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Merlin Spruce SG Dulcimer Guitarplay button

Merlin Spruce SG Dulcimer Guitar

Seagull

collapse expand iconDescription

The Seagull M4 spruce dulcimer, a unique four-string instrument that blends the simplicity of a dulcimer with the familiar feel of an acoustic guitar. This ultraportable Seagull creation features a diatonic fretboard, making it straightforward to start playing right away. The M4 spruce dulcimer's solid spruce top provides a wide range of resonant tones, while its rock maple body and neck offer exceptional stability and sustain. An innovative mustache-style bridge, compensated saddle and open-geared tuners allow precise intonation and tuning. Compact yet capable, the M4 spruce dulcimer adds an enjoyable new dimension to your musical experience.

Diatonic Fretboard Opens Up Creative Possibilities

With its diatonic fretboard spanning four strings, the M4 spruce dulcimer simplifies playing while enabling a variety of tunings and chord formations. The diatonic setup means any combination of open strings will harmonize, allowing you to explore drones, melodies and percussive effects with ease. Seasoned guitarists and beginners alike will find the M4 spruce dulcimer an accessible gateway to new sounds and playing techniques.

Solid Spruce Top Provides Dynamic, Articulate Tone

At the heart of the M4 spruce dulcimer is a solid spruce top, a tonewood prized for its balanced, resonant qualities. The spruce top gives the M4 spruce dulcimer a crisp, articulate voice with a wide dynamic range, from warm and mellow to bright and punchy. Paired with the maple body and neck, the spruce top results in superior clarity and note separation—ideal for the complex harmonies and tunings possible on the M4 spruce dulcimer.

Innovative Bridge and Saddle Enable Precise Intonation

Seagull designed an exclusive mustache-style bridge and compensated saddle for the M4 spruce dulcimer, allowing accurate intonation of the four strings. The mustache bridge anchors the strings at two points, reducing buzzing and ensuring each string rings true. The compensated saddle features grooves that offset the strings to the proper length for clear, in-tune tones up and down the fretboard. This pioneering hardware, combined with smooth open-geared tuners, gives the M4 spruce dulcimer tunings a resonance and accuracy not found on most dulcimers.
Seagull M4 Spruce Dulcimer Natural
Seagull M4 Spruce Dulcimer Natural

collapse expand iconFeatures

  • Top: Solid spruce
  • Body: Rock maple, string-through
  • Neck: Rock maple, drive-through
  • Nut Width: 1.280"
  • Nut: Graph Tech TUSQ
  • Bridge: Graph Tech Compensated TUSQ
  • Finish: Satin oil
  • Case: Sold separately

collapse expand iconReviews

4.7

20 Reviews

93%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend

Fun, fun, fun

Most Liked Positive Review

5

Great instrument fun to play and sounds great.

I recently purchased this instrument and found that it was so easy to play. It sounds amazing and is made very very well. It did not come. With a case and as far as I could find out there is not a case made for it. I ordered a Gretsch G2165 lap steel gig bag item # 0996461000 online from zzounds.com for $29.00 . It came today and fits the. Instrument like a glove. I hope this helps.

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

1

Sound rely thin

I looked at this in the store. Its body is rely thin and gets a very week sound. I expected better from a $129 instrument. I am not going to buy this because it feel cheaply mad and has very poor sound quality.

Filters
Best Uses
  1. Practicing10
  2. Back-Up2
  3. Concerts2
  4. Leisure1
  5. Songwriting1
Cons
  1. Poor Tone Quality1
Describe Yourself
  1. Novice9
  2. Experienced6
  3. Professional Musician1
Pros
  1. Good Tone14
  2. Consistent9
  3. Well Built / Quality6
  4. Long Life3
  5. Simple Controls1

Reviewed by 20 customers

  • Very Fun and Intuitive

    5

    Verified BuyerVerified Buyer

    submitted7 months ago

    byChad

    fromUtah

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    This is a great little instrument to have around to play on the couch or in the office or the studio. It's a great songwriting tool. It's perfect for beginners because it's so intuitive and a useful instrument for any musician facing a creative block. It's also small enough to keep around to pique your kids' interest in making music.

  • Seagull merlin

    5

    Verified BuyerVerified Buyer

    submitted10 months ago

    byLynda

    fromFlorida

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    Fun and easy to play. Good sound.

  • Fun instrument

    5

    Verified BuyerVerified Buyer

    submitteda year ago

    byLynda

    fromOcala, FL

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    Fun and easy instrument to learn and play. Has a big sound for such a small, lightweight instrument. Doesn't take long to begin playing songs! #sweepstakes

  • Fun for everyone

    5

    Verified BuyerVerified Buyer

    submitteda year ago

    byRobert

    fromPensacola Florida

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    Pick this up and it's hard to put down. Mine is DAD tuning so it's not easy to make this thing sound bad. From 1 string riffs to 1 fret barre chords this thing sounds great!

  • Fun, fun, fun

    5

    submitteda year ago

    byChuck

    fromDetroit, Michigan

    I don't often shop at guitar center, but I stopped in on a random December morning two years ago and, on a whim, I bought the Seagull M4 Spruce. I usually play the banjo, ukulele, guitar and mandolin. So I thought the dulcimer, tuned D A dd, couldn't be much of a challenge. Readers it is a delight. Anyone, and I mean anyone, can play it, and it's remarkably easy to play by ear. Run your fingers up and down the fret board and you'll find yourself easily playing tunes that sound as if they should take ages to master. Don't believe me? Buy it and see how easy Ode to Joy is. I'm always trying to get a jam session going, and I've found that people are most convinced to join when I offer them the seagull to play. It is that intuitive. Who doesn't love to play blister in the sun effortlessly? Buy it, play around on it, and have a ball. I've had it two years and I liked it so much I wrote this review.

  • Cool Instrument

    5

    Verified BuyerVerified Buyer

    submitted2 years ago

    byBryan

    fromChicago, IL

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    What a neat product. My whole family is enjoying the ease of being able to pick up this dulcimer and learn a new song. It sounds great and is fun to just pick up and mess around with. #sweepstakes

collapse expand iconQ&A

Have a question about this product? Our expert Gear Advisers have the answers.

  • submitted2 years ago

    asked byJoseph

    fromundisclosed

    What is the diameter of the soundhole?

    What is the diameter of the soundhole?

    Open Reply - Gear-Support
    I’m very sorry, the manufacturer has not made that information available. Body Depth 1.13" (28.7mm) Body Length 14.75" (374.65mm) Lower Bout 7" (177.8 mm) Nut Width 1.28" (32.51 mm) Scale 20.75" (527.05mm) Upper Bout 4.88" (123.95mm) Waist 3.94" (100.08mm) Shipping Weight 2.00 lbs

  • submitted2 years ago

    asked byCha

    fromDaytona Beach

    Is the Merlin tuned like a dulcimer?

    Is the Merlin tuned like a dulcimer?

    Open Reply - Gear-Adviser
    Yes it is.

  • submitted3 years ago

    asked byChris

    fromNY

    Is this tuned to GDG or DAD?

    Is this tuned to GDG or DAD?

    Open Reply - Thomas
    DAD

  • submitted3 years ago

    asked byMartin

    fromWalnut Creek, CA

    Does this come with a case?

    Does this come with a case?

    Open Reply - Ronald
    The case is sold separately.

  • submitted5 years ago

    asked byBeck

    fromCarleton mi

    I need the left handed seagull. Is that available to me?

    I need the left handed seagull. Is that available to me?

    Open Reply - Kenneth
    Please contact a Sales Agent for Special Order placement