Folk instruments

Mountain Dulcimers

The mountain dulcimer is one of the most welcoming instruments a person can pick up. Its diatonic fretboard is laid out so that almost everything you play sounds right, which means melody and chords come within reach on day one. Roosebeck mountain dulcimers carry forward the Appalachian tradition with handcrafted bodies in solid rosewood and walnut, paired with spruce soundboards that project warm, resonant tone across folk and contemporary styles.

Explore our full range of Grace, Emma, and Cutaway models, each one ready to play with premium tonewoods and thoughtful craftsmanship.

View all Mountain Dulcimers below ↓

Know before you buy

The full picture.

Everything you need to choose, buy, and start playing.

What makes it different

Solid tonewoods, not laminates. Every body is built from solid rosewood or walnut, shaped by hand to bring out the grain and the voice of the wood.

Vaulted fretboard on most models. Arching the fretboard away from the soundboard lets the top vibrate more freely, which gives you richer projection and a fuller low end.

Thoughtful player details. Geared 14:1 tuners for precise tuning, 6½ and 13½ frets included for chromatic playing, and extra nut notches so you can set up your preferred string spacing.

Handcrafted decorative options. Choose classic f-holes, rose motifs, or hand-carved Celtic knotwork sound holes. Each one is shaped by an artisan, not stamped by a machine.

Choosing yours

Most new players do well with a 4-string model in DAD tuning. The Roosebeck Grace in rosewood is the most popular starting point and the instrument we recommend to first-time dulcimer players. If you want a darker, warmer visual tone, the walnut version of the Grace delivers the same build with a different character.

Players ready for fuller chord voicings and more fingerpicking options should look at the 5-string Grace. For travel or casual play around the house, the compact Trail Dulcimer weighs under a pound and is held guitar-style rather than on the lap.

Playing it

The diatonic fretboard means you can play traditional Appalachian, Celtic, and folk tunes without any music theory background. Read our full beginner's guide: What is a mountain dulcimer.

Every Roosebeck dulcimer arrives with a pick, a noter, and an owner's guide so you can start playing the day it lands on your doorstep.

Built by hand. Played for life.

A closer look at the craftsmanship behind every Roosebeck instrument.

Browse our full collection of handcrafted folk instruments. Each one is built with care using solid tonewoods such as rosewood, walnut, mulberry, and spruce, finished by hand in our workshop.

Built to last

Solid tonewoods and proven designs, refined across more than five decades of luthier experience.

Beginner-friendly to professional

Models for first-time players and serious musicians, with clear specs so you know what you're getting. Quality instruments at an affordable price.

Set up to play

Each instrument is checked at the bench so it arrives ready to tune up and play.