Forum Activity for @sam

Happy New Year fotmd. God bless us every one. 

Over the years I've seen this discussion come up a couple of times. The views are always split. In each instance, as this one, I seek out some videos before posting. I followed your link this time ... thanks that made it easy. The dulcimer in the video link sounded pretty darn good to me. As in other videos, it played well. I truly hope that yours is even exceptional. Though I haven't seen these dulcimers other than photos and videos, they appear to be put together pretty good. Hope you have years of happy strumming with your new instrument. 

Upside ... I only need one DVD ... :(

Jan said -  "But nearly everyone has tunes that they hum or whistle....tunes they never set out to memorize.  I have never, yet, observed a person start to whistle and then stop and look up the music for whatever it was they were going to whistle..........."

I have a peculiar problem probably associated with the early stages (or maybe not so early) of dementia. Many times I can't remember the name of a VERY well known song or hymn (Amazing Grace for example). Then sometimes I cannot remember a single note of that song, no matter how many times I've heard it or even played the melody on a dulcimer. Sometimes I'll strum across the strings while going up and down the fretboard with my noter. Sometimes I hit it or it comes to me and sometimes it doesn't ... at all, for some period of time (minutes, days etc.). I also forget which way to move the noter to go up or down in pitch. It's maddening. I can never play a song all the way through anymore. Happens with whistling too and I've whistled since I was a little feller. 

Belonged to a poetry site once that did a lot of parody contests. I did one on 'Windmills Of Your Mind' Titled 'Wind From Her Behind' ... I won ...

Jan, sadly one game changer for you has become a crutch for me. The thin pick. I do not play well and I've resorted to a thin pick because it does not make my mistakes at loud  :( I haven't developed any confidence in my playing. I still make the same mistakes I did in my first month with a dulcimer. I'll never play well, I've accepted that, but I can get some of the melody, some of the time ... and that's enough.

Great discussion. 

I will never be an accomplished player on ANYONE'S dulcimer so, I'll keep whitt'ling out one now and then till I'm happy with one of my own. It would be difficult to limit myself to one. I don't think I could. 

I have one from 'Qwik Tune'. It doesn't clip to anything, it simply lays on the instrument. I've checked it with a couple of my Snark clip ons. It is as accurate ... but ... if you need/want one that clips on, this isn't it. Can you possible relocate the Snark? Maybe to a strap button or other place on the instrument?

I think the only one I ever named was an all cherry build I did for a friend in CT. 'Lady Barbara'. 

I've used a cord of ebony adding custom tips to custom rifle forends. It comes in consistancy from gummed eraser to cat can't scratch it. Thanks on the tip for pen blanks. That would be an excellent source and would take a minimal amount of shaping.

Woods come in a wide variety of hardness. If your preference is for harder wood and your favorite noter isn't quite there, you may be able to improve its density at the tip by compressing it. This requires some practice or you may crush the wood instead of compressing it. I use a small shop vice and only squeeze about one half inch of the tip of my noters. I tighten the vise on them gently and try to never over tighten. I make my own noters so it's not a great loss if I go too far. This will work on round noters, but then you may have trouble turning it so that the compressed portion addresses the string(s) of your dulcimer. Done properly, you can even see the results. The wood will look shiny where you've compression hardened it. This practice will not only give a little more 'ring' to the sound of your strings, it will lessen wear just a little. The wood won't groove as badly as quickly if it is harder. Try this on some scrap. It may be something you like.

Again, I would caution you NOT to do this on your favorite wooden noter for your first attempt. Try this several times on scrap or old discarded noters to develop a 'feel' for it. 

 001 compressed noter1 - 800.jpg - 134KB

Whew Bob! that rascal is some kind of purrrrrty!

Tish Westman, a member here, has a luthier shop and also teaches dulcimer and psalty at Tamarak near Beckley. She is a wonderful ambassador for the mountain dulcimer (gifted composer, singer and player as well). 

... siiiiiiiigh ... yeah ... I know ... still sometimes think abortion should be an option into the 27th tri-mester .............. 

... maybe ... except th' hang 'em on th' wall part ......................... 

Many of us have more than one. If you do, do you enjoy playing one more than the others? It seems that I take this one down off the wall more often than any of the others. 

Do you have particular reasons for your favored dulcimer?

 poplar dulci 006.jpg - 128KB

Started there (DAA), never found a need to switch ... well, except for 'When The Mountains Cry'. I like that in DAC. 

487

One of the prettiest I've ever seen.

Folkfan, your example of Brother John may be EXACTLY where I need to start. Really, I'm pretty happy with DAA, might should leave well enough alone. Sure appreciate the help from you folks.

Well you just told my what I needed to know. Straight, simple and my head doesn't hurt from pages and pages of (well meant) explanation that I would not have a clue about.

Thanks Robin ... you da cats!

Love DAC, just don't know that many simple tunes to strum out. A lot of tunes in DAA start out on the first or third fret ... where do I commence in DAd ... heh, heh ... never thought of that did ya :)

Oh, an' I have one of them little bitty Mac's tuned at CGGG (ggg?) ... talk about wound tight!

... well ... maybe a little. Finally getting up enough nerve to try DAd ... so, which d? One octave above the D? I have Snark tuners.

Any tips on making the transition from DAA? I thump stuff out noter/drone. Should I leave well enough alone? I have more than one dulcimer and am mostly just interested in trying that tuning.

Sam

Never heard anything bad about a Folkcraft dulcimer. Hope to hear yours soon.(Hope you sing too!)

Piet;

Yep, similar, but depending on how each is aged 'cured' it will work a little differently. I've had some white tail antler that is harder than bone but works very well with a good file then finish sanding. Cow, sheep and buffalo horn will have layers so you have to account for that. Hoof from a cow, deer or buffalo is usuall thin and makes pretty good inlay material. It takes glue pretty good. You'll find variation even in bone, it's just more pronounced in some other 'critter parts'. If you work with cow horn, make sure it's cured ... good bit of shrinkage as it dries out.

Sam

Pieter Sanders said:

Hey, Sam.....what are antler, horn and hoof like to work with? Similar to bone, I would guess? Piet.

Sam said:

Love working bone ... hate the smell. I've used bone, antler, horn and even hoof to make doo dads and embellishments for a lot of the projects I enjoy. This is a great story, much enjoyed.

Love working bone ... hate the smell. I've used bone, antler, horn and even hoof to make doo dads and embellishments for a lot of the projects I enjoy. This is a great story, much enjoyed.

This past summer I was very fortunate to have met Rob Lackey, Robin and Mark Thompson and Hunter Walker at the Vandalia gathering on the grounds of the state capitol in Charleston WV. It was a GREAT day filled with music and other festivities. It was very special to meet these folks in person. All were as cordial and gracious as I had thought they would be. I knew Brenda Joyce Rivers prior to finding FOTMD. She is a dear friend and we have attended the festival at Clifftop together. It was euphoric! I've also met Tish Westman. My what a dynamo she is. Building instruments, workshoping, teaching and best of all, playing several instruments beautifully.

Yep, I'm a lucky fella. There are so many folks here that I'd like to meet. I do hope that Ican attend 'Wartz 'n' All next year.

Thank every one of you 'for th' good times'.

Sam'l

Screw 'er down to DAC and play Shady Grove. Jean Ritchie would be proud to have such an ambassador as you, just as I am.

If you posted a picture of the live tree and asked here what kind of tree is this? 99. 99999999999999999999999999999 % of the folks would have answered 'Poplar'. So I said Poplar. Didn't mean to confuse anyone or put anyone off.

Used to read a lot. Read somewhere some sage words from an old cabinet maker ... "Poplar? Love poplar. I can stain it and call it anything I want."

I have two all poplar builds and I like both. I have another with poplar back and sides (Sitka spruce top). The sides have almost black streaking through them and the wood is absolutely beautiful.

Agree with you Bob. There's usually a far greater percentage of 'plain' grained wood in most any species. Guess that's why I love highly figured wood so much. Climate, elevation, minerals, the availability and amount of moisture and even the occurrence of wildfire and other dramatic factors can all change, enhance, distress and affect the overall appearance of wood. It can also ruin it. Wind shaken and some lightning stricken trees are good for little other than toothpicks. Emerald Ash borers have killed my stand of ash (some in the 3 foot diameter class).

Poplar does take stain well and is both strong and durable if maintained and kept dry. I think the jury is still out as to whether it's the softest of the hardwoods or hardest of the softwoods.

Heck I even made a couple of dulcimers from pine (from George Beckwith here on the site), one teardrop, one hourglass. I like both of them.

Dear Bob;

Keep watching that poplar. There can be spectacular color in poplar. I've seen brilliant greens, purples, browns and totally black woodgrain in poplar ... often in the same small chunk. It's an excellent choice for soundboard material, especially for a nice TMB.

Sam

Ken I dried this slab didn't get any end check but the wood was very soft. I just don't think I could have made it structurally sound. Sanded smooth and a bit of finish, I think it would have been very nice ... just wish I'd gotten to it a few months sooner.

Dana ... uh ... yep ... had a moment a few years back. Wish I could remember it ..... sigh ...... :(

Hauled a downed Poplar off the hill a while back. It's not much good for stove wood. It burns up too fast and leaves too much ash to be carried out, but I wasn't about to let it go to waste. While sawing it up I had a thought (yes Dana ... it DOES happen :). I decided to split a length long enough for a soundboard and see what was in there.

The log split true and the spalting is beautiful ... but the wood was too far gone. Much of it was soft (doty). The slab shown split out nicely. It's about 1/2 inch thick and could have been hand planed down very well. Shame it's past prime.

I have no technical or cultural input ... but my what a treasure.

Well when one sits on MY lap and I gently rub oil along all those curves, in and around all those nooks, crannies, orifaces ... believe me .. it's a SHE !!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of my home made ones was named in the male gender immediately upon coming home to inspect the gluing of the sides to the end blocks. They'd slipped ... "Son of a ...............................

Awfully pretty grain in that wood. It does look like walnut. Congrats Rav.

Tell ya what. That sucker is SMOOTH! I love those flowing lines and the obvious work that has gone into finishing it out. The peg head is pretty unique. I haven't seen one just like it, but I like it. That thang is purty!!!

Try to get a lock on delivery time. Folkcraft has been running 1 to 2 months behind. This goes for second party distributors too. I ordered a Folkcraft kit being sold by Jenny Wiley dulcimers on ebay a couple months ago. I got an email last week that it was being shipped. The seller and I had canceled the order over a month ago.