Sanguinette/Baird
Joe Baird escaped the rat race of the city in the early 70s and moved to the Ozark Mountains, where he soon fell in love with the dulcimer. He was captivated by the McSpadden stall at a local craft fair and purchased one of their kits, assembled it and learnt to play. By 1982 he was building dulcimers full time, at first around 300 per year sold through local shops, later directly as the Baird Mt Dulcimer Co., but also through the craft fair circuit which he toured for 7 months of the year. He later sold Baird and began to build under the name Elk River. By the late 90s he had made over 3000 dulcimers, all of good quality and most from local Ozark hardwoods.
1.176 1990s (?) Elk River Dulcimer #1706 4 String £245 + good shell case £30
Small oblong label with round logo: “Elk River Dulcimer/ & Old Time Music Company/ Branson, Missouri/ 1706 [h/w] Joe Sanguinette [h/w in pencil].”
Unusual woods on this nicely proportioned hourglass body. Back is a multi-coloured curly grained with a greenish tinge – could be butternut? The sides are a more sombre orangey/brown wood. Grain similar to walnut. Top is thickish spruce, bevelled on the edges to disguise the thickness – latter is presumably to ensure the very elaborate soundhole design is strong and remains stable. Top design has elaborate flower and petal shapes, with the flower centre made from a disc of inserted darker wood. Hook scroll and open pegbox with small enclosed nickel Grover machine heads. Pegbox is deliberately de-coupled from the fingerboard, exposing the hollow chamber inside the latter. Bone nut, 6+ and 13+ frets, hardwood floating bridge (same wood as back). Tail has a multi-coloured fillet of hardwood laminates which act as a strainer on top of the tail. String anchors are simple copper pins for ball or loop end strings. Overall length 36”, upper bout 6”, lower bout 7″, depth 2¼”, FBW 1½”, VSL 26⅝” (medium scale), weight 2lb 11oz (1224g), strings 11, 14, 23w. 6+ and 13+ frets.
This is an interesting design and made from some unusual – presumably domestic – woods. It looks colourful and has a pretty, if rather overwhelming, soundhole design. The sound is good, clear and with few overtones, although the intonation is a little variable. Good action and very playable – a good beginner instrument.
Click on images below to enlarge.
2.37 Sanguinette/Baird 4 String 3 Course Hourglass £Sold
This instrument has a one piece walnut back and sides with bookmatched walnut (?) top. The soundholes are a star and an eagle, set only on the far side of the instrument. The hollow walnut fingerboard has no markers and the pegbox tapers into a short open-curled scroll; open Grover machine heads; bone nut and wooden floating bridge – now replaced with an ebony compensated one for DAD playing; angular strum hollow and string anchor pins. The dulcimer has struts on back and top, some angled, for strength and tone – more like a guitar. Overall length 36”, upper bout 5¾”, lower bout 6¾”, depth 2¼”, FBW 1½”, VSL 26⅞” (medium scale), weight 2lb 4oz (1012g).
This is a neat and attractive dulcimer in the modern style, suitable for players of all abilities. Intonation is satisfactory with the replacement bridge. It has fair projection and a nice sound, yet is straightforward to play.
