Forum Activity for @dan

The wound string (.022) is the bass string. Low D will be fine with that string....

DAN

www.dulcimore.com

What gauge is more important than maker, this will all depend on you! Some like them light, some heavier. Start in the middle and give them a while before you decide what is right for you. Next, the specific gauge is determined by the instrument, vibrating string length, maker and such will better let us help you to start.....

I had a return a few years back. I forgot to install a 6+ staple!!!!! He mailed it back, I installed the staple and shipped it back to him. I paid for shipping and that I know of he didn't have a problem with the inconvenience. Warranty is life time on wood and play ability......

DAN

www.dulcimore.com

SWEET!

Thank you.

May be a question for the ages? We know it is a Homer without question, he made mistakes from time to time, he may have missed a label. There were many years he was making six or seven pieces a week! Let me know if you want to "add" it as is to the registry....

dulcimoredan@gmail.com

It is possible the label was lost, I'm not aware of Homer "not" labeling any of his pieces. The staple frets dates it back a little ways, if you study the registry you may be able to guesstimate a date line of the latter part of the use of them. I say latter part because we know about when he started using "hearts", and about when he started "full" fret.

http://www.backroombluegrassband.com/hlccbweb/instruments/instruments.htm

I've seen plenty, but haven't heard one. I guess you need to let us hear a sound clip? We have several pieces at the Museum of Appalachia displayed and it is said he was a war hero and his people settled here during the Daniel Boone era?

Cool!

The design is very close to the Tennessee models. (Bill Davis for one) Looks close to a Milford Blevins piece? And there were more than one Presnell making instruments. I will double check the pieces we have in the morning.

Don't have a six, but I do have a five. Yes there is a little difference in technique with a dual melody string, how you adapt is personal. Just go for it James, you'll feel and hear the difference, not really better, just different!

Thank you for sharing!

DAN

With bells on!

http://www.museumofappalachia.org/events/tennessee-fall-homecoming-2015/about-homecoming

The fine tuners were a great accessory to the wooden tuners for many folks. The wooden tuners still need to be conditioned, but the fine tuners will be used to make final adjustment. The fine tuners are the old Suzuki standard. They work by "pinching" the string to tighten the tension in turn raising the pitch of the string. To tune the instrument loosen the fine tuners, tune the string to just flat of pitch with the wooden tuners, then tighten the fine tuner to bring the string into pitch. Hope this helps,

DAN

www.dulcimore.com

Agreed! It is personal preference. As for myself, I say you have to have at least one of each! ;)

DAN

Pegs would need to be fit to the instrument. Store bought ebony or rosewood can be used. A maker could make you some designed after your liking. Need to find a luthier near you,

DAN

I use leather strap as a lanyard. I buy it by the spool but you can also use leather boot lace.

 HPIM1863-800.jpg - 75KB

Are you finger noting or using a noter? With the noter you simply key the fret board and touch the string in the accidental spot and it will ring that note. As per Robin Clark's advanced noter technique video.

I know a newly finished piece may take a few days to find its voice. I believe it has to do with the piece relaxing. That is, the wood has been forced to conform to a specific shape. If you take a piece of wood, cold bend it in a curve, then let the piece cycle through several dry/humid and hot/cold cycles it will for the most part hold its shape.  The wood has a memory but will relax in the new shape after several cycles. The instrument will vibrate "better" once relaxed. Remember the wood is going from living wet to balanced dry in its environment. This process takes years. You can force it by placing it in a hot/dry kiln and temper the lignin in the wood. It speeds the process but in turn changes the way the wood reacts to its environment.

So to answer the question, yes and no. If a piece is made from air dried wood, it will certainly get better with age, kiln dried, not so much. IMHO

DAN

I guess I should start by saying "1" is the bass string, tonic. "5" is the middle drone tuned 5 notes above (perfect fifth). 8 is the melody string tuned so play is Mixolydian an octave above the bass string, 1-8 making it diatonic.

1-5-5 is DAA, 1-5-8 is DAd. We tune 1-5-5 to play 1-5-8 on the third staple, where the Ionian scale starts. We tune 1-5-8 to play Mixolydian from the open nut. You can tune 1-4-8, DGd to reverse the tuning to play Ionian.

John had his own scale. Early models mostly set for DAA play; some of the late models were set for DAd play. As for JI or ET? Again it was "his" scale and was set for noter play. Don't look to play chord style on it, it is not made for contemporary playing. John used a pocket knife to carve his tuning pegs. If you look close you can see the tool marks left from it! They may or may not adjust easily as there is a curve to learning to use wooden pegs made more difficult with his craftsmanship. As for bio:

Born in 1922 near Hindman, Kentucky, John Tignor attended the Hindman Settlement School where he was introduced to Jethro Amburgey, the Industrial Arts teacher. John attended Berea College from 1947 until his graduation in 1950. It is around this time that Mr. Tignor began to make dulcimers. His wife Sally had a Jethro Amburgey-made dulcimer that had become damaged beyond repair so Mr. Tignor decided to make her a new one as a gift. With a few minor adjustments, Mr. Tignor followed Amburgey’s design, adding internal supports and changing from the traditional heart to a trefoil design for the sound holes. Mr. Tignor was more concerned with practicality than beauty, so he left many parts of the instrument unfinished (from a woodworker’s prospective). Mr. Tignor continued to make instruments until his passing in 1982. Though not as prolific as some, he is in a direct line of notable dulcimer makers from Ed Thomas, through Jethro Amburgey, to Mr. Tignor himself. This piece was made in the late 1970’s. The early models closely resembled the Thomas design but the later pieces were much deeper and the shape is described as “wasp” waist. John also started using guitar frets instead of the traditional staples but continued to use the wooden friction pegs. The later models also had a hollow fret board.

Ah, Got It!! Lisa you are da bomb!!!

I changed my profile image. It is current on some pages but has the "old" image on others? What am I missing guys?

Possibly a highly figured sycamore!

Thanks Ken, I'd not heard the term "grace" before. As for accidental notes, simple key the string with the noter touching the fret board to play the half note. Robin Clark demonstrates this technique in his advanced noter video.  

Many contemporary dulcimer are going to the shorter VSL. There are more women players than men it seems and the natural evolution to a shorter scale of around 26 is quite common. It is my belief the shorter scale is better suited for the contemporary tuning of DAd.

Dusty, the 36 inch has been in that case for three years and with a hand rubbed finish has no problem with the foam. Like Ken said, some weapon finishes are more delicate than most contemporary (lacquer) dulcimer finishes.

Gun Case

This is what I have for my 36 inch.

A simplified version of Pretty Betty Martin, finger dance and thumb strummed. (Messing up only adds to the folk experience!)

Homer had a custom scale.

Back to our original post:

Sorry James, as for hickory it can be quite bright, like most inquiries on wood selection, there are many factors to consider along with the wood selection to determine the final timber of a dulcimer.

With a zero fret you don't really have a nut, it is just an alignment piece. Zero frets can be quite "bright".

Ditto!

Maria, different finishes require different conditioning. Do you know what your dulcimer is finished with?

DAN

www.dulcimore.com

I believe the 82's were on the new scale and play quite nice.

...and then you could always write a letter to Ron. He would be an incredibly informative "Pen" pal!! lol

ron.pen  (at)  uky.edu

You could always plan a trip to University of Kentucky and visit Ron. He has many of the instruments there and a boat load of stories about JJ!

http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/discuss/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31460&p=367608&hilit=just+intonation#p367608

This is from April?

I've listened to Dave many times. He is not only a "great" dulcimer player and teacher, he is a wonderful soul!!!