Forum Activity for @john-c-knopf

Hello!  Welcome to this site!  We're happy to help you out with your questions about your McSpadden dulcimer.

Regarding the light scratches on your fretboard, you could use some liquid wax polish on the entire top surface, applied with some fine (000) steel wool, let dry then buff off the wax. This would also shine the frets at the same time!

The wood is black walnut, and everything but the top, bottom and sides should be solid wood all the way through. Light sanding should be OK.  McSpadden didn't stain any parts-- it's all clear lacquer finish on the walnut.

Adding strap buttons is as easy as you say. I would center the tail button under the endpins.  Drill a pilot hole for the screw in the tailblock, put a dab of soap or wax on the point of the screw, and attach the button. The top button can be attached to the heel of the peghead, either at the end or on the right side. This is a solid block of walnut.

These McSpadden dulcimers always had 4 strings. The six slots are there in the nut and bridge to allow for two different stringing configurations: In the equidistant string set-up, you set the first melody string in Slot 1, the bass string in Slot 6, and put the other two strings in Slots 3 and 5.  In the double-melody set-up, you put the first and second melody strings in Slots 1 and 2, the bass string in Slot 6, and the last string in Slot 4.  So you play the first 2 melody strings as one string.

Have fun!

That looks almost like a full-chromatic fret pattern.   It would be hard for me to play without the more familiar diatonic pattern.  Hope you can have some musical fun with it!

Maddie, Lisa is her real name.  It's OK!

And a Bonnie Annie to you as well, Strumelia!  Your old illustrations are wonderful!

You're entirely welcome, friends!   I'm glad to be able to contribute to a discussion now and then.

The reason I was so sure of the provenance of the dulcimer kit is that I used to study (and drool over) the brochures and catalogs that The Dulcimer Shoppe put out in the early 70s.  And I remembered the shape of that model dulcimer (T8-W), and the non-completed f-holes, which drove me nuts!  The builder had to complete the cutouts if  they wanted proper f-holes. 

I believe this dulcimer kit shares most of the parts of the M8-W kit that I bought as my FIRST dulcimer in 1974!  That's right-- I've built all shapes and sizes of these critters for 50 years now.

Marg, that is, for sure, an early teardrop kit from McSpadden, which was known as The Dulcimer Shoppe back then.  The shape of the scroll was called a leprechaun curl, and the other kits had them also until they switched to guitar-type pegheads.

I've used Franklin Titebond wood glue for years and am happy with it,  I can heat a bad joint and pop it open quite easily if needed.  And it's quite strong for my purposes.

I'd guess the McSpaddens used wood glue for assembly.  I don't think super glue was "a thing" way back then.

If the nut and bridge were glued in the traditional way, they'd only have a drop or two of glue holding them into their slots, making them easier to remove with a sideways tap of a hammer as mentioned below.  

You don't want to use a nut blank of different thickness than that of the original one.  You'd be asking for trouble.  See if a guitar shop like Guitar Center sells something you could use.  And mask-up if you cut bone, as it's nasty stuff to breathe!

Hello!  The generally-accepted spacing between melody strings is 1/8" or so.  It can be less, but there's a danger that the strings might touch each other when vibrating if they're tuned to a low note, and they get "floppy".  Professional guitar repairmen use a combination of (believe it or not) super glue and baking soda to repair or fill gaps in bone or plastic nuts. First the gap is slightly overfilled with a dab of baking soda, then a tiny amount of super glue is added to bind it all together.  The resulting material is very strong, and must be trimmed back with a file.  Setting time is nearly instantaneous!  Be careful!

You have an excellent quality dulcimer kit. Congratulations!  It should turn out wonderfully when assembled with care.

Thanks, Ken for the virtual tour.  It looks like a fascinating exhibit.  Reminds me of the Museum of Appalachia as well as the Ferrum College temporary exhibit that Ralph Lee Smith and Roddy Moore put together years ago.

Capewavedancer, on another note, it looks to me like you have happened upon an incredible Bob Mize dulcimer!  The top looks like wormy chestnut, which is rare and wonderful.  Get some new strings on it, and ENJOY!  Congratulations!

Wally, here's Lois' TMB with the handle attached to the player's side:

Thanks, Wally!  I actually DID put a metal door handle on one I built for one of our members here, Lois S Keel.  She gives presentations dressed as a schoolmarm and wanted one of these to play when she performs.  And it was finished with walnut stain.  Looks real nice!  I've painted checkerboards on the back of a couple, too.

This music box is still available for purchase now.  It's a tribute to an older time in dulcimer history.

That's the way to prove your point, brother!  Sounds like an old Andy Griffith Show episode, don't it?

Yes, old dulcimers were quiet instruments, almost always played in the home.  No big concerts back then.  They were just meant to accompany singing, like Jean Ritchie demonstrated. 

Thanks for posting this, sir!

This new solid-poplar Tennessee music box is offered for sale.  This is a replica of heavy, primitive dulcimers produced just after the Civil War in south-central Tennessee.  David Schnaufer was crazy about these things and made a video of several old ones, and collaborated on an article about them and their history. You can read more and see a video on my website of a guy playing one with a violin bow!  knopfdulcimers.com

The list price for these is $375, but I'll sell it to you for $300 plus shipping.  How's that?

 TMB 8_24 A.JPG - 62KB

That would be preferable in my view.

Welcome, Jon, to our little world!  We're glad you're here.

As to your question of the differences between bone and Micarta or Delrin, all I can say is that I've used bone and Micarta, but not Delrin.  All sounded fine to me.  Bone is a bit disagreeable to cut (gives off the same smell as a dentist drilling your teeth), but has excellent sound conduction because it's so dense.  It's also very traditional for use on dulcimers of the past.  McSpadden makes extensive use of Micarta, and they claim it's superior to bone.  I think it's fine for nuts and bridges. Delrin is known for its lubricity, and is sometimes used for HAMMERED dulcimer bridge caps.  Seems strings would be less likely to hang-up when tuning.  I haven't yet encountered it as a dulcimer nut material. 

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.