So sorry to hear of Dave's passing. He was a great guy and a wonderful builder. He built a couple of dulcimers for me that demonstrated beautiful craftsmanship and wonderful sound. My sincere sympathies to his family and loved ones.
I have cut smallish pieces of 2000 or 4000 grit sandpaper and glued them on picks to help with keeping them where they belong.
My guess---and it is that---is some sort of change due to being in the presence of other metals for the multitude of strings in your bucket. They should be fine to clean them and use them if they are not rusted or corroded to the point of risking breakage.
Awesome. Glad you finally connected and now have the dulcimer in hand. Thanks for sharing your success.
Thanks Robin for posting this.
Interesting Story. Thanks for sharing.
Help somebody today---what a wonderful way to pattern your life. Time was, and still is in some of the smaller more rural communities in America, that this was something very normal for everyone. Would it not be a wonderful world if more folks would do this kind of thing and remove themselves from the primary focus of their lives. Some say it takes a Village. I say it takes a neighbor whose focus is on others rather than himself.
I have used some of the free programs on line with good results. I have to do that so seldom relearning every time slows me down a bit.
Looking forward to it John. I vaguely remember that hymn.
How thoughtful of you to remember her like this. I hope you find the information you need.
I am thankful for the Christ Whose birth we celebrate this time of year, for His love and peace and joy given to all who accept His gift of salvation and forgiveness of sins.
Thanks Robin. Jean was such a delight. Wish I had known her other than from history. She did so much to promote the mountain dulcimer we all love so much.
It seems I looked up the score for Wintergrace. If memory serves I found it one website that offered it for sale. I think it is still under copyright.
What a beautiful dulcimer. Best wishes finding out more about it.
Hobby stores sometimes sell some neoprene material in small sheets. Buy a piece of the thickness you need, cut to fit and attach with super glue. Shoe repair stores many times have neoprene as well and may give you scrap they have that is too small for any repairs they do.
I understand your quandary. Over the 28 years I have messed with dulcimers, for me, I have found that second to the sound of the dulcimer, I need to enjoy the looks. I do like nice looking and well finished wood. From what you are saying, it sounds like you may have a hard time enjoying the looks of this dulcimer. (perhaps I read you wrong?)
There a number of people on this site who can give you some good advice on how to clean this dulcimer up yourself--I am not one of them. Perhaps you could get the build up off the tuning machines, get them oiled so they work smoothly and get the wood cleaned up to look nicer. Then you can play it and save up for one that is nicer with a shorter vsl. I have personally purchased more than 5 dulcimers, several sight unseen, which were bought by the original owner as an impulse buy, played very little if at all, then put away and stored. One of them still had the noter stick and the pick sealed in its little envelope that had not been opened. I say this to let you know that used or second hand dulcimers are not something to avoid out of hand if they have been stored in a home with controlled temp and humidity--not in a rental storage unit, not in a damp basement or in a hot attic.
Just my 2 cents. Best wishes with this project whichever way you decide to go.
I spoke with KenH this morning. He is fine. No power. No damage to his house. Some folks staying with him who did not fare so well.
If my memory is correct it was in about 1996 that McSpadden switched from laminated soundboard to solid wood. So the 2001 Ginger I would think would be solid wood. Others will chime in I am sure.
I have a small wire cutter that has lasted 20 plus years. Most of the small wire cutters are designed for small gauge copper electrical wire which is softer than steel.
The advice not to use for steel wire is likely cautionary on the part of the manufacturer, retailer or both.
Congrats on your new dulcimer. I know you are excited.
Best wishes Teddy on your dulcimer journey. Thanks for your testimony of God bringing you through a very serious condition. I echo what the others have posted. When you get your dulcimer enjoy it. Ask any questions you have. We are here to support you and help you.
Glad to see you active again. Looking forward to your participation.
Oh the life of the beloved household cat. I'm glad they are so pleased to own you.
What a wonderful find Canadian Dulcimer Boy. Enjoy playing your find.
Dulcimore Dan built a replication of a Leonard Glenn dulcimer with full traditional features. Fiddle edges, staple frets, feet, wooden tuning pegs, music wire strings, taller fret board for noter playing. Poplar with butternut stapleboard, tail piece and head stock. Walnut tuning pegs.
Thanks Dusty for your original post. Now when is national guitar day? Seems that drifted off with the wind in all our talk of an International Dulcimer Day.
Sounds good to me for International Appalachian Dulcimer Day on the last Saturday in March.
Go for it.
Well said greg-gunner. Just depends on the sound each likes in the dulcimer.
Would be nice to have one of the old ones, like a Presnell. So what about those builders on TTAD?
I have a beautiful reproduction of an early '60's (if I remember right) Leonard Glenn made of butternut and walnut. Kevin Messenger built it stating it was his first Glenn reproduction and he copied the woods of the piece he had seen and the fret scale/intonation. Mine has a wonderfully sweet sound in DAA. It does not like DAd.
I once talked with an instrument repair person who thought the the Glenn's scale pattern was miscalculated. This person had been asked to "fix" a number of the Glenn instruments for some of his NC clients wanting to play modern melody-chord style. The Glenn dulcimers simply were not made with DAd in mind.
Beautiful Dulcimer Kevin63. The Glenns intonation seems to favor DAA tuning. I have an earlier Glenn reproduction that is very sweet in DAA.
So July 29 will be FOTMD day around the world, Cake and goodies and lots of dulcimer music. Is it here yet?
So it's agreed then: International Hog Fiddle Day will be celebrated the second Saturday after the first Monday after the first full moon after the summer solstice.
Robin Thompson: @dusty-turtle is who got this conversation on a designated dulcimer day started. I'm curious about what are his thoughts now? 
Seriously, I love how much enthusiasm this topic has generated. It was just a thought I had when I read about National Guitar Day, but clearly the idea resonates with a lot of us.
Some of what we are debating I don't believe to be too important. Why is Black History Month in February? Well, it used to be Black History Week and it was dated to the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. But choosing the date based on those two individuals did not somehow rob the designation of the ability to celebrate Ida B. Wells or Martin Luther King. Similarly, were we to choose Jean Ritchie's 100th birthday as the first Dulcimer Day, it would not rob us of our ability to celebrate Uncle Ed Thomas or Loraine Wyman on that day.
Nonetheless, in the interests of not alienating any of the fine members here, I have another suggestion for the day: How about the first Saturday after the spring equinox? It would mark the beginning of the dulcimer festival season but would not be tied to any specific date or any specific individual. Any thoughts?
When Pritchard marketed his "American dulcimer" he was clearly trying to take advantage of the nationalist fever that dominated the golden age of folklore (1870 or thereabouts to 1914). But I agree with those who think that name strips away the regional roots of the instrument. "Mountain dulcimer" does indeed seem to be the most commonly used term for our beloved instrument, but I would be OK with either "Mountain" or "Appalachian" dulcimer. The Wikipedia entry uses "Appalachian" dulcimer, and that alone might be a reason to choose that term.
So my new proposal: International Appalachian Dulcimer Day, the first Saturday after the spring equinox.
Great discussion with lots of interest. This sounds great. But would it be simpler for old minds like mine to remember if it were 3rd Saturday in March (for instance) rather than tying it to a date that varies from year to year?
A most interesting discussion indeed with thoughtful input. How exciting.
Whatever date, I like the idea of International Appalachian Dulcimer Day.
A recognition day will give us all an opportunity to promote the dulcimer in many different ways, whether its origins, its history, its music and on and on we could go. There are enough topics that we could celebrate more than 10 years before repeating a point of emphasis if we chose to do so.
