I made a custom fit wooden box for my John Knopf Thomas replica and had not trouble flying Allegiant back in October. It fit in the overhead with no problems. Got lots of "What's in the box" from passengers. Told them, and Security, it was a mountain dulcimer, and had no problems. "If it fits, it flies..." as they say.
Brian -- yes -- John Doan. Professor of music at Willamette Univ, and fabulous harp-guitarist. Writes a lot of neo-Celtic music for h-g. Here in Florida I've had th pleasure of jamming a couple of times with Andy Whalberg, John's local equivalent.
Harp-dulcimer is a logical extension of the Harp-Guitar, which has been around at least 200 years. Essentially it's a conventional guitar with an expanded string set which includes a number of unfretted strings, often strung below the lowest string note, but sometimes divided into 'super' strings above the highest string note, and 'sub' strings.
Schepsis' translation of the concept to the dulcimer is very well conceived both visually and (I assume) acoustically.
I have friends both here in Florida and in Oregon, who are two of the reigning masters of the harp-guitar, and who will love to see this dulcimer adaptation.
The answer is a resounding YES! Most folks, I think, tune a banjimer like the dulcimer that it is. But there's no reason you couldn't string and tune it as a banjo -- except all the conventional banjo chords would be 'backwards' more or less.
The 'bright' sound is probably not caused by the strings, but by the simple fact that you have a very short VSL instrument which may be tuned to a higher pitch than a standard dulcimer.
What is your current tuning? Try tuning down one notch. If you're tuned GDD or GDg, try FEE or FEf; If you're tuned DAA or DAd, try CGG or Cgc. Be aware that the short VSL Ginger dulcimers often "sing" best when tuned up and bright.
Is your Ginger set up for G or D? If you're set up for G, swap your strings (one at a time) for a the standard McSpad Ginger D strings -- .012 plain steel melody strings, .016 plain steel middle drone, and .026 bass string.
You can certainly buy loose (individual) strings .02" larger than your existing strings without bothering things too much.
"All the sites"?
The For Sale section is here:
If you click on Forums at the top of the page, then scroll down, you'll see it also.
The strings should go over the top of the peg as you tighten them, not underneath, otherwise the won't stay tight. The picture from the tuning head end seems to show them winding around correctly. With that sort of tuning head it's quite common for the melody strings to cross each other, at it does not usually cause a problem. The inner melody string rightfully goes to the tuner at the far end, and the outer melody string goes to the closest tuner.
You can set those string spacings any way you want, by adding new string slots. The melody string couplet should be about 1/8" apart. The non-middle string is an easy fix with a fine saw like a jewelers' saw or even a V section needle file. The grooves don't have to be deep, but they should be deeper towards the respective end of the instrument.
There are closer to 50 different factors that can effect the tone of an instrument. None is more important than another, really. Generally we say listen to a specific instrument, not a general maker's line, as each dulcimer can be different. Call the builders and ask them to play a specific instrument for you over the phone or Skype. Buy by ear, not maker's name or shape or wood or VSL or any other things. Generally speaking a dulcimer with more cubic inches in the body will be deeper sounding than one with less cubic inches.
Is the instrument an American Mountain Dulcimer? Or a French Epinette, like the Epinette des Vosges???
If you're the organizer you should have a backup folder with tab for a half dozen simple songs like Lion Sleeps Tonight, Frere Jacques, KumBaYa, the detested Boil Those Brassicas Down, etc. Or you're prepared to teach those tunes to people so they can play along without tab.
Harmonica's are nice, but I wouldn't let my children play them (if I had any children)!
If you suspect it'll be that small, then I would pick half a dozen songs, find tab, and make 10-12 copies of them. That way you have a base to start from and whoever comes can also pick tunes and help people through them...
There are jams, and then there are jams. If you have just a handful of people -- say less than a dozen -- just go around the circle and get each person to lead a tune, in turn. Ask everyone to bring a tune to lead, and 10 or a dozen photocopies of the public domain tab. Jam groups like this tend to collect a lot of tab.
For bigger groups, the others are right that The Leader (a.k.a. you) should provide a tune list for each get together, and for the next get together so folks can go home and practice after finding tab for the tune.
The problem I see with the d'Addario calculator is that it in the end presupposes you know what gauge or tension you want. MOST dulcimer players, IMHO, don't know or care about string tension, and they want the calculator to tell them "If I tune this string to D or C, what gauge do I buy?" Also most players don't know or care about string construction. Personally I found the calculator difficult to use.
Yes, the Strothers Calculator is a bit on the low side, recommendation-wise, but that's not bad a bad thing for the average player, especially since we invariably tell folks that it's a bit low and you can step up on or two gauges easily.
Two hours is OK, but make sure you dedicate time to beginners, club business -- the usual secretary/treasurer report, minutes from previous, etc., a presentation on some aspect of dulcimer-ness, and then jamming/group playing. Make your group more than just a jam session -- make it educational as well. You can set two hours but the jamming can continue for longer if the room/space is available... Set goals -- learning sets of tunes the group can use for playing out performances, Christmas performance etc.
Like Jim Fawcett, my first was a kit dulcimer from Cripple Creek Dulcimer Shop in Manitou Springs, Co, about 40 years ago. That, and the only book at the time -- Jean Ritchie's The Dulcimer Book -- and I taught myself from there...
The Bonnie Carol instruments I've seen certainly had actions lower than "nickel & dime" -- very suitable for Chord-Melody (which is what Bonnie habitually plays).
I've played several Bonnie Carol dulcimers. Even a couple actually made by Bonnie rather than her "team". They have a beautifully mellow-sweet sound, if you like that sort of thing. I like the 'high-silvery' sound myself.
Machine heads? Those look like violin tuning pegs set from the top rather than the back... Can't remember seeing that configuration of head and tuners for a six-string before. It's certainly an Elliptical shape but doesn't appeer to be as deep as most Galax style dulcimers (3" or more). As Rob says, -- can't tell much from one photo.
Hand me that hickory wife beater, Rob, I think it'll make MacLaren's March sound just right!
Oh I got the reference! I've always called them Strikers or Hammers. I've used the technique for years, but IMHO there aren't many songs where the technique is appropriate -- Little Drummer Boy, and some of the Irish march tunes of the 1916 rebellion come to mind...
Any cyano-acrylate glue ("superglue") will work. "Superglue" was invented for surgeons who needs a fast acting adhesive to hold bits of internal organs, blood vessels and such together/closed while they applied teenie-tiny stitches.
Superglue is a good skin coat while developing callus. Also Liquid-Skin and similar products which are acetone based.
No rababas (or dulcimers) on my sailboat cabin walls. Not much wall, either. I do have my repel boarders arsenal (crossbow and BIG knife) within easy reach, copies of a couple articles about me, and the Heel-o-Meter clinometer.
The LDS took me as a N&D player back when I lived in KY for a year. Always loved the "clash" of a group with the initials LDS meeting in a Presbyterian church
Jabberwockey was, I think, the first real poem I memorized, 'way back when...
I have to chuckle every time I see this thread.
Callous means "showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others."
Callus means "a thickened and hardened part of the skin or soft tissue, especially in an area that has been subjected to friction."
Occasionally I have been described as callous, but have never developed callus from playing dulcimer
That sounds really interesting john-p
Friend of mine has written Florida-specific lyrics to Winter Wonderland. "Walkin' in a winter wonderland" has a whole new meaning on a beach in December
Annie -- you can use the Strothers String Calculator, here http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.htm to find out which strings are appropriate for a given tuning and VSL. For CGc (not CGC which would have two bass strings) and a 27" VSL, you'll want:
C = 22 wound
G = 15 plain
c = 11 plain
C is the C below middle C; c is middle c itself.
I play with a noter so I don't have to develop any calluses...
Barbara, I gave you an extensive answer in the other place you posted your questions.
I play unwound bass strings. I find they help me get the 'high silvery' old time sound I prefer, rather than the more mellow modern sound. Most of my dulcimers have a 27" VSL and I find that a .018 plain steel string works pretty good for the range of tunings that I use. I you like that mellow 'guitar-like' sound then use a wound bass string, IMHO.
D2-D3-A3-A4 equidistant -- Sure. Why not. I've not seen/heard anyone do it, but don't let that stop you if you're looking for baritone/bass sound. You'll probably want a new nut and bridge set up for 4 strings rather than filing a bunch of notches on the ones you'll have.
re - vibration on the back side of the fret. I'd say that you're not fretting quite hard enough. It could be the low tuning with the strings you have, but it sounds more like not fretting firmly enough. The sort of 'standard' action height is what we call "nickel & dime". That is strings just touching a dime placed next to the first fret, and also just touching a nickel set on top of the 7th fret. You can lower the action more if it suits you, by sanding tiny amounts off of the bottom of the net and bridge.
The string gauge calculator many of us use is at http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.htm It is noticeably light , however, and you can generally go 1-2 gauges heavier.
I love a felt pick for certain quiet ballads, but not much else. Different materials, as well as different thicknesses give you different sounds. I have a pick made of "vegetable ivory" from the Ivory Nut Palm from Micronesia, a felt pick or two, maple and bamboo 'strummer' type plectra about 4" long, turkey quill picks, zip-tie picks, and a bunch more. For general strumming I prefer a pretty thick pick .7mm or so, which I angle back and forth to prevent pick clatter.
Deciding to stick to my strength's and abilities rather than 'follow the crowd'.
I'm primarily an 'outie' thumb strummer who plays-sings-plays in Noter & Drone and occasionally fingerdancing style, who changes tunings readily. I'm not a chord playing, sing-along, DAd tuned follower.
String gauge and tone quality? As mentioned there is no overall "right" string gauge. Just gauges for particular tuning ranges.
What do you mean by "tone quality"? How do you think string gauge would effect whatever that is?
I believe it would take extremely accurate instrumentation to be able tell if there was any difference in "tone quality" (whatever that means) between a .010 and a .012 gauge string on the melody course (either of which would be usable) in Ddd tuning, for example. Even if you had perfect pitch, I don't think you could hear the difference between a .010 and a .012 string tuned to the same note on the same instrument (double melody strings, one .010, the other .012, both tuned to the same note)
Vicki -- I have a possum board that I made from two 1/4" thich x 6" wide boards of Balsawood that I've glued together. VERY lightweight! It can be cut to any shape with a simple X-acto Blade. If you can't find what you like, drop me a note. I have several more of those planks available
