Forum Activity for @salt-springs

Well it depends, when it was bought.  Dan and Ethel Doty have been there for about 40 years and that dulcimer should have a signature inside one of the bottom sound holes.   Check it out if you can.......I suspect it is one of their's and if so it is a pretty good instrument.  If the price is right, I would not be afraid to buy it.  When the seller said she watched it being made, I suspect she may have meant string it up or setting it up somehow............you're not going to build one in a day or so........

If it is a Doty it is going to be signed.

If you have not done so, and it sounds like you are working through a learning curve, may I recommend you go to Bearmeadow.com and read through all of the building and adjustment tips and instructions that DW has posted..........it is great information and will help you a great deal.

Just wondering could you use wooden frets such as are used on some humle's........June Apple dulcimers has some pics of European zithers that use them and I suspect they are glued.........half the fret board for most of them if I remember correctly.

Thanks, Ken......that is a great reminder........your website is outstanding, in fact I have used some of those recipes in days gone by.  I looked for a food-coop sort of group out here but alas none. (You can find plenty of dope co-ops though.)  When I was able to deliver food to the pantries around here I could always manage to find some produce from time to time. Those sources have dried up for the most part. 

And you are so right about those megastore groceries, one day apples were $4.29 a pound.  (A young women ahead of me in the checkout line had a bag of apples for the two tykes she had with her, 6-7 apples rang up a bit over $11.00.)  Next year I will fence off an area and grow my own, or at least some off it.  I'll bet have the poor folk out here are sick with diabetes, bad teeth, and all sorts of other stuff, because they just cannot afford to eat healthy food. 

I'll hit your website today and come up with a list of things to buy when I head down to Ocala.  There is a Earthfare store there, pricey but the produce is pretty good.

I appreciate the reminder to visit your website and will make it so.

Nice.........my cooking is going down the drain.  In fact, it has become pathetic...However, this little note might just get me back on track.   The big issue right now is weening myself off some meds for that disastrous nerve issue in my kisser. Since the Doc's warned me that a 30-40 lb weight gain could be expected its off to the veggie stand again.  Big old tomato sandwiches sound really nice and are sure to beat Raisin Bran and peanut butter crackers.........

Your veggie concoctions are really outstanding, but believe it or not veggies out here in the woods and in Florida no less are priced way out of line............$2.00 for 1 tomato!  I planted some last year and the deer loved them and everything else they could swipe..........really kind of funny.....they were just waiting for them to ripen.

Today we remember so many who lost their lives some 18 years ago.  I remember the phone call that came from my son who was working at the American Stock Exchange that morning.  He told me how he and a few others managed to get through the dust and general chaos that ensued.  He also related some of the details of what he saw, sights that young men and women should not have to see nor remember.

I remember speaking with a young woman who lost her brother in one of the towers.  Both he and his wife worked for the same company and she was home that day taking care of a newborn baby.  She told me how he had called his wife while trapped and then silence.

I spoke with the wife of a rescuer who told me how her husband suffered after being exposed to who knows what.....I hope he is well.

And this evening I read how school children whose schools were in the area may yet fall victim to various life threatening illnesses.

So perhaps we should all think about this for a moment if we have not done so.  It is easy to forget things as we run about generally doing things that matter very little.  Or, focus on insignificant things going on in our lives that will have little or no significance in the days ahead.

Somehow I have to force myself to remember to keep things in proper perspective.  It is not always easy to do that, but when I think of all the sorrow that event caused, and others such as mass shootings, school shootings, incidents of domestic violence, child abuse and all the other things that we tend to ignore to keep our sanity intact I can honestly say that I have much to be thankful for and hope to heaven that that perspective never gives way to the petty things that characterize so much of our days.

So we remember that day and the lives that were lost.........

That was a most enjoyable article/read.  Some our song writers might consider working on a tune called "John Henry".  He really is a treasure.  I hope someone will tell him how much many of us have enjoyed listening to him over the years.  I hope to hear him for many more too!

(It might sound crazy to a few folk, but I often think of many of the people who were with us over the years and have now gone on.......why not name tunes after them and there by remember their place in our dulcimer family.  You get the idea...

If set aside time to join in  "Play Music on the Porch Day", could we not also set aside one day a year to remember our friends with something similar?  Just a thought..........)

Yup, I just ran that signature pic through some photo editing filters and compared it with the one on amazon where you can buy his book.........I'd say that despite some differences, after all writing on wood and paper are two different things you are correct.

I believe I'd buy that dulcimore if I were you and it was priced a bit less than a good kidney.

I'm going to add that tune, "You Gotta Move" that Bobby Ratliff does.  I was going to cut under and around this tree and a storm came up so I decided to wait until Monday........

Oh yes...........I'm planning on doing some tunes from, South of the Border and loud too!......Ahem! 

FYI:   All Warren May dulcimers have a lifetime warranty on playability if you are the original owner according to his website.

http://www.warrenamay.com/dulcimers/

"If the length of the first fret is less than the length of the second it is just intonation"

https://fotmd.com/forums/forum/general-mountain-dulcimer-or-music-discussions/22594/just-intonation-and-limitations

Start at the bottom of the thread and you will find some helpful information, to be sure.

Intresting............I have 2 Warren May's of similar construction.  I really can't say for sure but it looks like the strings on the bridge are seated on some sort of foam rubber.  If I were going to bet on finding the problem I would start by removing that and if I had to,use a piece of felt or better yet, nothing whatsoever. 

You could send these pics to Warren and I can all but guarentee that help help you figure it out.  I really don't think the cold dorm room did any damage to it, but Warren will surely tell you about that too.

What have you got to lose?

https://fotmd.com/strumelia/group_discuss/1042/great-resource-for-music-theory-group

Go to the link............tobyrush..........there are charts and the distinction between parallel and relative that Gregg posted.

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Well there is a ton of good advice here that will obviously help.  One thing I would do is check my tuner and make sure that is accurate or at least reasonably accurate and that it is set to A440.  Some folk say that does not make any difference but it seems to do so if it is far enough off. (I use a Korg tuner, those clip on just never worked well for me).

Another thing you might do is make sure the tuning keys are tight and not slipping when you press down on the strings.  I had one that after a few years the screw that held them firm had loosened and every time I pressed a string it would loosen just enough to throw the contraption out of whack.  This really good to know if the action is a bit to high and the pressure on the string puts enough tension on the string to move the tuner gear. It gets worse the further up the board you go.

I always tune strings when the string is vibrating....it is easier to see where you are at, just make sure that you give it a good solid strum.  Wimpy strums will make it impossible to tune accurately.

And last, put some new strings on it if you have not already done so.  

The explanation between different temperaments below is primo.........if it is just temperment, the tuner can help but it will be next to impossible to get 100% in tune from the tuner.  

And do post a pic of your dulcimer, I would love to see it since old dulcimers are becoming my thing lately.

Yup, the black pudding is OK and some of the Haggis I've had is pretty good.   But the Tom Thumb was pretty rough.........it was basically organ meat and suet, fermented then smoked.  Even that can be ok, depending on what meats are used and how it is smoked.  Same with the Hassel, only it is stewed instead of made into the sausage then potato, onion etc. added.   I guess it's the lungs (lights) that bugged me.

I'm with you on the tripe, the noodle and noodles. 

Tom Thumb, a type of Haggis...........common among the Carolina Scotts of days gone by...........I think you can only develop a taste for it after a couple of pulls off a Mason Jar full of fresh shine (check for bubbles).  The other thing some folks used to fix was called hog hassel, same beverage applies. 

I have 2 Warren May dulcimers and a Ken Hamblin...........all needed new floating bridges............got a couple of chopsticks and cut the square end, sanded them level to proper height, notched the little stinkers and they worked just fine.  You can also go to a craft store/hardware store buy a dollar square dowel and shave a triangle piece off it, cut to length and notch it............ tune the middle string to the octave, angle it for the others and tune the rascal up........there should be a piece in this forum by pristine2 that will tell you how to do that............have fun. 

"He'll to the Naw, Naw"............one of my all time favorite semi-gospel tunes by Bishop Bullwinkle on

YouTube..........seriously, that song will preach!

Glad you are feeling better.............

This should help, use some masking tape to hold the strings on the hitch posts or pegs............

A neighbor had this done a number of years ago due to his hands becoming quite dysfunctional.  As I recall he once told me that the recovery was difficult and not much of a picnic.  Perhaps his surgery was more involved than most, however he did end up having a number of proceedures including one where a bone from his big toe was used in one or both his thumbs. 

I have a number of large Bansuri flutes that cause me great difficult for a similar reason.  When I looked at alternative issues a master player told me that he had similar problems and found that soaking his hands in a parafin bath helped a great deal to keep the inflammation down to a minimum.  Perhaps something like that would help.

Good photo, let's hear that fiddle.............

Couldn't figure out to get the photo in here.  Great-grandfather on a cattle drive from Texas to Kansas when he was a young man.  He lived to be 96 or 97, so it would be in about 1877

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That's a great photo...............

An interesting old photo of a zither player.   This photo is in an album that belonged to my great grandmother which eventually made its way to me after she died at 106.   This album contains lots of photos from the early 1900's including the maiden flights of several zeppelins taken in 1915.

However, I thought it might of interest to post this one of a field hospital during World War I depicting wounded  German Soldiers, Surgeons and Nurses.   My grandmother is the nurse on the left if I remember correctly............I remember her telling of many surgical procedures being done without anesthesia or adequate supplies.

Great job................

I was doing pretty good cutting back on the carbs until this week.............then disaster..........."Apfelstrudel mit Radler"

Yes, Black Cherry can help..........I suspect you need to drink more water since your weight loss may be contributing to those crystals forming in your joints. 

Good words and well spoken too!  Wayne.............I've seen so many people over the years taken from us by those, "widow makers."  In many cases they had no warning as you said, and no health issues that they could discern either save for assuming they were invincible and living lives that were, "typical."    

I would add that folks should not assume that this sort of problem does not affect women.   Too often women ignore symptoms and unfortunately suffer serious or fatal consequences.  Widow maker heart attacks are equal opportunity destroyers as are a host of other diseases that can be avoided.

For the younger of our lot who might be reading these posts...........now is the time to make the changes you need to make to live a long healthy life.   For the rest of us let's see if we can abstain kicking over the bucket by watching where we are going and turning on the lights in our 'noggins.  

Yikes.............I can't imagine doing that.........as it is I sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies when I start moving in the morning......

Hugssandi...........check out Lynda Randle singing, "One Day at a Time" on YouTube..............and learn the second verse........she's the real thing and her music always lifts the spirit..........

Good job, Andreas!!!  Wow, Hugssandi!  You are both well on your way to reaching your goals.    Sometimes the going seems really difficult, but if we set our minds to the task we can do it.   I remember having to pass a fitness test when I was in the Navy.  The weather was so hot and I felt absolutely terrible.  but, I had to do it anyway, 30 push-ups, 100 sit-ups and a mile and a half run in a total of 25 minutes with no breaks...........the last 3/4 of a mile was so difficult and the time limit was running out.........I made it only because of will power, stubbornness and lots of bad language along the way. ( I found out later that morning that I had pneumonia at the time, just to add to the drama).  

Sometimes we have to struggle and will ourselves to make it to the end of the race.  I've learned that struggle can become easier if we dare to think of ourselves as winners and never give up.  Press on and even if you feel like giving up resolve not to do so.  I know you can do it........we're all cheering for you and anyone else who dares to enter this race.

Hang in there folks.......... it is now 10:46 PM and National Doughnut Day ends in 1 hour and 14 minutes on the East Coast.....other time zones...........be strong!

Andreas..........good for you!  Keep up the good work, your an inspiration.    By the way, how close are you to Dusseldorf?  I have long lost cousins living there.

Andreas, and Hugssandi.........thank you for the bold posts and resolutions you have made public.  I want you to know that as one who has been there in my younger days, I was just shy of 300 lbs at 16 years old. It is most important for you to always remember that you are not alone in this battle.  It took years for me to become functional and fit....College Rugby, forced runs during Law Enforcement Academy Training, Physical fitness Training during Navy Chaplains School, 8 years of active duty and nearly 20 years of Hot Yoga.  I say all that to say this, while all of that worked the real issue for me was one of re-learning how think about not only my relationship to food, but my relationship to the world around me. 

Now I am nearly 70 years old and have the old man's gut and I don't move as fast as I once did.  And yes, like alot of other Vets I have seen and remember all sorts of ugliness and sorrow..........but, those issues are history and no longer exist unless I choose to bring them into being..........so what's my point...........each day is a new beginning and fresh start.  Some days run smooth and others do not.....so be it.

Hang in there and feel free to reach out to me or anyone else who has been there.  Even if you can't believe in yourself from time to time, know that I'll believe for you until you get your feet back on the ground and pointed in the right direction.  Anyone can message me at anytime and I'll respond...never judge and promise only to encourage.  

I believe so................check out the you tube demo's etc. here...............there are a slew of tunes etc. on YouTube.........demos, lessons etc.

https://www.youtube.com/user/woodrowmusic

http://thewoodrow.com/

Worth a look.............

It is in there.................The Book is called Beatletudes by Butch Ross................Prussia Valley has it & you can get it direct from BR on his website.

If Ken's method does not work, though I suspect it will work very well............I have used mineral spirits dabbed on and allowed to dry on grease stained antiques and other woodworkers have warmed grease spots with a hair dryer and allowed fullers earth also warmed to sit on the spot overnight and absorb the oil residue.

If you install Spotify (the free version) you can use the search box to find a fair number of albums that are mountain dulcimer recordings.  I saved mine to my Spotify play list and had about 10-12 albums stored.  Almost all of Jean Ritchies were on the list.  I figured I could find the ones I wanted after I listened to them.