How To Make Handmade Psalteries

By Patty Goff


For those who do not know, a psaltery is an instrument that is somewhat a combination of a violin and a harp and is often played in the olden days. Now if one likes to play a string instrument that produces a somewhat unique sound, then he can actually play this instrument. This guide will help him be able to create his own handmade psalteries.

Now the very first thing to do in this entire process would be to create the frame. Now the frame has to be done carefully because if it is not done well, then the whole instrument may actually fall apart. To make the frame, one must cut out three blocks of plywood with two being tall and thin while the third one is smaller and thick.

Upon cutting up these three pieces, one must now use some glue to put them all together. Now he must make use of a wood glue that has the capacity to keep the wood pieces together. Now he must first apply the glue, stick the wood pieces, and then wait for a while until the glue dries.

The next thing to do now would be to attach the back. Now since the entire shape of this instrument is a triangle, then naturally the back would also be in the shape of a triangle. When a triangle pieces of wood has already been cut up, then one can attach it to the back using that special glue.

Now when he has already attached the back to the frame, he now has to attach the front which is the soundboard. Now since the soundboard is located at the front of the psaltery, this means that the pins and strings are there. Now one just has to cut out the exact same shape as the back and attach it to the front.

Once he has created the entire thing, he must now cut out a small tuning hole in the middle of the creation and put some pins. Now in order to put the pins, he must drill some holes in the wood where he will stick the pins. To know where he should put the pins, he may actually search the internet for some instructions.

Now the next part in the process would be to put the strings. Now in order to do this, one has to buy some tuning strings from a music store and start tying the strings around the pins of the psaltery. He may use a pair of pliers to do the job if he cannot do it by hand.

Lastly, one has to now create a bridge for the psaltery. Now this little piece of wood is quite crucial to the psaltery because it is the thing that will help create the unique sound. One has to place is near the strings at the bottom of the instrument. Now if he has already done that, then he may now start playing his little instrument. He may also create a bow for his instrument but that can be done at another day.




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