I think it is hard to mess up a simple instrument like a mountain dulcimer, but Morrell manages to do just that. I expected the birch laminate, and it's a pretty enough looking instrument until you look close at the slapdash finish job. But what gets me is the set-up: I cannot press the strings to the fretboard after the seventh fret. My kid has a cardboard dulcimer with a better tone than this assembly line quickie. The action is as high as a dobro on this thing; how difficult was that to get right? You'd be better off doing one of two things: 1. buy a cheapo dulcimer from Pazookistan, which will probably sound and play better; or 2. spend the extra dollars to get a quality US instrument from a maker such as Black Mountain Dulcimers. But skip the Morrell--they are not working hard on making a quality product.

If you are new to the Dulcimer, and want to learn the instrument but don't want to invest a lot of money, This would be a nice one to start with. Sound and projection is good, construction is good, but lacks one extra coat of the finish they could have used to pretty it up. It's a nice instrument for the price.

This is a nice sounding dulcimer, the workmanship is decent, but I felt a little misled by the description. Sure its a birch body, but its a birch PLYWOOD body. I thought at least the top would be solid for that price.

I bought this because I was bored and the price was right. MF did a great job and got it to me quickly...then I played it. Tuning machines are pretty weak, the holes drilled for them had splinters sticking up from them. The label fell off the inside of the body and is now stuck floating around inside. If you are going to buy an instrument of this quality, get one used from someone like me.

Sounds pretty good, but action past 7th fret is almost impossible. woodwork on scroll looked like a junior high school woodshop project not completed. Should be sold as a pre-started kit project.