Forum Activity for @marg

Very helpful video. Moved the bridge some to adjust, I'm in DAd now but I haven't gotten the tuning of the pegs down yet so I was only able to come close. I think the bridge won't be as much of a problem as the wooden pegs. I'm please with the first try and everyone's help. Hope with a few more practices the dulcimer will be in tune , set and it holds but now - still having problems with understanding how to with the pegs.

thanks

Well thank you Dusty for posting Pristine2's video. I had gone looking for it and couldn't find it on his site. 

john, if I would go to far and can't get it in tune, do I just go back the other way? How do you know you need to still go a bit more in one direction before going back the other way? But this is only if I am in tune to start and new to pegs, can't say I'm right on but just close.

The Warren May '81 short 'groundhog' dulcimer I just picked up in KY has a floating bridge. I was worried about having pegs for the first time and didn't even know it had a movable bridge till today. Up till watching Dusty's video I was thinking I wouldn't touch it but knew Warren probably set up the dulcimer to DAA so having it tuned to DAd thought I would follow the video's guide. I got things close after a few small adjustments.

QUESTION: How far back or forward can you go? Can you ever go so far back, it's too far?

I still don't know what the intonation is for the small W. May dulcimer but it has a floating bridge and is set for DAA. If I would want to tune to DAd, I was told I may need to adjust the bridge. Any thoughts on this?

I am back from KY and I did get the Warren May '81 small ground hog dulcimer I was hoping for. I need to put on some new strings and work on understanding the pegs still but as it is - it sounds so very nice and the action is the best of all my dulcimers. 

 1warren may copy.jpg - 247KB

I was not able to log in while I was in KY but now that I am back, I did get the Warren May '81 small ground hog dulcimer. I need to put on some new strings and work on understanding the pegs but as is - it still sounds very nice and the action is the best of all my dulcimers. 

 1warren may copy.jpg - 247KB

Maybe you could contact a dulcimer group in Memphis and see if they know anything.

good luck

guy,

Both music and the dulcimer are great therapy, it is so nice you have passed your dulcimer on with it's 'big voice' -  Hopefully it continues to sing.

They may have different sounds, the noter better slides sounds but with the finger you could add additional notes for sometimes a fuller sound. Both nice and nothing wrong with either or both ways at different times. As we learn we grow, as we grow we learn - a wonderful adventure.

Loved your story dusty but was worried a 13 year old was off across the country on his own.   

Kusani, your dulcimer is beautiful and wish you lots of enjoyment with it.

suzannbakkey & jan

Do you feel Warren May dulcimers sound better played with fingers or does it also sound sweet with a pick or noter? Warren uses his tick tock strum with fingers and that is the only way I have hear one of his dulcimers. Also do you tune in any tune or do you keep it in DAA?

 Robin,

Surfing this site, I saw where your 'Bird Rock Dulcimers' site was mention to a new member. I wish I was passing by, would love to come in and see you, your instruments and say hi. Very Nice and well done. 

 Thanks dan but i'm good for now, was just thinking about later when I get older & hands would hurt. That would be a problem for many things. Maybe I will end up with a great dulcimer where the wooden pegs get set and hold beautiful  ;-)

I like the wooden case, would like to see more wooden ones.

All the best to each of you, may your year be good and thank you for all the friendly help you have so kindly given over the years.

Robert, 

Well hopefully I will have my one dulcimer with wood pegs next week. I am looking forward to it but still a bit unsure as to how I will get on with the tuning of them. Seems, as I get older and my hands hurt will be harder to turn and give a firm push in to set.

There is a small mini amp - HONEYTONE - 9 volt battery or optional extra plug in. About $30.

Most music stores carry it or check it out on line.

 (probably be used for solo play rather than ensemble play)

I am hoping to start playing where you hear more of the sweet sounds that come out of the dulcimer, when I am at practice or a jam everything is at warp speed. Such fast strums - they drown out what the strings can do. Sight unseen still with the Warren May - till next week, I am hoping it will be the dulcimer for this. I have been practicing a few songs for when I am able to see & try out the dulcimer. With this discussion I feel very ready for this W. May dulcimer adventure with it's wooden pegs, short VSL and no 6.5

I watched a short video by robin on 3 dulcimers in different temperaments. And you right ken, I'm not at a point for understanding but it was good seeing the video and will help when I read some of the post. 

A year ago there was a good bit more I didn't understand but with all the post and videos I feel I am coming alone. With help form the members here, I have been able to set up the used dulcimers I come across (like the red stain one), repair them, make adjustments till they find their voice - learning as I go.

I find it interesting members could be an hour away or half way around the world but all are as near by as my laptop and this site. Thank you all 

kevin,

thanks for your reply. 

(what sounds good to you, and what you want to try.)

    Ha, I think many dulcimers sound good and I wouldn't mind trying many or at lease see them.  

ken,

Your answers are always great but sometimes they lead me to more questions:

(IF that Warren May instrument is one of his older (pre-80s)

1981

(might experiment with 18 and 16 for the mid and melody strings. -  with that short of VSL, 12 gauge strings would be too light for the A.)

Will heavier strings than 12 be harder to fret or will they give the dulcimer a deeper sound? Would the lighter strings (12 or under) be floppy or wrong tension or break or why do we go heavier?

Thanks, as always

ken

   Still trying to understand some of the discussion above:

Does  JI" mean just intonation? And that would be with no 6+ fret and is best in DAA or 1-5-5 tunings? Could not having a 6.5 fret be anything else or is it always just intonation? 

Sorry, I am slow at understanding this

Thanks patty, but I'm not worry about the dulcimer I am getting, just looking for how to info. since I have not had a dulcimer with wooden pegs before. I have gotten lots of good info from this post from when the pegs may slip or stick and what to do if they do. I have other dulcimers that have gears, this dulcimer will be my first with wooden pegs. 

 Carol,

( I bought a mountain dulcimer from a dulcimer craftsmen in Berea, Ky. )

I'm thinking you have a Warren May dulcimer. You could call his shop and talk to him about the peg problem if you still have the same problem from this post. He is very friendly and helpful. He also changes out his pegs to gears for his customers if you live anywhere around Berea. Good luck, hope to hear how it goes. Welcome back

no robert, I can't. Nice work.

Beautiful Maxwell dulcimers

   Practicing 'Ave Maria' there are a few 6+ needed and I am doing a bit of it all. There is one point on the middle string where I slide from 4 to 5 to 9 back down to 5 than 4 than 1 to 2. Beautiful, another point I can do a chord and one point I leave alone and just let the last note ring. All going nice, so when I get the little dulcimer with no 6.5, I will be ready and yes, happy with however I play it.

Thanks so much, you guys are great

m.

Without the 6+ in DAd, instead of jumping all over the fretboard finding a note to replace the 6.5, could I play cords for a measure or 2 and get by not having the 6+ that way or do something like a silent strum (if it sounds alright that way)?

I had hear about soap but not the chalk or pencil so that is good to know

thanks again, every little bit helps and adds up

Thanks everyone, guess when I get to KY and have my little W. May will learn over time how to tune a peg. But for now still not sure, do I need to pull out a bit before turning than push in or just turn than push? 

I'm looking for a youtube or web site on how to tune wooden pegs on a dulcimer and I can't find any. Does anyone know of a video on how to string and tune with wooden pegs.

thanks

 ken & dusty, thanks for the articles. Seems I read some of your discussions awhile back but made more sense this time around. May still take time on understanding the modes.

I do like the 6+ for DAd but any more frets I don't want, They get in my way. But to have a dulcimer with a beautiful tone that's great for DAA  would also be nice to have the 6.5 for DAd - a great go to for me.

Thanks everyone for lots of good comments, all very helpful. 

ken,

If I was in DAA i would have 18 & 18 for the AA's? Is 12's too way off, since that is what Warren said he would used, or could he have forgotten it's a small size - is there a size good for both or either tunings DAA & DAd?

Maybe I'll look for a how to video on wooden pegs

thanks

Warren May's groundhog looks like your dulcimer, george but with f sound holes and smaller. What type of wood do you think yours is?

I haven't had pegs before, is there a trick to tuning it or restringing?

George,

You haven't had your '82 Warren May long but what do you think of it up to now?

Checking the string gauge, Warren I think said 12 12 12 24 or 26, can't remember but checking unless I am ready it wrong shows heavier strings. What would be good size strings for Warren's 20" short fat hourglass?

 What does mode in JI mean?

I'm looking to get a '81 Warren May small, fat dulcimer called a groundhog he use to make but doesn't anymore. It has a string length of just 20" overall length 28.5".

I think at the present it is tune to DAd, reading all these post it sounds like it should be tuned to DAA. Since I don't know what's it life has been up to now, can I just change it back to DAA with no problem? Will this be the best tuning for it but could it handle DAd if I wanted to play something in that tuning? There is no 6.5 fret so I guess this would be the 'old scale'? Warren always like DAA best Is that why DAA is the best intonation for it?

I will be seeing it next week when I travel to KY. I have only hear it over the phone and seen photos so far. Even over the phone it sounded really nice, like a Warren May's dulcimer would. I did get to talk to Warren, he said since they were smaller they were more custom made. He said he had recently found one for himself to add to his own collection.  

 Beautiful dulcimers and exciting to have new instruments to make such fantastic sounds with.

Thank you guys, John, Rob, Ken & Guy.

    Your answers was why I placed the question since I feel a good instrument shouldn't be messed with. I am looking at a '81 W. May, you are right on that ken one of Warren's older ones. I was thinking, I wouldn't think twice on a knock around dulcimer to add a fret but one that is well made by good luthier who knows how to make good dulcimers shouldn't be touched. Not for resale but for the value of his art and the dulcimer he made.

   I like the term 'grasshopper' since I may end of becoming one, if I want to play some tunes needing a 6.5. I guess my next question would be, how many traditional tunings are there and what are they?

Thanks again guys,

marg.

With older dulcimers, many do not come with the 6.5 fret.  There is the choice of adding one or leaving as is.

Questions:

Are there any other tunings besides DAA that don't need the 6.5 fret? 

How hard is it to find another note, like middle 9 in place of the 6.5 when playing in DAd? Where else would I find the note to replace the 6.5 in other tunings? 

Can a guitar builder or repair person put a fret in or just better to have a dulcimer maker do it?

Is it better to keep the older dulcimer in it's traditional state and just have another newer dulcimer for playing tunings like DAD needing a 6.5 fret?

George, 

 (I just picked up a couple Warren Mays, and find that they overall have a very mellow voice.)

I am trying to get a W. May dulcimer, I will be in Louisville Jan. 15th and just don't have the time to run over to visit his shop. Wish I could have been in your pocket as you picked out your dulcimers. 

marg.