I have owned two custom builds from Dave at SweetWoods. Each was skillfully crafted, with a well balanced full sound and easy playing.
A friend had one of Ron Gibson's Barbara Allen models. It was a work of beauty with rich wood, excellent craftsmanship and a wonderful sound. It was perhaps slightly louder than some modern dulcimers.
That is a song still under copyright. You may need to purchase the sheet music and then get someone to do the tab for you. It is available here
https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0152332
in the key of C which should be fairly easy to create tab for.
If you can't find someone to tab it for you, pm to me.
So fondly remember Rod. May we never forget those dulcimer friends who have gone on before.
If my information is correct Fellenbaum is a builder in Black Mountain NC. He has slowed down on building dulcimers to keep in stock, but does build to order. His dulcimers are well crafted and typically have a bit wider and deeper body. There is no standard for dulcimer dimensions and builders have their own preferences. Like Ken said, tone is influenced by volume of the sound box.
Happy Thanksgiving all. May we all be sure to reflect on all of our many blessings and truly be thankful from a grateful heart.
I think your plan to sell and use the proceeds to purchase a dulcimer fitted to the playing style of those around you is admirable. So many folks would not want to take the time to do that.
I think you would want to price it at $600, maybe less. You can adjust your price lower. I just sold a Warren May premium model to a local lady who is a friend of mine. Because of that relationship I sold it for far less than it is worth. But I did not have to pack and ship it.
It seems many current players prefer to have the extra frets and mechanical tuners as you noted in your area. If you are willing to wait it out, I am sure you will find a buyer, but it may take a couple of months or more. The holidays are coming up and the vaccine has not prevented me from having dulcimer acquisition disorder (DAD).
You may want to contact Warren May. He may have someone with interest that would not demand a new dulcimer. PM me and I can help you with contact information.
Thanks Kenl. Great read. Don is quite a fellow.
Thought I'd ask of the many who play their dulcimers in nursing, rehab, senior living, or retirement centers how things are going? What kind of access are you finding where you are? Any of you back to any where close to pre covid frequency of visits? Thanks.
Like Dan said the name comes from a board used to stretch animal skins for sale. Different sizes for muskrats, mink, racoon, possum, beaver, rabbits. Dad used them in the winter when trapping muskrats and mink to supplement farm income.
That is a beautiful dulcimer. I have not heard of this builder. Perhaps someone will recognize the name and provide some information.
It seems a number of people have purchased dulcimers as an impulse buy, take them home with the intent of learning to play, never get around to it, and store the dulcimer away.
I have purchased no less than 6 second hand dulcimers which appeared to have been played little if at all. One had the pick and noter sealed in a little envelope which had never been opened and the string sale tag still tied to the instrument.
So it is possible to get a "used" dulcimer which has not been used much at all.
Looks mighty good. Congrats on your good work and learning experience.
A picture of a new dulcimore beautifully crafted by Dulcimore Dan. This is his Dulcimore model.
Poplar body with cherry stapleboard, tuning pegs, headstock and tail block. Traditional with staple frets, fiddle edges, no extra frets, set up and tuned Gdd. A real beauty to the eye and to the ear.
If they ever develop a vaccine for Dulcimer Acquisition Disorder, I'll refuse to take it.
One of the builders on this site might be willing to fix the holes so the new tuning machines will work. Would involve shipping dulcimer and tuning machines and waiting to get it back.
Great photo John and great dulcimore given to Diane. Contrats Diane. Enjoy your dulcimore
That is a beautiful dulcimer. Best of luck finding out more about it.
How wonderful of you to build your sister a dulcimer. I would think if she has a reasonably "tight" house and does not live with the windows open all the time, the dulcimer may be protected enough kept inside. As exciting as it sounds to sit by the beach to play I probably would not do that. I live in NC with 95% humidity much of the summer with no problem imparted to my dulcimers kept inside the house.
You raise a good question. Since you do not always have audiovisual tools at hand perhaps, perhaps a 50 mm x 75 mm picture or photo laminated in plastic you could carry on your person. You might could do front and back, one side the dulcimer the other side someone seated playing it.
As for sound, you have discovered that the dulcimer is capable of many voices. To me its sweetest voice is on a slower song. Perhaps a dulcimer sound clip of a slower melodic song well known to the people of Spain could be loaded to your phone to share the sound that way.
If you check some online companies you may be able to specify shipping in a small package by USPS and hopefully the parcel will fit in your mailbox which I assume is secure.
Susie, thanks for starting the thread. I am sure many of us enjoyed it, whether we participated or not.
Here is a four place stand I have. Another sideways picture
Here is one I use. No pets in the house to disturb it. Sorry the picture is sideways. It is correct on it's original file.
So sad to lose another in our greater dulcimer family.
To me the dark spot looks like it is in the wood.
Does not appear to have a 13.5 fret. The 6.5 will not be a problem. As you learn, you just have to remember it is there. I play a dulcimore without a 6.5 fret most of the time then if I pick up my only one with the 6.5 fret, it takes me a few minutes to remember it is there.
It looks like it has a 6 1/2 that has been added.
Great article KenL. Thanks for sharing with us.
I now have 12 including 2 zitters both with staple frets. Most of mine are traditional style with staple frets, several with wooden tuners. Only one with a 6 1/2 fret.
I encourage all who use the forum to help support it.
It's really simple. If you enjoy the forum and it benefits you, you really ought to support it. A lot of things in life are note free, and the forum is not really meant to be a handout. After all we pay for other things we enjoy--groceries, pro baseball, movies, concerts, bowling, dulcimers, dulcimer festivals etc.
So sorry Venni to hear of your disease. COVID is wicked. Take care of yourself and get well soon.
Ron builds a great dulcimer.
I owned a couple of Ron's dulcimers over the years, a 6 string dulcimette and a standard style. Great craftsmanship, superior balanced sound, beautiful wood and very easy to work with if you want something special made. Most people really like his dulcimers and there are not many for sale. I got rid of mine simply because I chose to move to the old style traditional dulcimer with staple frets, wood tuners, and primarily 1-5-5 tuning with diatonic fretbpard without any added frets. The owner of the standard still plays it regularly as far as I know. The dulcimette was donated to a charity auction to raise money for a student scholarship to attend a major dulcimer festival.
So good to hear. Enjoy your cherry McSpadden. She may get crabby on days you don't have time to give her the attention she craves.
Thanks for sharing Kenl. Great program. I agree there needs to be more programs along this line.
