Forum Activity for @strumelia

Beautiful dulcimer.  

Our little NY village was hit hard by a violent storm late thursday night. It knocked down many trees and power lines, torrential rain and high winds... but only last an hour.
Our mayor declared a state of emergency, with no travel allowed the next day. Now 2 days later, I hear there are still parts of the village with no power and no water (!).  Our little cluster up on the hill here was so lucky. We never lost power for some reason so we still have AC all through this awful heat wave.  We're very grateful! 

Yay... America's founding fathers and founding principles.
I was 22 and living in NYC during our country's 200th birthday celebration in 1976. It was amazing, everyone seemed united together and happy. The historic tall ships (tall sailing ships with multiple masts) all sailed into New York Harbor, a beautiful thing to behold alongside the Statue of Liberty... it was a wonderful celebration.
We certainly live in a great nation... happy 250th birthday America!

Sometimes when i see pix of people out in the heat wave with no hat, shirt, or even sunglasses... I wonder how they never managed to learn common sense for heat survival.

  Wow it sure is HOT out there!!

I'm blessed to have AC at home, but i did have to drive to the PO and the bakery today... I'm surprised the car was not melted in the driveway.
Right now I'm guzzling ice water at home and really hoping the power stays on through the next few days... they say the whole power grid is strained to its max.  I've got no plans to be outside this July4th weekend.

Are you all doing ok?  

Such terrible sad news. Wayne was incredibly talented and brought so much to our dulcimer community. 
My heart goes out to Wayne's family.

What a generous and thoughtful project to help the people who can't afford most dulcimers these days, Richard.  I love that you are doing this.

Alex, I'm a little confused as to why the reversed strings on the stick dulcimer disappoints you. -Are you wanting to learn how she plays that particular song and worried that you won't be able to figure it out for your regular dulcimer which is not strung in reverse like the stick dulcimer?

That video of Amy Grant is a very touching, sweet but sad song.  Makes me nostalgic for the old times.

Stephens does have a membership here on FOTMD... though he has not posted in about 5 years. https://fotmd.com/bob-stephens
Also, there's a FOTMD threa d on his dulcimers from about 2 yrs ago.

What about Vince Haley of "HX dulcimers" (also mentioned in that article)... anyone heard of his instruments lately?

Interesting article!

A new article on National Geographic site...
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/stradivarius-violins-tree-ring-analysis

Hi friends.
I run this site on donations, and usually it tends to break even. But lately I've had to pay for server fees etc out of my pocket. I'd really appreciate it if any of you who are able can make a donation to help me keep FOTMD running.
If you are so inclined, simply use the Donate button on the main page .
Thank you so much!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...  

I wonder if in the vein of “animal adoption/rescue,” there is a “dulcimer adoption/rescue” forum here for legacy instruments that are likely to become wall hangers unless someone conserves/restores them? I did not see one but might have missed it.

Well there are a lot of discussions in the "Care and Maintenance Group" on this site, including some threads on rescuing and repairing old damaged instruments.

Easier to answer this if you include a little photo of your tuners.

If it's just a matter of using a screwdriver to remove the old tuner and screw in the new one, you should be fine. Be sure to use the right size screwdriver that fits the screw head.

Wally, your post and info would be terrific over on the inverted capo thread!:
https://fotmd.com/strumelia/group_discuss/93/the-false-nut-upon-the-road

Hi Ken and @Shopdad , it might make more sense to continue your scheitholt building discussion here in this discussion:
https://fotmd.com/strumelia/group_discuss/2841/has-anyone-made-a-scheitholt

That way, people in the future looking for info on this subject will be able to more easily find it.  

(you'll need to JOIN the Builders' Group there is you have not joined it already, to see the full discussion and participate)

Maybe this video from a real pro will help give you some tips?:

Thanks for that, Ken!

Since there is more than one way to skin a cat...  
You can temporarily raise the pitch of one or more strings without using a conventional capo by either pulling a string down and under a little hook as described (a technique used by banjo players for the 5th drone string, using a  tiny model railroad spike), OR by using a 'reverse capo' or more accurately a 'false nut' that is placed under the string to raise the pitch or just one or two or more strings without retuning the strings. It is then easily removed when not wanted.
Here's a good description and discussion of this method, with photos:
https://fotmd.com/strumelia/group_discuss/93/the-false-nut-upon-the-road

Here is why I like DAA tuning and the advantage it gives to me.

If your McSp dulcimer has individual metal tuning machines, you may be able to send them a closeup photo of your headstock and let them know which machine is failing... and they might be able to ship yo a replacement. Does swapping the tuner look like a job you would be able to do yourself? Are they attached with simple screws?
Do your tuners look like this ?

Sounds like most likely a problem just with that one tuner.
But to be safe, also check all around the dulcimer - the back, sides, and the headstock- check for any cracks or glue failures, or any lifting away of the edges or the headstock separating from the body (though i don't think this is very likely on a reasonably recent McSpadden)
I suggest you call McSpadden on the phone and ask them what they think.

Greetings!
I have moved this discussion from the "For Sale" forum to THIS forum for discussions about dulcimers made by various makers, and their features. It just seemed like a more logical place to discuss such instruments, since no member here is actually selling anything in this case.
(The For Sale forum is more intended to be used by members to sell an occasional musical item or instrument that they own.)
Thanks so much and please carry on with the interesting discussion!  

Greetings!
I have moved this discussion from the "For Sale" forum to THIS forum for discussions about dulcimers made by various makers, and their features. It just seemed like a more logical place to discuss such instruments, since no member here is actually selling anything in this case.
(The For Sale forum is more intended to be used by members to sell an occasional musical item or instrument that they own.)
Thanks so much and please carry on with the interesting discussion!  

Oh that is such awful news. What a loss of so many wonderful instruments.
It must be surreal and heartbreaking for him.

I've grown bored with a few of my old houseplants. For some reason i had come to think i should be the caretaker forever of some of my older cactuses. But they were no longer 'sparking joy' as Marie Kondo says.
Just when I was feeling burdened by them, my local library sent me a newsletter last week that their Plant Swap was starting today. Great timing!  I packed up four old plants that i've had for years and dropped them off at the library, where they were excitedly welcomed.
I ordered some new begonias that I've been lusting after all winter... but had been waiting for no more frosty nights, and the warm weather finally arrived. I'm really thrilled with the two very sweet "Tiger kitten" begonias that arrived this afternoon. I put them into nice terra cotta pots already.  I had one of this type five years ago from the same seller, and i just loved it:

I have four more indoor begonias coming in a couple of weeks.  I'm excited to have some fresh new plants to enjoy, and my old plants will find happy new owners, too.

Point well taken!  On the other hand, an oldtimer might easily have also said "Why would i buy or order fancy 'fret wire' when i can just use these perfectly fine and useful fence staples I've already got right here?" 
My husband is very practical and handy, and i can envision him saying something just like that.  
More rambles- oldtime builders probably didn't think they were doing anything 'out of necessity', they were just clever in using (or making) what worked well and produced the desired result... something people did plenty of in daily life without thinking about it much.
These days, we are drowning in specialized tools and gizmos for doing literally everything... frothing milk for our coffee, car seats that warm our butts, weird red light masks to improve our complexion, and yeah clipping on electronic tuners instead of simply going "bim bim BOM".    I like to think about these funny things.

Good cartoon, John.  lolol
I certainly don't know your situation or how you get these dulcimers that you are trying to then sell in your 'booth', but in general-  I've always been of the opinion that if you prefer a dulcimer with machine pegs for some reason (in this case easier to resell?), then it's easier and cheaper to just get a machine pegged one to begin rather than to convert an older dulcimer with wooden pegs. I'm sure I'm missing some aspect here though.

I do like to see old dulcimers with wooden pegs left as they are (if they are playable)... especially since there are plenty of newer machine peg dulcimers all over the place for those who prefer them. In my view one day someone will seek out and fall in love with the old dulcimer in its original condition and they will know how to work with and enjoy those lovingly made wooden pegs. That's just my personal view, free to ignore!   :)

Dusty that is so great!   Very impressive number of participants, too.  
Good thing your mom was there, it insured that you behaved.

Happens to the best of us!  (and to me as well, lol)

Great sleuthing and great logic, Dusty!

Just because a string calculator suggests a thin or heavy string doesn't mean it would be practical. The calculators are useful, but they have no actual brain or hands. A string calculator might theoretically suggest a .000001 string to reach some impossibly high note... even though such a string is not even for sale. Or it would suggest a wound string as heavy as a double bass might use to reach some crazy low note... and such a string would be too heavy to even install on a dulcimer, much less play.

I have found that melody strings any thinner than .009 tend to break very easily... so much so that i won't go thinner than .009 anymore.
And even with that, if my instrument's vsl scale is anything longer than 26.5", I personally will not put on a string thinner than .010 . That's not due to any scientific calculation son my part, but simply because i have broken several .009 melody strings that way, and it gets downright annoying.  

No idea who made it, but they did a very skilled job in cutting those elegant soundholes. They are indeed F style holes (as one sees in a violin). However, I wouldn't call these 'classic' F holes myself- these are particularly delicate and graceful. Lovely. The (guitar?)frets seem a bit on the heavy side to me, or perhaps it's just that this is a slightly shorter scale dulcimer than the standard 26-28" vsl?

The instrument seems to have been very well cared for.
Like Dusty, the quality and uniqueness here does not really suggest to me a kit or anything put out by a 'low end' brand, despite being in a cheap case. 

Ken, the thought occurred to me as well, but I've had a really awful flu this past week and so I would definitely not want to get you sick! 

You two rascals!  What fun!  

Sad news, thank you for letting us know Ken.
John Huron was quite a Renaissance man when it came to early folk instruments. He made traditional mountain and gourd banjos, limberjacks, dulcimers, rhythm bones, and other early American instruments. I have two mouth bows made by him. One of his mountain banjos resides in the Smithsonian Museum.
His talent, skill, and knowledge is a great loss, but he left behind a great many gifts in preserving our heritage!

https://tnartscommission.org/permanentcollection/john-huron/

I've used GHS Fast Fret to clean my fretboards and clean/wipe down the strings which get grimy too. It leaves things nice and feels easy to then to slide up and down the fretboard.
I also admit (confess?) I have used Lemon Pledge as well to clean/polish the fretboard (with strings in place) and it seems to work well for me too.
BUT... and this is important-  Never ever spray or drip any cleaner, liquid, or polish directly onto the fretboard unless it's a fretless one. Instead, just put a very small amount on a soft cloth and then apply the cloth to the fretboard. You don't want any liquid at all to seep into the fret slots!- it can cause them to swell and the frets to loosen. This applies to seams on the instrument as well. Always use a soft cloth, do not apply products directly to the instrument .

One movie I've always liked was the 1984 "The Dollmaker" starring Jane Fonda as the wife of a Kentucky coal miner during WWII, and their struggles. It's a heart rending story of how she fought through hardship and social restraints in order to help her family. No dulcimer, but there is some wonderful Appalachian music and song woven into the movie. It's a good one. Be sure to have some tissues handy. You can watch it in full for free on youtube, or maybe order it from your library.