Forum Activity for @marg

Learning the dulcimer is an adventure & exciting. Part of the adventure is learning about the dulcimer; how to change strings, take the bridge out & sand it down a bit to lower the action, file a buzzing fret or put a temp 6+ in with a pin or paperclip & tape. Lots of help on this site to take you through the steps weather it's a strumming problem or heating up & tapping a bridge. Good luck, a little adjusting maybe is all that's needed but no matter what - great infomation

(Jack Whitworth of Capote Hills, Leesville Texas )

Does anyone know about Jack Whitworth dulcimers or if he is still around? 

I have a Dean Markley transducer stick on pick up but sorry no volume, could check with the or sweet-water & see if there is one that comes with a volume.

Thanks ken, I'm hoping as I get older my thumb doesn't start giving me more trouble in playing

 (Action tended to come a little high on most of his instruments I've owned)

    Do you feel it is just a bit high on your Berg's?

I have one & using the nickel on the 7th fret it's good but I feel maybe it could go just a hair down.

    My problem is, seems the bridge is glued in. I tried lightly knocking it & didn't move, what could loosen it or should I just leave as is?

    It Plays fine but my thumb has been giving me trouble (I slide with it a lot) & thinking if it was just a hair lower, maybe I would have less pressure on my thumb.

Ideas?

( look at the nut height and action at the first fret)

Thanks matt, you are right. the dulcimers I have that have the 0 fret, yes they are low (less then a dime) but the ones without the 0 fret have extra room above the dime. Interesting and why maybe I still felt some of my dulcimers were hard on my thumb in slides. 

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( smaller/thinner/lighter gage string will be easier to push down.)

So a double 10 maybe would be easier to fret (less pressure using my thumb) than a double 12, making a clearer sound?

If we use a nickel under the 7th fret to measure the action, what would make some dulcimers easier to fret than others - if they all have about the same nickel height in action?

Could it be just the difference in the string size or do some dulcimers brands just play better?

(playing on August 26 )

Wouldn't it be something if after taking a count, we ourselves could break/or set a record of FOTMD playing on our porches. I think I will invite my dulcimer group to come join me on the patio (hope that counts as a porch ;-)

Strumelia,

I feel my dinning room is outside. My table inside is pushed up against the wall & my dulcimers, music & all the misc have taken over the rest of the room. Thanksgiving 2 years ago, we had 16 of us around the table outside with 5 little children 4 yrs & under. It was so nice with enough room for everyone to feel very comfy. I hope you too will be very happy with your new porch.

N9LO:

Love your 'ugly' stick. Would love to hear it

This clamp is lighter than a C clamp & does the job but it is a bit in the way.

 clamp.jpg - 138KB

I have a Dean Markley 3001 XM Transducer pickup, it works well on my instruments that do not have a pickup installed. It can be put on & taken off any of the dulcimers & I change it back & forth. There is one dulcimer that when I press down on the pickup, the sound is such a deep bass - it's terrific. 

Question:

How to hold it down tight? Something to hold it from under the dulcimer to the top of the pickup - a C clamp is a bit large. Something like a capo in a very large size maybe  -  Any ideas?

 pick up.jpg - 72KB

You will love the porch. I have a patio & feel it is an addition of my home, except in winter and spend very much time out on it.

 spectacular view.JPG.jpg - 84KB

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"There's also a MIC setting for using the amp with a vocal microphone."

what does a vocal microphone mean?

I also use a bit of chorus & reverb bit not acoustic. Love the tones I am getting.

Have you use the recording app you can download for free - Cube Jam. replies are not good for this app & I have to agree, I cam't record. OH well, maybe the app guys will fix it 

old movie themes

brian,

What settings do you use - mostly?

What we need to remember is, it is design for an electric guitar & we are not that - so some of the effects will not work like you hear on the demo's. But, there are a few controls that can make your dulcimer sound louder or with a delay or chores or brighter or more bass & it can go out with you by way of batteries. 

All interesting but would like more feed back for the dulcimer using it. 

There is a jack out for head phones or recorder, can a mike be put into that jack?

Says it can do this, but not sure how & I don't really see demo's on it:

(The Micro Cube GX includes Roland's i-CUBE LINK input, which lets you connect your favorite iOS device to play music or interface with apps. The included cable lets you jam along and practice to your favorite songs from just about any music player or audio device. The i-CUBE LINK also lets you send the studio-quality tones and digital effects from the Micro Cube GX straight to your favorite iOS recording app. Now you can use the cool tones you come up with on the Micro Cube GX on your next recording. The free Roland CUBE JAM app turns your iOS device into a powerful music tool for recording, jamming, and learning.)

(Let's all get Cubes and go to NOLA!  See you in Jackson Square...)

Yes, that sounds great

Does anyone have or have used a Roland Micro Cube GX Amp? It's light & can be powered by either AC adaptor or batteries. Can hook up i-phone or i-pad to it & use with 'cube jam' free app, or a mike or can record besides a combination of tones & effects - 8 settings, 5 effects with delay, reverb, tone, gain, etc..

What do you think of it?

What settings do you like for a dulcimer? 

(Generally "Beginner Dulcimer" means a less expensive instrument -- perhaps with a cardboard body, or a body made from birch veneer rather than 'planks' of walnut or maple or whatever.)

    What confused me was the ones I have hear mention they had a 'beginner dulcimer' didn't have the cardboard or veneer or over seas type but a decent walnut dulcimer - that is why I was wondering.  So, that would make sense if they had above mention type.

Maybe, just a beginner one for them since they are beginning and later they will go for one - more to their needs as they learn what those needs may be.

(strap do you wear for your thumb?)

FUTURO, can get them at grocery or CVS type stores. 

 I can see where ' Herco Thumb-Flat pick.'  wouldn't be dropped but if the pain is from the strum itself the pressure used would still cause pain. I also have thumb pain where the thumb joins the waist. I wear a strap for my thumb & it helps but ... I find herdim triple sided nylon picks are large so easier to hold and easy on the strings to strum, not causing undo stress in the strum or stress on the thumb.

Good luck

 If a dulcimer has good action & a sound you like, why would it be a beginner dulcimer and not just a dulcimer, part of our collection of different dulcimers?

I have hear some say they have a 'beginner dulcimer'- I'm sure price of a dulcimer is part of starting out & some dulcimers do sell for less than others. But is a dulcimer a 'beginner dulcimer' or are we beginner players and couldn't the dulcimer be fine for later when we are more advanced?

When does a dulcimer become more advance or professional, what should we look for as we begin to advance in our dulcimer journey?

Not sure if my 'folding stand!' is luggage or something else, it's about 29" high. Nice idea & good luck with your presentation. 

Inns/models/hotels at one time had folding wooden stands like yours for the suitcases, not sure if they still do but I have one. Interesting idea, good luck with your presentation ken

dshombert is selling a dulcimer here on FOTMD & his photos listed looks like it has something like beads you have discussed here. Is that what they are?

Does anyone have a photo of how these beads work, I'm not sure I understand where or how or why.

thanks

I have a few dulcimers & some have 3 strings & some have 4 & one has 5 & one has 6.

    The ones with only 3, I took one of the melody strings off because I finger pick with one of the dulcimers & the other just sounded better with 3.

    The ones with 4, sound good that way & I don't have any trouble with pull offs, hammer on's is still a problem no matter if it's 3 or 4 strings. Still working on the force & position to the string, also which finger works best & depending on where my fingers need to go afterwards.

   As everyone is saying 'personal preference ' but also the dulcimer may have a say in what works best for it. If I was building a dulcimer I would go with 4 strings, that way the player can decide what they think works best for them.

Cripple Creek's store has been closed since a flood when through the area but the have a FB & I read they said they would still answer questions

I don't have a  'scalloped fretboard' 

My dulciborn was part of the new models they were hoping was going to fix some of their earlier problems.

    My only issue was the action & that was corrected. I went through Gold Tone in buying mine. I think if they spent a bit more time on fixing their design they would have a great instrument but it seems to be a hit & miss still. I do like mine & have had it about 2.5 years now. It is much easier to play if it is out on a stand and not in it's case, I wonder if location has something to do with leaving them out or putting the back in their case. It is a very nice case, one of the nicest cases I have for any of my dulcimers.

alan,

( keep it hydrated and cased)  

What happen to your fretboard & is your dulciborn one with the scallop fretboard (like in the videos below) or one that fits flat to the body, a newer model? 

Christine Shoemaker  dulciborn: :

Frank Ledgerwood or flwoods1 playing his dulciborn:

 John Hawk  dulciborn: :

    There are many more videos of the dulciborn, each piece played sounds so different. The players above are or were members here on FOTMD. The range of sounds you can get with the dulciborn is what let me to getting one. I usually just play mine at home on my patio over looking a small lake, it is heavy to carry but have taken it out. One of the players in the group I play with will use hers to lead us into a song. 

    Best would be if you could play one before buying to check it out and see if it's what you want. I got mine from Gold Tone & told them I wanted a low action but still it came high, so I needed to set it up before I could play. I sometimes wonder if they were set up more for a guy's hands, ones having more strength. The bridge is bone so sanding it down took some time but it is easy to play now & I enjoy having it. 

Good luck

This terrible   ;-(

Seems like someone else just got a Bill Berg dulcimer.

Hope you enjoy it 

Well, I had made contact with the seller & this morning again I asked where we could meet. Tonight, he said he sold it today. I guess I need to learn how to play, if something is listed - what I should do is be first at the door - don't e-mail & wait for a reply.

Thanks to all of you for all your help. It is disappointing to have lost the dulcimer but it was not a total lost - I have learn a good bit of history about Folk Roots, the Ruggs & the whole dulcimer movement in CA. 

Hoping the dulcimer has found a good home & will be played.

Thanks again

rob,

you would probably make it, I do think a bit about things not knowing enough yet. But  then, I know it would be going someplace good

rob,

    You are probably right (D40-S I'd bet it's mahogany ply with a spruce top)  Sounds like in the mid 80's they were making them faster so there is a difference between your (Capritaurus dulcimer) and this one.

    Thank you for finding the videos. Below is photo taken off the site & he is asking a bit under $100

 Folk Roots D40-s, 1119842 copy.jpg - 121KB