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The Yam: Small 3-String Teardrop
The Yam had its beginning as a small teardrop-shaped instrument designed for building in multiples as a stock design rather than one at a time. It's a short scale length instrument (25 or 26 inches) that's an easier reach for persons with short hands or arthritic fingers than some of my other instruments.

This past spring I built sets of woodshop fixtures-- molds and gluing jigs-- with an eye toward offering building and playing classes for budding woodworker-musicians (see sidebar).

In the course of working out the cutting, gluing, fitting, clamping, finishing and fine-tuning, I made a Yam or two for myself. I find myself picking up one of them almost every day in the shop, and enjoying the extra notes my very large hands can reach.

I didn't intend to add another model to the line, but a couple of longtime dulcimer teachers thought that the Yam would be a good choice for their just-past-beginner students who were looking for a professionally set up, handmade instrument with a smooth action.

The instrument gravitates toward traditional songs and fiddle tunes, so I'm offering the Yam in a cherry and walnut combination, woods that have a traditional voice.

Because there are no custom options with this instrument (see specs below), no deposit is required and turnaround time should be minimal. (Call or email us to confirm what's in stock)

Stock configuration (shown above):
3 String: 26"

String length, Nut to Bridge: 25" or 26" depending on what's in stock

Woods: Cherry sides, one-piece back and fingerboard; walnut top

2 Circle Soundholes (special shapes not available in this model)

Tuners: economy open-gear guitar tuners

String gauges: .010" melody, .014" middle, .022" bass

Tuned D-A-D for shipping

SPTD-CW 3 String:
Price: $250
Ohio residents add 7.25 percent sales tax.
No deposit required.
Special! UPS standard shipping included at no charge with your online YAM order.

Photos © copyright 2003
by Mary Lautzenheiser.
All rights reserved.

The YAM is named for SPiCYAM, a great community organization in our neighboring county (Southern Perry County Youth Arts Media in Shawnee, Ohio).

SPiCYAM, along with the Holland Center in Corning, and the help of the Ohio Arts Council, arranged the place and time (5 Friday nights) for a community dulcimer-building extravaganza.

We had a great time (you can read more about the building workshops online) and produced 12 very respectable and playable instruments. Each person's individuality was reflected in the choices they made in shaping headstocks and endblocks, but each instrument also achieved my playability and intonation standards.

Like to build a Yam for yourself? Aspiring woodworker-musicians may enjoy a weekend session at the Woodcraft University. Our first building class was at the Parkersburg, West Virginia Woodcraft Store December 6 and 7 and we expect to schedule building sessions at several of their Ohio branches in 2004. Contact us for information, or watch for class announcements here.