Dusty Strings harps

In 1977, Ray Mooers was on the path of a dentist career when fate intervened and the course of the world of harp and hammered dulcimers was forever changed.

What were the pivotal moments? Well, there was that first encounter with the magical sound of a hammered dulcimer at the "Northwest Folklife Festival". With his roommate Randy, they made their first instrument using a kit from Virgil Hughes. Their hobby got out of hand very quickly. Ray married Sue and they acquired a saw table as a wedding present. Dusty Strings became a formal business in 1979, with Randy as a founding partner.

Facing repeated requests from their customers and after the design of many prototypes but above all, listening to the invaluable advice of musicians and manufacturers, harps were added to the Dusty Strings products in the early eighties. The list of harp models has continued to grow ever since.

As of 2016, Dusty Strings has manufactured over 36,000 instruments and the team has grown to over 45 employees.

Ray and Sue still work hard today; although they are inclined to attribute most of the company's accomplishments to the support and dedication of all of their employees.

Find out more about the story of Dusty Strings