The Hammered Dulcimer has a beautiful, rich, full sound. The percussive sound of the mallets (or hammers) on the strings creates an energy that is not found in other string instruments. This particular hammered dulcimer is a 10/9 which means there are 10 strings crossing the treble bridge on the left, and 9 strings crossing the bass bridge on the right. The recommended tuning is Traditional Fifth Interval Tuning. The soundboard is made of solid lacewood which includes one rosewood rosette over the soundhole. The rosette features an intricate vine and leaf pattern. The pin blocks, rails, and back are made of rosewood; the back has a carrying "handle" opening. The strings have a 1" spacing, and are tuned with the included "T" shaped tuning tool. The lacewood bridges have color coded saddles to make the instrument just a little easier to play. Also included is one pair of two sided dulcimer hammers. The heart shaped hammers are lacewood with rosewood trim, and they have a leather pad on one side to create a softer sound.