pastoral music with zither, dulcimer, etc?

I enjoyed reading the "prog-folk with mellotron" thread (lots of great reccomendations there!), and so here's a question on my mind recently:

I'm trying to get into "acid folk" or "prog folk" but too much of it it just acoustic-guitar based, sort of stereo-typical "hippy" stuff.  There must be some acid or prog folk with more interesting instruments, like:;

zither, dulcimer, harpsichord, mandolin, etc.

Or, if that is too specific, could anyone recommend some prog folk with the "pastoral" vibe to it, like for instance Pink Floyd's  "a pillow of winds", from the Meddle album?   That song makes me feel like I'm in some British country garden watching a dang hedgehog drink some tea.

Once again, thanks everybody! and if this is the wrong place to post this, please tell me.

tokyoganglion wrote: I enjoyed reading the "prog-folk with mellotron" thread (lots of great reccomendations there!), and so here's a question on my mind recently: I'm trying to get into "acid folk" or "prog folk" but too much of it it just acoustic-guitar based, sort of stereo-typical "hippy" stuff.  There must be some acid or prog folk with more interesting instruments, like:; zither, dulcimer, harpsichord, mandolin, etc. Or, if that is too specific, could anyone recommend some prog folk with the "pastoral" vibe to it, like for instance Pink Floyd's  "a pillow of winds", from the Meddle album?   That song makes me feel like I'm in some British country garden watching a dang hedgehog drink some tea. Once again, thanks everybody! and if this is the wrong place to post this, please tell me.

Try Stone Angel, Midwinter, The Way We Live, and maybe Dancer. And of course the Incredible String Band.

Thanks for the suggestions!  That Banda do Casaco was beautiful.  I have some by Espers which I need to re-listen to this week.

As for incredible string band, where is a good place to start with them?

that "in the labyrinth" is nuts! thanks for telling me about it!

Also, at the risk of being off-topic, just discovered this:

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/fluteboy/communal_bands/

All records made by cults or communes.  Some demented stuff in there.