As Iman described how their hobby started, Yoder edged a bow across the instrument’s strings, playing a wailing version of Silent Night. The instruments are fairly rare, and there are only a few businesses that sell them across the United States, Iman said.
Iman said he had never even heard of the instrument until he noticed one at an art show in Columbus in June. He said it was being sold for $900, but he was sure he could make the same instrument cheaper. He bought a handful of the instruments from places like eBay, and set out to design his own.
Iman said he was aware of Yoder’s woodworking skills, and realized quickly he would be the perfect partner to help design his own version of the instrument.
“I showed Wes the instrument and played it for him and he said, ‘I want one,’” Iman said.
Yoder spent much of his life making everything from cabinets to furniture, but the instrument was something different. The two added their own unique designs, including adding grooves along the bottom to make it easier to hold. They also used a laser to etch their own designs into the wood, and added the numbers and notes at the appropriate strings to make it easier to play.
Yoder said he made several more with different varieties of wood, and soon they were hearing from friends who also wanted one.
“We made a few more and people caught on,” Yoder said. “They sell themselves.”
Yoder said he had never played a musical instrument before the psaltery, but had the basics down within a few hours.
“It’s about the easiest instrument there is to play, I believe,” Yoder said.
When he started, Iman said he had never even tuned an instrument before, but after conducting research on the Internet, the instruments started coming together more easily.
They also were successful in keeping the instruments affordable, compared to many others on the market. Typically, a psaltery can cost close to $700, but Iman said their most expensive instrument is $375. Cases are an additional $25.
“We want to keep them low enough in price that a lot of people can enjoy them,” Yoder said.
Most of the few sales they’ve made have come about through word of mouth, and have drawn interest from a wide range of musicians, Iman said. One local musician asked for one for a church performance. In another case, a neighbor who plays in a metal band made a request for one.
For now, Iman said it’s just a hobby, but there is some interest in eventually selling the instruments on a larger scale. A music store in downtown Urbana already has asked about carrying a few of the instruments, he said.
The instrument has become one of Yoder’s favorite hobbies as well.
“I enjoy it enough that I pick it up about every day,” he said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@coxohio.com.
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