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Whamdiddle Flat Bones
Perfect for Kids and Players with Large or Small Hands
Thin flat-face design produces remarkable tonal range.

Clare Provoncha
Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums Senior Corps member, Clare Provoncha displays Whamdiddle Flat Cocobolo Bones in Historic Area of Colonial Williamsburg.


Flat Bones are Perfect for Smaller Hands
Check out our growing collection of Whamdiddle Flat Bones. They are great for women, kids and players with small hands (and large hands too).

The Bones are Curved, the Face is Flat
Make no mistake about it, Whamdiddle Flat bones are curved. Yes, these bones definitely sport a curved arc. The face (i.e. striking surface) is what's flat. That's why they're called flat bones. Flat bones with no curve are called plank bones. Plank bones are literally flat as a board. But Whamdiddle Flat bones are curved. If you cut a flat bone across the width and look at the profile, you will see the shape is rectangular. By comparison, Minstrel Style Bones are oval.

Why Choose Flat Bones?
Flat style bones are popular because they fit any size hand and deliver a remarkably dynamic range of tones.


Whamdiddle Collection
Can't Decide Which Bones to Choose?
Check out this handy guide: Bone FAQs

Handcrafted By a Master Luthier with a Graduate Degree in Physics

Whamdiddle bones are magnificent instruments. They are handcrafted from domestic and exotic hardwoods by Rick Fogel. Rick is a master luthier in Seattle, Washington who holds a master of science degree in Physics. This winning combination of top-grade material, brilliant artistry, and scientific expertise explains why Whamdiddle sound as good as they look.

Great Looks, Solid Design, Superior Tone
Take a close look at the marvelous color and fascinating wood grain of Whamdiddle bones. That gorgeous appearance comes from quartersawn wood, so the look is no accident.

The designs are special too. For example, the Whamdiddle Classic Style is less oval than minstrel style bones, yet rounder than flat style bones. This unique design bridges the gap between minstrel and flat styles. You can expect the Classic Style shape to fit especially comfortable in your hands. After all, the design has stood the test of time for more than 40 years. But the first thing you notice when you grab a pair is their substantial heft. Even the lightweight Classic Style bones feel full in your grip.

On the other side of the spectrum are Whamdiddle Flat Style bones. Not only are they agile and thin, but they fit any size hand and deliver a remarkably dynamic range of tones.

Whamdiddle Minstrel Style bones are a blast from the past—perfect for living-history musicians who demand authentic reproduction instruments.

But no matter what style you choose, Whamdiddle bones deliver a rich full range of tones that make you proud to rattle them.

Crafted From Quartersawn Lumber, the Prime Working Stock for
Quality Musical Instruments
Why do Whamdiddle bones reveal spectacular grain patterns, warp less, and generate better tone? "Because," Rick explains, "they are made from quartersawn lumber."

Rick described the technique to me but it is a bit complex. So I looked up the term in a technical report from the U.S. Forest Service. They indeed confirm that quartersawn lumber "shrinks and swells less...splits less...and figure patterns and wavy grain are brought out more conspicuously." Another expert source reports that quartersawn wood "helps prevent warping and also provides the best vibration patterns acoustically." And yet another authority tells us "quartersawn wood helps ensure that an instrument's sound remains as invariable as possible."

So yes, musical bones made from quartersawn lumber are decidedly prime quality instruments. But the ultimate test, of course, is to try them yourself.

Largest Selection of Whamdiddle Bones on the Planet...plus those Famous Laminated Bones.
Welcome to the largest selection of Whamdiddle bones on Earth! No other store offers you a larger choice of Whamdiddle bones. In fact, most of the Whamdiddle bones we offer are designed exclusively for Bone Dry Music and available no place else in the universe.

Please note that each carefully matched pair is expertly hand-crafted, but no two pairs are exactly alike. (i.e. Some pairs might vary slightly from another in length, width and thickness.)


Where does Rick find the exotic, rare, and domestic species of wood for these gorgeous bones? "It's scrap wood left over from the dulcimers I make," he says. So if you see something you really like, get it now. Because when a species of Whamdiddle bones get sold out, they might be gone forever.

Can't Decide Which Bones to Choose?
Check out this handy guide: Bone FAQs