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Fair thee well John P - you are sorely missed.
Robin, did you perchance compose that pretty tune in memory of John Phillips?
It's so pretty to hear you play it!
Patty's right about that, Erin- you can set your video to private, semi-private, or public on Youtube, but you won't be able to have it selectively view-able to only certain people here on FOTMD- it has to be set to public if you add it here on FOTMD. I'm talking about if you want it to be in our site's general Video section.
Adding audio/music files to FOTMD Music section:
1) upload either an MP3 (and if it's too large a message will say so)
OR 2) Add it as a Soundcloud clip. (you have a Soundcloud account where you've already uploaded your audio clips) -Soundcloud is like Youtube but for audio clips.
Adding a video to FOTMD video section:
1) Follow the instructions to add a YOUTUBE video that you've already uploaded onto your Youtube account.
2) OR... Follow the instructions to add a VIMEO video that you've already uploaded onto your Vimeo account.
Note- you can upload an MP3 directly from your computer to the Music section. You cannot upload a video directly from your computer to the video section.
This kid is as cute as a button!
(and she grew up into a popular and talented country musician)
Gotta love it...
I have been contacted by a good friend of his and by his son, and I've been asked to share the very, very sad news that John Phillips (FOTMD member John P ) has passed away unexpectedly at home from a heart episode.
John has been an active and respected member both here on Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer and on Everythingdulcimer for many years. His amazing musical knowledge, his humor and diplomacy, and his generosity in sharing and helping others has truly enriched the entire dulcimer community. John loved being part of our FOTMD 'family' and his absence will be profoundly felt. My heart is heavy today.
Please share here as we pause to reflect on John and on his family in their time of loss.
This is so cool!
Years ago, I had the typical daydreams about recording CDs or teaching at festivals, etc.... but as time goes by I find more and more enjoyment from just playing at home with my husband, and playing occasionally with a few friends.
Like Robin Thompson, my biggest love is playing home made music at home. I also enjoy the learning process and consider that to be a lifelong pleasure. My husband and I are able to learn a whole lot while playing music together.
I also do enjoy playing occasionally for events in my community- our village's Sidewalk Summerfest, a humane society fundraiser, and next to the Blacksmith/spinning wheel/candlemaking demonstrations in the "Old Timey" pavillion of our County Fair.
I still travel to one far away gathering (before I get too old)...an early banjo one in Virginia or Maryland. I kinda like that one and don't want to give it up just yet. 
So, my goal is to continue doing most of the above.
EDIT: I want to add that another goal of mine musically is to be able to stop, or almost stop, working my day job (patent illustration) so I can have more precious time to explore and play and learn more on several different instruments that I would dearly love to get better at playing. I simply don't have enough time while still working every day.
I was just pondering about how we all have many things in common in our love for playing music, and yet we also have a wide variety of goals in our personal musical journeys.
Of course it goes without saying that we all have our own particular fondness of different types of music and different playing styles...but I'm not referring to that.
What I mean is the variety in our music goals- things such as:
I want to become a dulcimer teacher, ...or I want to be able to record some professional CDs one day and sell them, ....or I want to play for hospice situations, ...or I want to play during my church services, ...or I want to just play at home on my porch for an audience of birds, ....or I want to mostly play and socialize in my dulcimer club with dulcimer friends, ...or I want to be able to play with other musicians in a local bluegrass jam, ...or I want to be able to play my mother's dulcimer that she left to me...
Please share with us what your fondest goal is in your personal music journey! 
Mid-winter cold and grey...craving some fresh grown greenery but certainly no early gardening possible yet.
A few years ago I had been doing a lot of growing edible sprouts in my kitchen, and last month I started back up doing it again. It's both fun and uplifting in the middle of winter to see the jars and containers of little sprouts growing. Compared to buying lettuce and greens (or even sprouts) at the supermarket, home grown sprouts are not only way more nutritious, but incredibly cheap- I find that a one pound, $12 package of alfalfa seed will produce around 100-150 cups of sprouts.
It's actually enjoyable to 'tend' them twice a day with a fresh water rinse/drain right in their jars, like having miniature greenhouses growing on your kitchen counters. 
After about 4 or 5 days they are ready to rinse in a large bowl to skim off the empty hulls, and put into the refrigerator for eating! Sometimes they don't even make it to the fridge... Brian has to be scolded about eating an entire batch at one time as a big salad...hey, leave some for me! For the past several weeks I have about 5 jars going at a time with different seeds at various stages. A mere 2 tablespoons of alfalfa seed will produce 4 cups of yummy fresh sprouts... !
Can't wait to see "Favor"! Sounds really lovely.
Even after many years, I still cling to Shady Grove. It just gets me.....plus it's easy enough that it's hard to become rusty.
I just realized I missed a great pun opportunity: ...way up there where the aire is thin. 
I often use the 1.5, and its octave higher 8.5....but truthfully I'd likely never use the third octave sister to the 1.5 which is the 15.5. I do use the 6.5 and its higher sister the 13.5 though. I find the tone and the hard feel above the 14th fret to be too problematic. But that's just me....an incredible player like Guy could make it sound heavenly way up there where the air is thin.
I'd get the 1.5, the 6.5, AND their octave higher pair 8.5 and 13.5. And yes I use them. 
Note to other readers here: we have a Group devoted entirely to info on 'extra frets' here on fotmd:
http://fotmd.com/strumelia/group/29/i-have-extra-frets
- so if anyone gets inspired to start discussing the whys and hows of extra frets in depth, please continue any full blown discussions there in the group . Thanks!
Steven, we all can't wait to hear about when you get it! 
Post pictures!
What is your 'scale length'- the length in inches from the bridge to the nut?
And do you happen to know what gauge/thickness of strings are on it now?
Sometimes the tightness can seem extreme to a new player and yet not really be too much. After all, the melody string(s) are not actually breaking when tuned up to high d, right?
Dwight plays a version of Abe's retreat in that tuning that he calls "Low G".
Robin, I wasn't thinking you were using a capo to up it to A...thus some of my confusion.
aAEAE... you are talking about on the banjo? Tuning the first and third strings both to the same note in the same ocatave? Tuning the 4th and 2nd strings to the same note in the same octave? Are you talking about generally in the same octave as standard banjo tuning, or an octave lower?
On the dulcimer I think cross tuning variations of GDGD/AEAE etc is not so unusual? I'm confused as to whether you are asking about tunings for the banjo or the dulcimer.
Hi Freddie, please start a new thread in our "For Sale/Wanted" forum here:
...and give it a subject/title something like: "WANTED- Melton style Galax dulcimer"
Thanks! :)
I think part of the problem is that with mtn dulcimers, there is a HUGE variety in the factors that influence sound: body shape, body volume, wood type, string gauges and types, inner bracing, wood thickness, instrument age, repairs, overall scale length or size, pick variations, noter or finger fretting, action,...the list can go on and on, and every one of these factors can influence the sound/tone/volume to one degree or another. Side by side tests are rather meaningless unless every single factor but one is absolutely identical.
In comparison- violins, mandolins, guitars etc do have some of the same kinds of variations but overall they tend to be much more uniform and therefore it's a bit easier to make comparisons based on one factor, such as wood type or body volume for example. Yet we expect to be able to make the same comparisons on wildly varying dulcimers?...we cannot.
There are just way too many variations to do accurate scientific comparisons on dulcimers that are different from each other in multiple ways. In the end, our best means of selecting a dulcimer for ourselves remains: simply listening to an existing particular dulcimer to see if we LIKE the sound (what a concept), or by talking to your luthier of choice about your goals and preferences so he can try to incorporate some of the factors that would increase the odds of a custom dulcimer sounding to your liking.
All that said, it seems like we have this very same discussion every year. 
I have the exact same dulcimer- given to me by a woman now in her 70s, whose father made it for her from a kit in 1983. She said she'd never played it much and wasn't going to be playing it ever. It has her father's name inside, but also has the kit sellers' green label inside, saying "The Dulcimer Shoppe, Folk Crafts Books", ...on highway 9 north in Mountainview, Arkansas. It's identical in every way.
I used it in almost all of my dulcimer noter instructional videos, because my two main playing dulcimers both have 1.5 frets which would be confusing in a beginner video. I don't normally play it, because it has a real hard time holding the strings to tension. The original pegs were completely shot when I got it, and I replaced them with some similar looking ones which fit the holes and were in better shape- but unfortunately those tuners don't want to hold well either. It's a real struggle to tune it to key of D. Planet tuners would likely do the trick, but the dulcimer just isn't valuable enough for me to justify buying another set of high priced pegs (and I don't have bunches of tuners lying around), so I only use the dulcimer for testing out tunes on next to my desk, or for instruction purposes. It has a very narrow waist and the wood is quite thin. I could post photos- it is truly identical in every detail to the dulcimer in your slideshow, Richard.
To be honest, when learning a new instrument, just about 'everything' is confusing to a beginner, especially if no one has ever explained to them the basics of WHY they are 'missing' certain frets or notes in the first place.
I think if a new player is motivated to learn by making the effort to do some listening and reading , and/or has a decent teacher who can explain basics well, then they will fairly quickly catch on to initially confusing stuff, and an extra fret or a new tuning won't stop them. 
Nimrod, you should be aware of this little bit of confusion for new players:
Here are some explanations to clarify what people are referring to when talking about number of strings on mtn dulcimers:
1) the most common setup as a "four string dulcimer" is 1 heavy bass string, 1 medium weight middle string, and a PAIR of thinner melody strings- which are close together, are usually tuned to the same note, and are played as though they are just one string- that kind of close pair is called a "course" or "double course". That dulcimer is very common and is played as though it has 3 strings, but the melody 'course' is really 2 strings close together and played as though they were 1 string.
(I should also mention that just because this outer light string is called the melody string does not mean you cannot play melody notes on the other strings as well, it's just a convenient traditional name for the string because: in traditional or noter style of playing, only that string is used for playing a song's melody..nowadays there are various styles of playing that use other strings for melody playing as well, but that's beside the point of my explanation)
2) Many people do not have, or purposely remove, one of the pair of melody strings and simply have 3 strings on their dulcimer: a bass, a middle, and a single melody string . They might choose to do this because it's easier to play in fingerpicking style that way, or because they feel awkward fretting a pair of strings, or simply because they don't like that fuller sound of the double course...they want to even the sound out between the different strings.
Another popular meaning when you hear someone talk about a "four string dulcimer" is:
3) four equidistant strings . This is when you have 4 strings, all spaced equally apart from each other , in various thicknesses (usually spanning heavy to light) tuned to a tuning of your choice. In this setup, there are no 'double courses' or pairs of close together strings. All four strings are equal distance apart and are tuned and played as individual strings. This setup can give you additional choices for getting various notes and/or chords while playing...as compared to a 3 string dulcimer as I describe in example 2).
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A double-melody-course 4 string dulcimer will have 4 tuning pegs and its nut and bridge string slots will be cut to allow the doubled pair, but you can always just remove one of the pair and play it like a 2) three string dulcimer- you'd have one peg with no string wound on it. Also, as long as the dulcimer has four pegs, it can simply have its nut/bridge slots changed or added to enable one to convert it quickly to a 4 equidistant dulcimer. Both my dulcimers have 4 tuning pegs and have additional nut/bridge slots which allow me to switch if i wanted to- to any of the above three setup,s by changing/adding/removing strings.
Probably the most basic setup for a beginner would be setup #2 above- a simple 3 string dulcimer. Many 3 string dulcimers have just 3 tuning pegs. These obviously cannot be converted to either 4equidistant setup or to a double-melodystring setup, because it'd be difficult to add another peg to the peghead...you can't have a string without its own peg or pin to tune it with. But many folks don't care about that anyway because they adore their 3 string dulcimers just as they are. You have all the same notes available to you on a 3 string dulcimer as you have on a dulcimer with a doubled melody course (examples 1) and 2) above).
One other detail is that most tablature and books available to players is geared towards the 1) and 2) setups. However, that does not stop dedicated 4equidistant string players from having a total blast and becoming wonderful players. FOTMD has a Group for 4 equi players- to learn more: Four Equidistant String Players Group
Any of the 3 setups above are beloved by many and are very popular. There are also more variations- 5, 6 string dulcimers, etc, but I'd say those are less common and not as recommended for a beginner to start with.
Hope this helps.
P.S. I moved this thread to the general dulcimer forum, instead of the 'site questions' forum.
Well ok since you ask , Rob, I'll be honest...
There are many elements of this instrument that I feel are not of high quality and don't suggest to me anything beyond a low 'hobby level' maker slapping stuff together- the sharp unfinished fret ends, the very weird 'tailpiece' with guitar string anchors and its dark badly varnished strumhollow (and what is happening on the very end of tailpiece there where the top soundboard ends?). The chopped up re-purposed (mandolin/guitar) tuners, the super high applied fretboard (was that added on top of the original fretboard?) which creates a bad angle on the strings at the nut, the crude blocky heart soundholes, and the high gloss 'finish' on the peghead and elsewhere. It just doesn't strike me as any kind of skilled maker or quality materials.
The case- don't get me started..lol. Putting aside the rotting crumbling foam and the 1970s yellow carpet remnants (who knows what may have happened on that rug during its sordid past..) - the handle, latches and piano hinge are all the cheapest of the cheap, crudely bolted right through the super thin plywood. They didn't even bother slapping finish on the plywood underneath the leather handle...uh, too much trouble? 
Don't get me wrong- I can really appreciate a homemade wood case put together from recycled material...but a good craftsman will create one that is a thing of beauty and carefully made to protect the instrument, last a lifetime, and be a real pleasure to touch and use. I have a 'rustic' case made from discarded plywood, a thrift store Norwegian wool sweater, an old leather belt etc... made for me by fotmd member Michael King (who makes fine strumsticks and lyres, by the way). It's beautiful and is truly a marvelous thing made with skill and love.
All that said, I'm sure whoever made and used this dulcimer and case must have enjoyed it, and that's well and good. It's just that I wouldn't buy it myself, even if the price was cheap.
Everyone's idea of value is very different. My apologies to anyone I may have unintentionally insulted with my above personal opinions ...which are worth approximately two cents. 
In any case, this auction and thread was from back in Sept 2015.
Swimming against the tide here, but I myself would not buy it.
Yes please, let's not jump into the mode quicksand again...staying on the thread capo topic. :)
Maria, I too think you made a good choice with the Ewing. My old Ewing dulcimer capo far outlasted a later plastic cheaper one I bought. 
Capos can definitely be handy in various playing situations. Some folks use them regularly, and others don't use them. To each their own! 
Yay! happy new year to all friends here... 
Here's hoping all members have a safe, healthy, and productive new year for 2016...full of personal joys like music and also the joy of kindnesses to others.
Jane, you've gotten lots of good replies so far.
I notice you say it's a 'student sized' 26" with DAd tuning. I assume that along with the shorter scale length, the "student' means it's also a smaller shallower body. Though small tweaks can indeed change an instrument's sound a little bit, changing strings in my opinion is not likely to make a small soundbox entry-level short scale dulcimer sound "very warm and rich". More than any other factor, I would say that dulcimers with larger or deeper (taller) bodies/soundboxes will sound deeper, richer, and warmer. Think about the difference in tone between a smaller tenor guitar and a large dreadnaught guitar. Or between different sized wooden recorders. Perhaps an extreme example, but- you can't make a viola sound like a cello by changing strings.
The good news?- you may have to have more than one dulcimer for different sounds.
I wrote a review of a JJNiles reissue cd for the Oldtime Herald magazine a few years ago (they paid reviewers the princely sum of $20). I did a lot of reading before I wrote the review, because I wanted to be fair and not listen to his music out of context. It was an interesting adventure.
There are many possible reasons for buzzes, but there are some 'seasonal' buzzes that seem to arrive with the winter indoor heat and disappear in the more humid Spring.
Tell me about it- happens to me regularly with various things I 'learn'...lol! Glad you sorted things out. 
Wow, all of the responses to Unclekb were very wise and helpful.
I have nothing to add except this- It's always nice to have a cheaper instrument around for those times when you don't want to risk taking an expensive or custom instrument with you, but you would love something to play. Like when you travel or go camping, iffy weather conditions for playing outside, etc. It's handy to have a 'knockabout' on hand! 
Hmm...the only thing i can offer is that it's a known thing that 'mystery' buzzes appear most often when the seasons change to dry Autumn and indoor heat. When you played it on vacation last year and it sounded fine- were you in a humid climate on vacation?
