Decoration is sparse, often non-existent; plain wooden rings quite often adorn soundholes [fig. 136, 150], or else a piece of material, often maroon or dark green, may be glued across it from the underside when before the instrument is put together, or afterwards when it has been taken apart.

However, gold stars are fairly common - perhaps an East Anglian interpretation of the intricate lattice-metal work of the 18th-century court instruments.

John Youngman's dulcimer has some fine brush-work in gold [fig. 141].