Pioneer vs. Ultralight: An In-Depth Comparison | Master Works Hammered Dulcimers

Joshua Messick and Russell Cook present an in-depth comparison of the Pioneer and Ultralight hammered dulcimers handcrafted by Master Works.
|| How to Order
Please help support this channel by purchasing directly from Joshua. Your instrument will ship brand-new from the Master Works workshop. To order and receive more information, contact Joshua at JoshuaMessick.com.
|| Comparison of Master Works Models:
• Comparison of Master W...
|| Ultralight Configurations
bit.ly/3nrqBuc
|| Download Hi-Fi Sound Comparison
Coming Soon
|| Dampers Tutorial
Coming Soon
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:11 Buyer's Guide, Consultations & Ordering
00:01:45 Sound Comparison
00:07:22 Technology & Design Comparison
00:07:41 Dimensions
00:04:33 Pioneer Information
00:08:42 Soundboard Tapering
00:10:35 Bridges
00:14:26 Strings
00:16:22 Back & Bracing
00:19:29 Pinblocks
00:21:05 Endrails
00:23:04 Configurations
00:24:51 Corner Caps
00:25:36 Stain-All-Over & Soundboard Stain
00:26:28 Dampers
00:26:47 Internal Sealant
00:27:51 Internal Pickup
00:29:12 Soundhole Inlays
00:29:31 Conclusion

[@DavidMorris-pq4jq]

About a year ago I purchased the Russell Cook extended range dulcimer. Awesome looks and awesome sound! I love it! My student ordered one at the same time, and we both love them!

[@melodyconatser5985]

Thank you for this video. My new Ultralight arrived this week. It’s beautiful and the sound is amazing.

[@karenrife467]

I can "feel" the difference as well as hear it. Love the sound.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks so much for watching and commenting, Karen! Very glad you enjoy it. Thanks for staying in touch.

[@spineloccio5394]

Always interested in hearing the two of you talk about hammered dulcimers!

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thank you! :-)

[@banjoontheroof8425]

This video is really helpful for choosing my first Hammered Dulcimer. THANKS!

[@JoshuaMessick]

Great to hear! Thank you, Banjo 🪕

[@mrice3274]

Still loving my Ultralite! Thanks for confirming

[@JoshuaMessick]

Awesome to hear! Thanks for sharing.

[@dariusketchup4781]

You can definitely hear the difference. Your music is awesome Josh! 🙌👍

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks, D-Ketch! Always great to hear from you. New music is in the works ;-)

[@hiw9528]

Great video, very interesting! Now I would be highly interested in an in-depth comparison of the ultralight to the RCE. I know the video with the comparison of all the Masterworks' hammered dulcimers. But these comparisons are quite short. For a long time I had believed I once would have to buy the Dulciforte as the ultimate hammered dulcimer. But now I came across the RCE and Ultralight extended range. One of these two models might be much more suitable for me. So an additional video would be great.

[@johnensminger7675]

Thanks for sharing! I have a Master works dulcimer...love it and don't play it enough! How much would a new set of strings cost from your website? I also have surface crack in mine...is there anyway to repair that? Thanks again for sharing! God Bless you!

[@JoshuaMessick]

John, Thanks so much for watching and reaching out to me! For maintenance and support questions, please email [e-mail]. I don't sell strings through my website, but that is thoughtful of you to try. You can buy them here: masterworksok.com/product/replacement-string-sets I hope you get to play your hammered dulcimer more in the future. Please stay connected! Best, Joshua

[@iGageit]

This is Awesome!

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thank you!

[@iGageit]

Do you have a dulcimer studio tour video! that would be great to see!

[@JoshuaMessick]

It's on my todo list! I had a studio video, but that was before I moved to Colorado and completely redesigned my space.

[@spacemissing]

To me the Pioneer sounds more 'in the present day', while the Ultralight sounds more 'ancient', as if its sound is coming from a time long ago. Both are wonderful when well played.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks for watching!

[@ValCortoni]

I watched the full video, thank you so much for this comprehensive comparison! And as a mechanical engineer I appreciate all these technical details, the video almost felt too short 😁 If I'm correct you mostly played the demo with felt side of the hammers, is there any demo where we can hear you use the Ultralight with the bare wood side?

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks, Val! I'm glad you found the video helpful. I did record the sound comparison with a hard leather striking surface since it was the most neutral sound that accurately captured the differences between the two models. Please email me, and I'll gladly create an example with the bare wood on the Ultralight.

[@gregtucker6701]

Hi Joshua. I have a MW Ultralight XR and was wondering if there was an easy way to clean the strings. Some of mine seem to have some dark spots or discoloration. I’ve tried wiping them down but didn’t want to do anything that would be a problem. Thanks.

[@JoshuaMessick]

Great question! You can order a string polisher from Master Works. It is not a liquid solution. It looks more like a pencil eraser. Email [e-mail] to order one.

[@Ben-wu7mo]

😃真的非常好聽

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thank you!

[@user-hf7fr6vd2j]

I got Pioneer a year ago. Im sure this is nice but as I play it more, makes me miss more the fully chromatic. 😂😂😂

[@winkfinkerstien1957]

I like the resonance of the Ultralight better than the Pioneer. It made sense as you described the dimensions and construction. The Ultralight produces more midrange frequencies which ties the lows and highs in an audibly smoother sound. The midrange and highs of the Pioneer tend to sound perhaps too bright and somewhat like unto a player piano (no offense). 😎👍🏻

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks for the comment! I agree with your observations. The Ultralight also projects much better and is a room-filling sound. This quality is difficult to discern on KZbin.

[@circa9599]

This is so neat! Makes me wish I knew how play. 🥹

[@JoshuaMessick]

Thanks, Circa! Maybe you'll learn how to play one day!