CHAPTER 4: Dulcimers in the British Isles since 1800 > Dulcimers in Scotland

The second generation - James Findlay

Although Glasgow and the surrounding area seem to have been the main strongholds of the dulcimer, there certainly have been players elsewhere: one informant told me that they used to play in Broderick, Arran in about 1960, and another confirmed that they were fairly common on the West Coast in earlier times.

They were also played in the East, and James Findlay, from Fife is still very active: although now retired, he can still get his hammers - uniquely made of balsa-wood - round Mason's Apron, a tune that would defeat most players.

Particularly interesting is his silver-painted instrument, for he has reversed the bridging so that he can play the melody with his right hand: he always thought it was a left-handed instrument otherwise, and concluded, "It was a bit confusing at first, but I soon got used to it ... "