 This instrument has a RED CEDAR soundboard with an ash back and sides. The soundhole is a hummingbird. There is a narrow seasoned crack on the right side extending for a couple of inches on the back causing no problem whatsoever. The sound is crisp, full...

(SOLD) Alto Bowed Psaltery / #400

This bowed psaltery has a BLACK WALNUT soundboard with a wheat patterned soundhole and maple back and sides. (Price: $290)

Alto Bowed Psaltery / #399

This bowed psaltery has a contrasting BLACK WALNUT soundboard and a maple back with celtic knot soundholes. The strings shimmer in the photo because the camera couldn’t correct the steel strings and the dark background. There is also a small knot on the back causing no structural problem only providing character. (Price: $290)