Forum Activity for @marg

.24 - .26 wound string is what I use.  Flappy as in maybe strumming too hard and the string jumps back vibrating flappy, hard to explain. No problem with easy strums, maybe instead of strumming across I go down some. Need to see if I can figure it out. Trying to figure out somethings is sometimes harder than fixing the problem but I will. Strange it's only a problem with the Mcspadden, beautiful voice just flappy a bit sometimes on the bass string.

thanks, as always

some of the discussions:

Possum Boards revisited

New Possum Board  

Possum Board Question: Pros And Cons  

 If you do a search on possum board you will find lots of good info on the forum discussions on what they are for and now to make one, as in part of the post below - I hope you don't mind ken my reposting part of your post.

Ken posted:

"Dulcimer on a table - whether 5/8" or 3" thick -- is better than dulcimer on the lap.  The lap is soft and absorbs sound. Tables are hard and reflect sound making the dulcimer louder.  However.  Dulcimer suspended even 1/8" above a "table" gives you even more volume because it frees up the entire back of the instrument so it can vibrate."

I have a bass string that is flappy, I have a 26 on it -  Mcspadden 28.5.

    It had a 24 but that was flappy also, am I going the wrong way. I wanted a deepper bass. Yes, I know about the string calculator,  it has a really low gage size, I have never used a bass that size (19- 20)  Mcspadden has string set they sell with .023 for the bass - so my question on the flappy bass, what size should I be looking for? There isn't much difference between 23 & 24 and the 24 was also flappy.

   What can I use for a good bass sound but not flappy.

Thanks

The dulcimer hides the painting so it's almost a secret painting but I didn't like it with nothing on it, had to give it it's own personality. I don't really use a possum board but when there was a discussion awhile back, i needed to make myself one. All in learning on our dulcimer journey.

Thanks lexie

My possum board, I painted mine

 P. board.jpg - 95KB

I have done this many times and the strings hold tight

The scroll head is very nice, I have a flat head Mcspadden and It is not as nice but yes easier to change the strings. 

Good luck

    I hope you get your dulcimer taken care of but on the off chance it is still needing a string by next Wednesday, I will be passing through Atlanta on my way to Asheville. I have changed my own strings but they never look like someone who knows what they are doing has done it, more like a beginner but it works. I will be staying at the SpringHill Suites Atlanta Airport Gateway - if it is anywhere near you, I am surprise Atlanta doesn't have more dulcimer people. I am also amazed Asheville area doesn't have more shops where I can look for a NC dulcimer. Black Mt. seems to have a store but that is all I have found so far and they only seem to carry T K O'Briens and Mcspaddens.

   The image attached is how someone in my group winds his string, I would like to try this as it looks snug and neat. Info. for guitars but work for dulcimers also.

 restringing (1).jpg - 279KB

I saw this old post from everything dulcimer discussion, have you seen it:  http://everythingdulcimer.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19803

A SHOT IN THE DARK !!

by  billhoward1  » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:01 pm

Just wondering  if anyone knows anything about a luthier in  Australia  by the name of  Morgan McKay . I know that he was still building dulcimers in the  late 70's , and is still living, in Victoria I'm told. Beyond that, I know nothing. I would welcome any information you might have. I have a nice rosewood and redwood dulcimer that he built, and would like to have more background for it. I'll get around to posting a photo soon. 

Take care, 
Bill         

Richard, 

Guess I gave up too soon. I found McKay, the author, but didn't pursue it enough to find "the dulcimer". Thanks for the information. 

Jim, 

Thanks for your information. Good to hear from someone who own another McKay Dulcimer. However, I'm having trouble getting the sound bite to open successfully, but maybe eventually. 

I had a PM from a gentleman in Australia, one of our ED family, who knows McKay, and lives in the same area. He also has a McKay dulcimer. He will be seeing McKay sometime soon, and may try to put him in touch with me. 

Thanks to all, 

Bill :D  :D  :D  :D  :D

Looking for your take on the TK O'Brien walnut creek dulcimers. Any info or a review of them would be most welcome.

Great info. from everyone on dulcimers settling in, relaxing or finding their voice. Thanks for all your input, it is good information to know and much to think about.

I have read several times, a dulcimer will have a fuller tone when broken in. Is this true? What causes this? Does this apply to only new dulcimers or could it also apply to older ones that were not played, put away for years than passed on to someone who is now playing it? Is it the dulcimer itself or the strings? Most will say new strings sound best, so how can a new dulcimer sound better later?

Sorry about so many questions but thinking of a fuller tone when broken in has let to many.

Replies most welcome on your thoughts.

What a special visit you had, jan to guide you and a Warren May to go home with. Let us hear your new dulcimer when you get home, congratulations. 

lexie

(" Mountain dulcimers are my therapy and solace for both my mental and physical well being.")

I think anyone of us could say this and probably have and also the part about how helpful everyone is on this site and how sweet our dulcimers are.

What calls to our heart will make our heart sing, very true - happy we are to have answer the call.

      All the best to everyone and thank you for the help on my dulcimer journey.

 Great story of your discovery bernuk1, now the journey begins. Have fun as you learn and become good friends with your dulcimer and the members on this site. Always at the ready to help out other members

I will pass on the info.

    I hope you do continue with the dulcimer even if on your own. There is lots on here or you-tube on 'how to' Even if there are others around, you still spend a good amount of time playing on your own. So, try and stay with it for one day when you can meet up with some folks. Do you have several dulcimers or is your Smoky Mountain,  the dulcimer you are learning on? AS long as it has a nice action (not too hard to play) and a sweet sound it's as good as any to play.

Good luck, ask a question and strum away.

I have a town & country, a mini-van but much better than the some cars that needed to hop onto the sidewalk at the end of Causeway Blvd. and many other parts of the city Friday. Rain just came too fast for the pumps to keep up. 

Yes, ken, I am very familiar with new orleans and flooding, just wishing erin 'all the best' with her move. Ha, it's not just the level of the water but the pot-holes, they will drop you down sometimes another foot while you're driving. 

I was uptown visiting family and dropping off a dulcimer to my sister-in-law. She has recently became very interested in their sweet music but the weather messed up the amount of time I had to show her much of anything. What is the saying 'hell or high water' well that didn't keep a dulcimer from landing in new hands and a heart ready. 

Hope your move is to high ground erin-laine, it was a mess yesterday morning in new orleans

That would be nice having someone to practice with.

Maybe as a thought a group could start on here somehow where someone would video a song and the group could practice alone with it and post back to each other. 

I hope your move goes well

I have revisit much of his post this evening, yes part of the FOTMD family and will be missed. I am so very sorry to hear of his passing, prayers for him and his family.

I looked up the music exchange, ha know right where it is. Pass it many times, the owner, jimmy died in Jan. but they are still open and not any dulcimers  now but at times will have a dulcimer, hit and miss type thing but good to keep on the radar. 

Hi erin, glad to hear you are in new orleans. I have a small teardrop also I was going to bring over with me to get my sister-in-law started. Maybe a full size older cripple creek also but no 6.5 fret so she will be using my DAA music. She is very excited to get started, maybe one day ya'll could meet. Are you teaching yourself or do you have a group you meet up with? 

There seems to be a good dulcimer society in Baton Rouge, just had their Lagniappe Fest. and Cajun society in Lafayette - strange not much in new orleans.     

Thank you for answering, would be good to see how many dulcimer players are in the new orleans area. I will check the Exchange.

Hi, I have family in new orleans and I am trying to find a good used dulcimer in that area for my sister-in-law. Do you know where I could look when I get there. Just in the new orleans area, unable to go futrher to look

thanks

Is there a way to play many with out clicking on each one. Have them play one after the other?

I use herdim picks, made in Germany. I would love to try a pick that didn't have the clacky sound. I don't like ones that are too hard or thick. Would be hard maybe to have a leather one that would hold up and not be too hard or too thick. Glad you found a type that you like.

Welcome to FOTMD

Post has some nice help, good luck finding your new way to strum and with your finger joint.

I clicked on their FB page and that is current up to date but I see their web is '13 

https://www.facebook.com/Dulcimerville-287290135810/

Does anyone know if anyone can visit Dulcimerville or is it just for classes?

http://www.dulcimerville.com/special-features/

   They have some type of market place and sell dulcimers and supplies and are right in the same area as the two other locations you gave above.  It is in Black Mt. also 2 miles off of 40, but before 9 where the other two are.

Thanks, dan - I know when the tab has it printed for a capo at the top. I was looking for the info, without a tab just to know the mode or tuning when using a capo. 

      lisa,

      Thank you, this is what I was looking for - something like the chart for associated tunings and the starting frets listed in    

           ( jcdulcimer.com/CapoesInstructions.pdf ) 

Sorry ken, didn't say this right, if we can try again:    

Is there a guide showing - when the capo is on the different frets in DAd and/or DAA what key would I be in then?  -  like -  (if you are tuned DAd and put the capo just left of the second fret, your strings are now tuned FCf) 

What tuning would the dulcimer be in if I put the capo on the other frets, if I am tuned already in DAd?

Where do we find a guide to which fret to  place the capo on to be in which key for DAd & DAA?

thanks

Always enjoyed Fiona's radio program, book sounds equally good

I came back from Louisville with a Warren May small older dulcimer called a groundhog. I wasn't able to go see Warren but did speak to him on the phone and told him I had picked up one of his dulcimers. He is so nice I wished I had the time to visit him. The dulcimer has such a beautiful sound, I hope you find your special one.

Next time I change the strings will see about swapping the 2 pegs. Thanks ken and everyone for help with first wooden pegs

Yes, that is what I did today but not sure how I will be able to swap out the peg if always only one string at a time. I think if I could swap, I would put the peg from the second slot into the bass slot. For now, all holding, so good as is. 

Changed out my strings today, notice one of the pegs may belong to another hole then the one it's in. It didn't fit in it's hole all the way but works as is. I wasn't ready to take more than one string off at a time, because of the floating bridge.  Maybe one day I will swap the bass string peg for the 1st string peg. While the pegs were out, I cleaned them some, and rubbed a pencil on them and a little peg dope.

Tuned up and ready to go. Thanks everyone. 

I was watching a Bing demo and he mention jamkazam        https://www.jamkazam.com/          not sure what it's like but sounded like maybe you could get with a dulcimer group for jams over the internet.

Also, Bing has many lessons on video called Dulcimerica , he just did his 300 -  all free and you can learn on your time. Here is one on fingerpicking and off to the right you will see many others to choose from. Check them out and have fun:  

Stephen Seifert has some free ones and like many others they do offer lessons on line, so you could learn but not with a guitar teacher, or with  both

robin,

I have been practicing tuning higher then gently pulling the strings. I do find that easier to getting the string in tune then trying to turn the peg just a slight bit. I can't seem to do slight turn with the pegs  -  I go to far in one direction than back in the other. But, if I am tuning up I can get close, a bit over and stretch the string to lower it almost just so.

I have not change the strings out yet, I need to get a few extra ones, so for now just practicing. I like the idea of winding the string toward the peg head side and looking at the way the strings are now, they look something like that. I notice the 1st string goes to the second peg & the 2nd string is going to the first peg. They look straight this way, not crossing over each other and wonder if this is ok, I may want to restring them like this. 

Someone in my group has an even smaller dulcimer and he has his tuned up, not sure what key but almost has a mandolin sound. At the moment the groundhog is tuned to DAd and I like this sound, I like more mellow sounding dulcimers and Warren May's dulcimers usually have a nice mellow sound.

Thanks for your thoughts, learning as I go. Much to learn but in the past few days this post like so many has been excellent. 

By the by, I like the groundhog very much. The action is the best of all my dulcimers, each of the others I needed to adjust the height some. The interesting part of a smaller dulcimer is, I can fret some of the cords I never could reach with my other dulcimers. I'm happy with my baby KY. dulcimer after just visiting my newest baby KY. grandson, it's truly a treasure - or will be after I master the pegs and floating bridge ;)

dan,

thanks, doing lots of reading and lots come up - just checking