Several of the members here (including me) specialize in reproducing old dulcimers. They are very different than the ones you see and hear today. Some make replicas of certain historic builder's dulcimers, while others make replicas of other builders' work. And some now make dulcimers inspired by the old ones, but with original twists to the designs.
Hi! Welcome to this musical crowd, ShootRJ! We've got a lot happening on this site, as you can see!
OK, sir, them's yer marchin' orders! (Just kidding).
I think it would be interesting if somebody (not me) made a chart linking known, historic dulcimer-building-family members. There would be Glenns, Hicks, Presnells, Proffitts, Meltons, Russells, Mawhees, Graves, etc. included, with dozens more, I would guess. Just a little project to pass the time away...
ErthLing, I built a chromatic dulcimer for a customer and was quite excited about the project because it gave me a chance to explore the possibilities before I shipped it. But after playing diatonic for 50 years I found the extra frets a distraction. But give it a try. A lot depends on the type of music you want to play... Robert.
And, Robert, you may have noticed your fretwire supply dwindling twice as fast as usual! I've built just 2 chromatics and started getting anxious about having enough fretwire to finish the projects!
I've always used "mean-tone", though "mean-tempered" may be OK, too? Reminds me of a crusty old feller's disposition...
Dwain, we'll welcome you to the fold of just-tempered and mean-tone dulcimer/dulcimore luthiers if and when you cross that bridge!
Hello, Marlie!
It seems you have a very common type of inexpensive tuner on your dulcimer. These are called friction or "Grover" pegs, and are used quite a bit on dulcimers. They work on the theory of squeezing against their mounting holes. The smaller the string gauge, the less they have to grip the hole. As you get to the wound bass string, more tension is required to stay put, thus more gripping action is needed. Usually all one needs to do is to tighten down the end screw until the peg grips well enough to stay where you put it.
I would take the damaged screw to the local hardware or home center near you, and show them what you have. Maybe somebody there could find another similar one for you. Or a guitar repair shop (such as Guitar Center) might be able to find a similar one that would work for you. The main thing is to be sure to reassemble the peg properly, with the little fiber washer in there that gets squeezed when you tighten the screw down. I hope these ideas will work for you. Good luck!
I'm thankful for a warm, well-lighted home to live in, family and friends, a meaningful job, the dulcimer that has brought joy and peace to thousands of folks worldwide, and like Richard, this Christmas season, I'm thankful for Christ stepping down from Heaven's splendor to be born as a baby, to show us God's love and the gift of salvation.
This sounds like quite an opportunity, Curtis! I've never heard of such a thing before, unless you count the dulcimers that John Jacob Niles commissioned which had no frets per his request. I personally think he ruined them by fretting them his way, but that's just me talkin'..
Thanks, Michael! I derived my music box design from that very article. That's the type of article I just eat-up and refer to over and over-- the history, the mystery and the revival of these old forms! So many dulcimer folks these days have never seen or heard anything about these primitive dulcimers. Including ME, several years ago! I want to preserve them with my work.
I make old-fashioned TMB replicas, Michael. You can see some of them on my Facebook page under "John Knopf". They're patterned after ones made in middle Tennessee in the late 1800s.
Ah, now I see what you mean! Yes, that looks "wonky", just looking at the close-up photo! It would be tricky to repair, especially if you want it to look good when done.
I'm sorry, but I don't see a problem here. Does it intonate correctly when you play at those places? The fret pattern looks normal to me, just from looking at that photo.
Can we see a photo, please? The spacing of a 6-1/2 fret should be approximately halfway between fret #6 and fret #7, but slightly closer to fret #7. There is a formula that may be used to place it precisely in the right spot.
I don't remember this "Jeopardy!" episode, but I do recall the "Antiques Road Show" episode with the old Virginia dulcimore on it. The appraiser valued it way high, it seemed to me.
Lisa, the notches on the Blue Lion's nut look like they can accommodate either equidistant or doubled-melody setups. If it has 5 or 6 notches, then you could string it either way. I prefer doubled melody myself, which looks like: I I I I .
If you want just three strings, leave off the second of the double melody strings. If you can find somebody there to make a new nut and bridge for your Mize, you might be able to use that one to learn on. Folkcraft Instruments sells Delrin nut and bridge multi-packs for 1-3/8 wide, 1/8" slotted fretboards (# 2851420). Just something to try. Best wishes!
I thought the same thing, Dusty! Like the soundbox is inverted somehow.
Sounds like a Bill Davis kit to me.....we need images!
I agree with Dan. Sounds like a Bill Davis dulcimer from Gatlinburg years ago.
Maybe try cigarette lighter fluid if it's an adhesive of some sort, or try just a little dish soap and water on a rag to start?
It's likely just sitting on TOP of the wood, not IN it.
If I had it, I would unscrew the tuners, give the body a good cleaning-- steel wool, maybe a coat of Deft semigloss spray lacquer, and paste wax (or Pledge!). Replace the tuners, either with the same type as what you have, or even upgrade a bit. Check the fretboard for flatness, put new strings on and go at it!
Perhaps a light coat or two of spray lacquer, such as Deft Semi-Gloss. It dries quickly, too.
Sounds like a fun time, Ken! May God protect you and yours from the hurricane in the area.
Welcome home, weary traveller! Glad to hear you're back in one piece, and that you (mostly) enjoyed your time there on The Islands. Hope the hurricane skips your area.
That's the way to do it, Molly! But if you have more money than most of us here, StewMac sells a fret tang crimping tool that puts slight crimps into the tang to make it wider, for just $111.39, plus tax. Such a deal!
Teddy, it's a great time for you! That dulcimer will probably smell like fresh wood and lacquer-- the "new dulcimer smell", not unlike the "new car smell" that everybody knows.
At least you won't have to wait an hour after delivery for the box to warm up, like you do in deepest winter!
"PLUCK" is an amazing and unusual book. I obtained a copy and read through it with much interest and wonder. So many people, so many events being interwoven for David's entire life. Quite extraordinary.
Lisa, that's the very secret of success in dulcimer-building! Spend lots on tools, equipment and lumber, and you'll get a guaranteed meager return! It's the (modern) American way!
This is horrifying news! Several states are dealing with floods right now. Hindman, home of the James E. Thomas dulcimer, has been especially hard-hit. Troublesome Creek often floods, but not like this. Doug Naselroad, who runs Troublesome Creek Musical Instruments, the dulcimer museum and the downtown luthier shop has massive flooding problems right now.
Jim, I have an old John Maxwell dulcimer that was missing a peg when I bought it. I fashioned a new one of maple that looked similar to the original. His pegs were distinctive.
You can use just about any wire cutters with steel strings. Harbor Freight Tools sells them, as do dollar stores, admittedly not the best quality, but serviceable for a while. Don't tell anyone, but in a pinch you can use nail clippers too, if you don't care to use them on your nails again!
I haven't seen that sort of dulcimer before either. There are nice ones offered on Shop Goodwill Online from time to time.
I like to buy old dulcimer kits and put them together, whenever I see a good one on there. Hope you enjoy it!
I too am a leftie who has had no trouble at all learning and playing in the usual manner.
Usually going up or down a string gauge doesn't cause big problems on a dulcimer. An .024" will give a little more bass sound than a .022". It should be fine.
You can't go wrong with a Warren May dulcimer unless it has been damaged. He makes a world-class product.
Cardboard dulcimers sound much better than one would expect. I sometimes wonder why I build from wood when cardboard sounds so wonderful.
So sorry to see this. Naomi gave us some memorable music along with her daughter.
Teddy, we're fortunate to be communicating with you at all! What a horrible experience you've been through! So glad that you haven't succumbed to those serious infections and complications.
Monkeying around with a new dulcimer should be fun for you. It's really a forgiving instrument, and you get nice sounds out of it most of the time. Best wishes, and let us know if you need help.
Have fun, Alphie! I finished a McSpadden kit last Saturday! It's so much fun building, especially when all the hard work has been done by somebody else. Good to have you with us. We'll try to help you with whatever.
There are two traditions involved here: that of including a strum hollow, and that of NOT including a strum hollow.
Old Kentucky dulcimers have them (such as the J. E. Thomas design), but old Virginia dulcimers do not. There are many of these with significant scratching or even wood damage due to strumming over the end of the flat fretboard.
