I'm happy to introduce my "new"

Grande Concertmaster (5 Octave) with Dampers!

This is my "Top of the Line" instrument for Performance, Recording and Personal Enjoyment.

*A friend and fellow HD enthusiast Dan Landrum drove up from Chattanooga, TN on Monday, Jan. 23rd to see this newest creation of mine.  He played and questioned and played and experimented and played some more.  I had absolutely no intention of selling this instrument as I wanted to keep it for at least 3 months to study what I had done.  But as the time passed I KNEW it belonged to Dan.  I had made it for him.  You can read Dan's thoughts about this instrument at ... www.danlandrum.com.  I started work early this morning on my next 10 Grande Concertmasters with dampers.  LISTEN ... to "sound samples" of this very instrument at Dan's site right HERE!

Click on any picture for a closer look.

I have spent months (in a way ... years!) developing a damper system that is unique, accurate, adjustable, removable, sleek, lightweight and beautiful.

I have, accordingly, updated my most popular instrument ... the 4 1/2 Octave Grande Concertmaster to accommodate them.

I have made several structural modifications to  improve stability and tone ... and, expanded the range to a full 5 octaves (from A1 all the way up to A6)!   

My Super Bass Bridge is now just a single bridge expanded to 12 courses (from the previous 9) and accessible only from the right.

The Damper system is two African Wenge felted damper bars with 4 individually adjustable 1/4" vertical rods that feed into linear bearings within the instruments frame.

The damper action is absolutely vertical and requires very little mechanical motion to engage the strings with the felt pads.

When fully engaged the tone resembles a Marimba.

The Foot Pedal incorporates a "piano style" action and is constructed of hardwoods complementary to each individual instrument.

The drive cables are shielded steel cabling with individual adjusting barrels for each damper bar.

The cabled pedal design allows the pedals placement to be at the players discretion.

The Damper system is completely removable and stores away securely in a custom case ready for transport or storage.

Disassembling and storing in the case takes about 1 1/2 minutes.  Assembling from the case takes around 2 1/2 minutes.  It does take a little practice ... in that there's a sequence that seems to work best!

Here are some of the "stats".  This instrument weighs 17lbs. 4 oz. (18lbs. 6oz. with the dampers).  It is 49" along the long rail, 22" from the bottom rail to the top rail and a little over 4" thick from the back to the top of the bridges.  The damper bars weigh a little over 1 lb. and the pedal is about 1lb. 7oz.  These weights can all vary a little depending on the wood choices.

  Please feel free to contact me directly at: jerry@songofthewood.com or by phone at 828-669-7675 (my Showroom) with any questions or to set up a time to come by and take a "test ride" for yourself!

Base Price: $3995.00  Damper System: $995.00

  I would love to respond to good questions from YOU that I might have neglected to post. 

Oh ... by the way ... the structural innovations on this model might make it the best sounding instrument I've ever made!  Boy does it sound great.

Contact me direct at:  jerry@songofthewood.com  or you can call my Showroom at: