Forum Activity for @john-c-knopf

That's so cool, Ken!  I like it!  A creative use for an old case.  Hope it sounds great, too, once you finish it up.

Thanks, everyone!

Ken H., it's based on every scrap of information I could find about Jethro's dulcimores.  Photos, written dimensions, actual eyewitness of his dulcimores, etc.  I think it's pretty close overall.

Mackelroy, you could use several materials for the nut.  Bone, ebony, rosewood, Micarta, even brass.  Tennessee luthier John Maxwell even used clear plastic, though I don't know why.  You can get bone blanks at Guitar Center or an old-school music store.

It might help if the strings were wound around their posts right at the surface of the peghead, rather than around the beveled area by the holes.  You would have to hold each string down at the peghead surface as you tighten them.  This could give you a few more degrees of break angle.  The straight peghead-mounting design is not beneficial to proper string action. 

Just completed another Amburgey dulcimer/dulcimore for Greg here in Michigan!

 June 24 Amburgey 1.JPG - 129KB

Wow! People who wrote on that page use English in some mysterious ways!  I think the foreign manufacturer reverse-engineered a high-quality Waverly 5-Star planetary peg, then just cheaped-out on all components when they made theirs.

A low- to moderately-priced dulcimer should wear tuning pegs that are appropriate, that is, what it's designed to use.

Those look like high-end, planetary tuners in those Roosebeck dulcimers.  I'm surprised to see they're using those relatively expensive ones on their "cheap" instruments from Pakistan.

Well, I'll make it a three-peat! 

I've never heard of that guy either, but then a lot of folks could say that about ME, too! 

I'm interested as well in seeing a photo or two of the Norris dulcimer.

John Jacob Niles was a unique (only one of its kind) individual, it seems. 

He liked to give "theatrical" performances with his dulcimers, interpreting a folk song rather than just playing it.  He had some dulcimer builders make him dulcimers, with no frets installed, so he could add his unique fret patterns to enable him to get the musical effect he was shooting for.  And he sang some very high-pitched melodies.  Takes some getting used to...

Well, Lisa, I'd say this teenager you brought forth 15 years ago has been on his best behavior, wouldn't you?

Thank you, friends!   If I can assist you in your dulcimore requirements, please let me know.  I'm now starting another cherry Jethro Amburgey dulcimore, just like the one I finished a few days ago!

Thank you all!  I had plenty of assistance from Michael Willey, one of our members here.

Finally I have a new website for my dulcimer-building work!  It shows my current model range, as well as a few dulcimers ready to sell right now.  Give it a look, and thanks very much!

John Knopf

A string buzzes if it's too loose, or if the next fret up from where you're noting is too tall.  The tall fret needs to be filed down slightly so the string doesn't hit it. 

You could also try raising the nut with a shim, or raising the bridge with a shim.  All of the frets need to be level with each other to keep the buzzing away.

MJ, the owner could buy a longer screw of the same type and put the string end (ball) through that.  It seems like an unusual design to have to unscrew the pin every time you need to change a string.  I would replace all 3 pins with headless nails that the string balls could just slip over, thus making changing strings faster and easier.

It might be from Dulcimers By JR, 10068 Stonecreek Rd., Newcomerstown, OH 43832

Beth, have you contacted Robin Clark there in Wales?  He's quite the knowledgeable dulcimist.

I have not heard of Mr Johnson, but I would go by the VSL (distance between the inside of nut and inside of bridge) to make a determination, at least to start out, anyway.  My dulcimers usually have long VSLs (27"- 28"), and I use .012" plain steel for the first and second strings, and .022" wound for the drone.  Nice looking dulcimer.

It's t'other way around, Ken!  VA at the top, KY at the bottom.  That Ed Thomas sure is a beauty!

Marg, as a builder I am aware of such things.  If I make a dulcimer with intricate soundholes, I'll glue some tiny wood pieces under overhangs, at right angles to them, as has been discussed below.  It's just a good practice to get into and prevents breakages later.  Glad you were able to repair your own dulcimer!

Thankee kindly, friends!  The new owner is one of our members here.  Hope she loves it!

This is a new Galax dulcimer I finished yesterday.  It's mostly cherry, with a spruce top and mahogany "inner back".  It's made like Raymond Melton of southwestern Virginia used to make them.  The new owner lives in Ohio.

That would work out to just about $95 in the US!  Talk about CHEAP!  You got a great value there, Art!  And an interesting piece of musical folk art.  I'm glad it plays well.  Good for you!

Here are 2 photos.  Not very good quality, but you can see what I mean.

 birds.jpg - 75KB

I once made an hourglass dulcimer completely out of birdseye maple.  It looked wonderful, was somewhat heavy, had an OK tone.  The wood behaved like plain hard maple when fashioning the dulcimer.  I sold it to my younger brother.

Ah, the search for the elusive "perfect instrument"!  It probably does not exist (just as the perfect spouse does not exist), but luthiers like me try to build the optimal dulcimer for each customer.

I have not encountered Stephens Lutherie.

I agree with the others.  I think about the $400-$500 range or so.  You can try, of course.  It's a wonderful instrument!

Art, that looks like a nice one.  Not sure of the bridge-bar either, but it may be an adjustable bridge, with the "real" bridge there just to set the height and spacing?  Like a zero-fret at the other end?

Let me help you with that, Ma'am!  The misty dulcimore past is calling out to you...

That triangular one looks like a balalaika (Bal-al-LIKE-ah), a Russian instrument like a mandolin.

Congratulations!  What a beautiful instrument!  I don't know what the plexiglass strip is for, but I can help you with the second question.  I think the nut and bridge slots were cut so you could set it up for either equidistant spacing or for doubled-melody string setup:  String 1 stays in slot 1, string 2 goes in slot 2, string 3 goes in slot 4, and string 4 (bass) stays in slot 6.  Have fun!

That's wonderful news, Curt!  These things don't always turn out so well.  That's a good job of peg-fitting.

Abebooks.com has several copies available for around $15-$25 

Yes, Frank, that's the CLASSIC Jean Ritchie dulcimer instruction book.  It was one of the first, if not the first book on the dulcimer.  Much good information to be discovered in it.  Jean also wrote "Jean Ritchie's Dulcimer People" and several other books.  Her personal story about growing up is in "Singing Family of the Cumberlands" and is well worth having in your library.

I shipped a large Galax dulcimore from the Detroit area to St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada (Niagara Falls area) in a plywood box using Parcel Monkey.  I took it to a FedEx office nearby for them to send it with the label I printed for it.  Everything went well that time.

We're proud to "have you on the bus", Nate!  You have some amazing ideas.  Thanks for sharing them with us.

That makes 3 of us.  A basic dulcimer but it might have a good sound.  I too have not encountered this maker.

If you will excuse me for saying so, I think those pegs look like cheap banjo friction pegs, not worthy of such a fine instrument.  The previous owner probably had tuning problems with the original wooden pegs, and had somebody replace them with these.  There are nicer alternatives, including nice-fitting wooden replacements or quality mechanical tuners, such as Wittners or Perfection pegs.

Strings.com or Guitar Center.  I go to Guitar Center for odd sizes, or when I run out of the proper string.  They have a box of individual strings under the counter, in square paper envelopes, and can usually find me what I want.

Hi!  Welcome to the site!  I've known Warren May for probably 45 years now, and he always has a good word to say.  He's friendly and talented and likes to talk!  He'll give you more dulcimer information than you ask for.  I'd visit his shop once or twice a year in the past, and he always remembered me, by name, and would ask me how things were in Detroit.  Very fun guy to talk with.