I have a friend who is a jeweler/metalsmith who is a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism as well...he goes to their medieval events with the 14th century pendulum clocks he made completely by hand. Very cool.
Very cool, Ken. I love these old types of folk instruments. Did you make these for yourself to play?
Is that fiddle-ish instrument intended to be played while fretting it with the fingers? If so, how are you going to deal with the silk-wrapped string ends spilling over into the first and second fret range? Or maybe you just didn't have long enough strings on hand for the moment and these are temporary strings?
I'm sad to hear that my pipe&tabor buddy Terry has been experiencing sever arthritis pain in his hands, and thus has to back off quite a bit. Terry, you admit you were overdoing your practice sessions, so I hope things will improve if you cut back a great deal. 
I've had to skip my pipe/tabor practice on some days, depending on whether my schedule is real busy or not. But I have to admit I really look forward to my more or less forty minute sessions now, because I'm slowly improving in playing the little simple folk tunes I've pulled together to practice on. This weekend I dreaded picking it up because I had skipped 3 days in a row, but I was so delighted when I picked it up again to notice that I had slightly improved from my last time, rather than getting worse as I had feared. 
Pretty soon I guess i'll make a little informal video demo with mistakes and all, and just post it here rather than publicly...no sense broadcasting my wrong notes to the whole world! 
I am thinking of getting a shorter/higher pipe soon, like Terry has. My low G pipe is 17" long and thus the finger holes are pretty far apart and it's quite tricky to cover the holes cleanly while stretching my hand.
I'm really enjoying the learning process and struggle...the reward is great when hearing a passage come out prettily, and the drum is a perfect companion accompaniment when playing alone. It's such a clever instrument pairing- the drum with the one-handed pipe!
Wow, no self control in this bunch! 
I still just have and play the two mountain dulcimers I bought like 19 and 17 years ago or so.
I do have 9 banjos though. Six of those are fretless. I occasionally buy or sell a banjo, but I've almost always floated somewhere in the 6-10 banjo range. I do play them all and they serve a wide variety of different musical applications.
Question: are all NAFs in minor keys? If so, is that because Native American music tends to be in minor keys?
Just wondering.
Most good violin fine tuners pull the end of the ball string to tighten/loosen it slightly. However, these are 'inline' cheaper removable fine tuners. Fine tuners of this type (which I have used on several various instruments at one time or another, as a last resort) will eventually create a weak spot in the string since they depend on their screw forcing a bend in the string to pull it tighter.
If you find them useful then by all means keep them. You'll need to figure out how they hook onto the string in a threading sort of way when you have to change a broken string. Sometimes it's tricky to hook the string. They are hooked only to the string, so they can also go flying when the string breaks and you might lose them on the grass that way.
If you find the wooden tuners work great for you, then my personal advice would be to take these little contraptions off as the strings get replaced. I have always found them to be way more trouble than they're worth. That said, I think better violin fine tuners are great, but then you need a type of tailpiece they can be attached to, like here .
Dalton, just wanted to point you to a simple beginner video I made showing how to tune back and forth between the four most common modes, for noter style playing. Notice that you'll only be re-tuning one string, not all of them...it's not as hard as you'd think:
http://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2010/02/video-re-tuning-between-four-common.html
Lowes/Home Despot
Ken, did you do that on purpose? Rascal!
Good point KenH,
Usually I have the notes I need by retuning to the right mode for the tune, but 'sometimes'....if there's an odd note I don't have on the fret board --and assuming it's not an absolutely essential melody note-- it's usually quite do-able to either skip playing that one note or just play that phrase a little differently- simplify it so that note's not really needed. Many of us do that sometimes anyway (on various instruments) if a particular note is very hard to finger or I can't get there in time or a phrase requires skilled gymnastics, etc. Similar workarounds apply in chord style playing- if a three finger chord is hard to stretch to or jump to- often one can make it a two finger chord instead...or simplify the phrase a little by leaving out a note or two and see how it sounds. Folk music tends to be very forgiving. 
Actually, Jean Ritchie had more than once described how to 'palm' the noter momentarily to fret another string if needed. Remember that Farina saw a mountain dulcimer for the very first time at a NYC party where he watched Jean Ritchie playing. He had never seen one before and was blown away by it. She wrote that he asked her all about it at that party, and went home determined to get or make one. I think he played guitar before that?
Pete with those marracas...lol
Great thread!
I'd like to bring up two other points that may not have been mentioned yet-
1) I see a lot of beginner dulcimer players struggle with making chords- having a hard time both making the reaches and also with weak fingers and hands that don't effectively fret. If you have this problem, be sure to check the ANGLE of your fingers as you fret . Many beginners fret with their hands horizontally held low- like a pianist or like someone typing on a computer keyboard. As any violin teacher will tell you, it's important to raise your hands up in an arch so that your fingers come down onto the strings from straight above and you use the tips of your fingers to fret effectively. The mountain dulcimer makes this super easy because it lies flat and we fret it from above already. Fingers and hands held low/flat/sideways and fretting with the fat pad of the fingers make weak sounds and can't make stretches as easily. Read my blog post about " Lazy Fingers " and see if you can improve your hand/finger position and angle.
2) I hope that everyone who is having a hard time making chord stretches is actually utilizing their thumb and their pinky as well? I see some people playing chord style dulcimer using only two or three fingers of their left hand. That really limits the notes you can reach... similar to typing with two fingers.
Guitar, mandolin, and banjo players usually do not fret notes with their thumbs. But we mountain dulcimer players have a huge advantage there, because we don't need our thumbs to wrap around and hold up the neck of our instruments...instead our instrument lies right in our lap or on a table or stand and our entire left hand and all its 5 fingers are FREE to use in making chords and stretches. Take advantage of this gift and USE your pinky and thumb for fretting too! Do a few simple hand exercises every day to strengthen and stretch all your fingers- it works over time and really does make a difference. 
When recommending tune/tab books for jamming, personally I think it's always a good idea the specify whether the book is intended for dulcimer-only jams ...where most all tunes are played in the key of D and most often in DAd tuning (with or without capos), and presented in dulcimer TAB form.
Many dulcimer players tend to congregate with other dulcimer players for club meetings and festival jamming....but we should keep in mind that in the music scene in general, jams typically include various instruments and jamming is in various keys.
There are many great jamming books out there- like the 'Fake book" series, or "Sing Out" for example. Those books are standard resources in folk jamming and can actually be used by people on various instruments, since they contain the simple melody in standard notation, the lyrics, and chord change indications of popular standard jamming songs, in the keys they might typically be played in by folk musicians.
It's always good to specify the format of the music in a music jam book, so one isn't surprised when it arrives in the mail and doesn't meet the intended need.
Here's my two-sided 9" head Tabor drum. I used chamois to cover the strap where it hangs over the arm, since the knotted rope is uncomfortable as is. I also used a bit of chamois to pad the tip of the drumstick so it wouldn't be quite so loud when practicing in the house. 
It's a great little drum for the money, very nicely made. It could also be used for non-tabor music situations and festivities as well.
Thanks so much Sheryl- that makes perfect sense!
Sheryl, that must have been soooo much fun for you! Was this flute group just about Native American style flutes?- or were there regular classical type flutes, penny whistles, and recorders as well?
Forgive me for asking this question, but I'm curious- how do the folks there deal with the issue of various people trying out flutes on on display, with their mouths on them and all? Or is everyone just not bothered much by it?
I got my tabor drum today (so fast!) and yes it is perfect! Thank you Terry for advising me to get the smaller 9" one...it's just right for me and has a wonderful old tone, though naturally not as deep a tone as Terry's 12" drum.
I padded the end of the stick a little to mellow it when playing in the house. (!)
It's a quality drum, two sided, and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a drum for multi purposes.
I'm really excited.... but now my practice sessions become more challenging still... pipe AND tabor simultaneously... yikes! 
Terry says:
I'm here to tell someone out there, if you are a little bored, and seeking a new challenge, another adventure, then Pipe and Tabor might just fill this need.
Agreed...and it's FUN! -but be forewarned, it's a pretty major learning curve, especially if you've never played a flute or whistle before. 
Well, it was nice of Terry to act as the 'trail blazer' and then advise me concerning the size of drum to order. I did order the 9" tabor drum and look forward to it coming within a few days. 
It's two sided, and will look like this:
Well, we know what the solution to that dilemma is, then. 
Maybe you'd only have to pay 1 way shipping to exchange it for the 9" model?
Yes, I understand. But even if it's 'general' considerations, that encompass a huge variety of different stringed instrument problems and considerations. Each individual issue and case requires some explanation and also inspires discussion.
would it be possible to list things that new buyers of used and new instruments should be made aware of that they might not know about.........such as intonation issues, tuner problems, raised frets, warped fret boards, adjustable bridges etc.? Some of us older birds have learned the hard way so it seems plausible that if this was all in one place sort of as a go to guide or be on the lookout for sort of thing it might be helpful to lots of folk.
Hi Salt,
A couple of things- That sounds like a wonderful guide, but would definitely require significant effort and expertise. Not every expert, builder, seller, or buyer would agree on the various issues it might get into.
I think a defining buyer's guide like that would be great, but perhaps better written or hosted by someone on their own website, since FOTMD is not intended as a definitive knowledge resource ...but rather more as a social community.
I created this particular forum where we are posting here ( Forum: Instruments- specific features, instruments, problems, questions ) as a place where these kinds of instrument problems or questions could be brought up individually as needed. I'd rather that FOTMD not have a comprehensive (and interactive) outline that advises 'what to buy or avoid'...I can foresee too many potential problems. It could be a terrific project for some experienced and enterprising builder to create on their own website however!
What kind of music are you most likely to be playing on it? And in what style?- noter droning style or modern chord/melody style? Or fingerpicking perhaps?
This is an important question, because people who play certain styles tend to want or need certain features on their dulcimers, since they are using quite different playing techniques and they are usually seeking a specific tone and sound.
I know you say you are a professional player and are looking for a 'great' instrument, but then you say money is tight, so that will certainly limit your options. Some of the instruments you mention that interest you are not usually among lower priced dulcimers.
When you buy a dulcimer without playing it in person first, it can be a good idea to only buy from a reputable dealer or maker. Avoid Ebay 'bargains' unless you're willing to take a risk.
There's a lot to be said of both single and double melody strings, for both chordal playing and noter playing. Everyone has their own opinion of course, and all personal preferences are valid! 
I do agree that pull offs might be a bit less clean with a double melody string, and it also seems to not be the best choice for fingerpicking.
I'm a fan of simplicity in sound myself. However, I prefer the sound and feel of a double melody string for my own playing. (btw I used to play chord style but have been only noter playing for about 17 years now.)
Why do i like double melody for noter playing? Because it has a subtle sound characteristic that reminds me of multi-stringed Old World zithers. (just to clarify, double melody strings were not a musical instrument feature suddenly invented during the folk revival in the U.S., they were a feature of some European traditional dulcimer antecedents long ago).
It's simple- I love how the double melody string sound retains little echoes of traditional folk zither/zitter playing and transports me to another time and place. 
But having a new passion, music or otherwise, is always a great thing.
Being a beginner is how one stays young.
Wow John, I love it! ...I'm going to claim that as my new credo- it's a great fit for how I like to go through life. 
Terry, it really is a challenge, isn't it? At this early stage it feels like attempting to pat your head, rub your tummy, and dance a jig all at the same time...impossible! I'm settling on just four or five very simple tunes to play over and over now ...until I stop playing totally wrong notes. 
Once I can play them without wrong notes, I'll try adding a very simple drum beat while piping, like maybe only one beat per measure.
Having never played a recorder, flute or whistle, this really is difficult for me and demands extreme baby steps. But it's so fun when I manage a little phrase correctly. The whole purpose of the tabor pipe is to be able to play tunes on a pipe with only one hand , so that you can play percussion (the word tabor means a drum, but you are not restricted to that) with your right hand at the same time.
I don't think it's any more shrill than a penny whistle, though?
Happily John, my office/practice location is upstairs and my husband's office and the main part of the house is downstairs , so that helps a lot. He seems to think it's interesting, and he knows I enjoy trying new music explorations periodically.
The tabor pipe gets more than a full scale on its 3 holes- for example my G pipe goes from the low G up to the next g, and then higher yet to A, B, C, and D. So I can play it in G, in A minor, and in I think D (or C?) as well if I learn certain 'half-hole' techniques. But that's getting way ahead of myself.
Terry was intrigued when i mentioned to him my having just gotten one- then he caught the fever too, poor fellow. We've been comparing notes on our new pipes for days, before 'going public' with this quirky new adventure. 
Yes I looked at that tradition. It's very cool too! But I am not going to be hauling that thing around in my arms. No way. Lol
hey, I like drums!
yep I'm here Terry...in fact typing one-handed with my tabor pipe in the other- lol
i think you are way ahead of me though since you have flute/whistle experience already- wind flutes/pipes are totally new to me =8-o
Terry and I both just received our tabor pipes in the last few days, but neither of us have an actual tabor drum yet. soon though!
it's a big challenge for sure, but we like challenges- at least i know i do.
It's easy to learn to contra dance Terry! I'm no expert for sure. Every single dance gets taught slowly before the music begins, so you never really have to remember a dance from one evening to the next. There are various common moves that get used in different combinations. We all laugh when we make mistakes. Lots of people of all ages, and physically challenged folks too. Contra dancing is fairly popular, so there's one within a reasonable drive maybe once or twice a month, at least here in the Northeast. The live music is so fun to dance to! I especially love it in Contra dancing when all the dancers stomp a foot or two and you can feel it through the entire room, just like when the video starts out, and also at 1:10. :)
Terry, here's a video of a Contra dance in Massachusetts where you can actually see me dancing..
As the video starts, I'm somewhat in the middle of the screen, but on the right side of the aisle, dancing with the fellow in the orange shirt. At 0:36, I go to a new partner, the fellow in the plaid shirt. Then later, after the camera pans to the left and then back to the right again, you can see me on the right side again at around 1:10 in the video, and through to the end. 
Terry, that was just an example of English Country Dance. Nobody filmed the one I went to.
If you do a youtube search of both Contra dance and English Country dancing, you'll see the difference between the two. Contra is more high energy movement, while ECD is more flowing and stately. I like them both now! 
I went to my first English Country Dance last weekend. I've been a Contra dancer for seven years now (!) so 'some' of the dance moves are similar, but i was surprised at how I had to get into a whole different approach. I goofed up many many times, but everyone was very supportive and helpful. The drive is a PITA... 75 minutes each way, with annoying detours due to two different closed bridges along the way...and driving back at 11pm in the dark on back road detours...ugh! I did enjoy myself though and hope to go again. The music is particularly beautiful to listen to while dancing.
I'd say English Country Dance uses about 1/3 of the energy of a lively contra- it's serene and flowing compared to higher energy Contra dancing. I had to remind myself to drink some water now and then. In a contra dance, there's no way you would 'forget' to drink some water...lol!
This is an example of English Country dancing:
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Does this site benefit you in some way?
There is much required effort and various ongoing costs involved in maintaining and growing a large multi-media site such as Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer. Software and server/hosting costs continue monthly. I myself probably spend hours per week or more in site maintenance, code updates and troubleshooting, assisting members with their various site issues, etc. Our amazing and dedicated site Moderators volunteer their time daily as well. It's a labor of love for all of us.
All donations, even the most modest, are applied entirely to paying for the upkeep of FOTMD- no profits are kept from donations. So far this system has managed to work for eight years in keeping even with monthly site expenses and fees. Our site remains as it always has been- completely FREE to join and enjoy. There are no membership dues or member 'access fees'.
But donations have been slowly lessening over time. Spontaneous donations are down almost to 1/2 what they were two years ago. The same few generous folks tend to make occasional donations while others never think to do so.
I'm sure one reason for all of this is the state of today's economy in general.
However, FOTMD has been receiving less in donations than the amount needed each month to cover basic site costs.
Our site is as active and fun as always. There are so many members here who have been enjoying and contributing to our site for years, plus a steady number of new friends joining us....which is exactly what FOTMD is about!
I'd like to ask all members, and especially those who have never made a donation, to consider what FOTMD means for them, and to consider supporting Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer so that it remains practical to maintain.
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Thank you so much for considering how YOU can give back in some way and keep FOTMD running. 
-Strumelia
thanks sooo much for this info. I went on line to see if they still sold these kinds of tuners. nope.
Irene, they do still sell them:
https://www.grotro.com/Grover/DULCIMER-TENOR-GUITAR-VIOLIN/Sta-Tite-Dulcimer-Pegs-Set-of-4
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Z9INO8/ref=s9_dcacsd_bhz_bw_c_x_1
http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=Grover+Pegs+for+Banjo+or+Dulcimer+Rosewood+Buttons+870BR
--Just be sure to get the 870BR model- the R means the buttons are rosewood. They come also with black plastic buttons which are a little cheaper- the plastic ones don't have the BR after the model number. The metal parts are silver colored, as I believe they've always been.
I'd love to see a followup photo of this dulcimer after you've put on wooden tuning pegs and fixed it all up, George. It's sweet!
Yes i had a dulcimer once with those same Grover pegs...it was probably my McSpadden which I gave to my daughter long ago. As I recall one of them broke on me early on and I had to replace it. They were not very expensive when sold new. I would hesitate to pay a lot for used ones, as they might fail.
I'm thinking those geared tuning pegs were a later modification, and that it may have originally had wooden pegs. Note the additional now-unused holes for where the wooden peghead ends would have protruded.
A photo of the label inside would be very helpful- others can often decipher murky writing that one person can't.
I do not have a Paypal account. Thanks though.
Kandee, you can just use a credit card to pay through Paypal, without opening or having a paypal account.
Strumelia--I'll go ahead and buy a button because I could use one anyway...but just wondering if it might get here by this Friday?? I depart Saturday.
If you order it right this minute, I can get it in the mail within the next two hours (monday) before the post office picks up and closes. Then it'd have like an 80% or 90% chance of arriving to you by Friday.
UPDATE - just got your order- let me run to the PO right now and get your package out!
