Forum Activity for @melissa-pnw
Need Advice--Buying a New Dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thanks! It's actually a new banjo to him--he'd been concentrating on other instruments for a long time, so he's still adjusting to playing the banjo again, plus the power of his new instrument! It is such a neat sound; I'm just not used to it. I hadn't played with a banjo player before. I don't get out much. ;)
Need Advice--Buying a New Dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thank you for your replies! It looks like I have some good options to consider. I think I will do some more reading and listening regarding Galax dulcimers. In addition to the dulcimer I will be buying for myself, I will be looking for a bomb-proof inexpensive beginner dulcimer for my son. I have visions of the dulcimer flying off his lap and onto the floor, and I hate to think of that happening to a more delicate instrument! If I want to fiddle around with chords, I could use his dulcimer. I don't know why I didn't think of that before.I hadn't thought of using a possum board. I wonder if a regular teardrop dulcimer tuned dddd, played on a possum board would be loud enough to hold its own against a banjo? Every time we play together, I am surprised for the first moment by how loud the banjo is!
Need Advice--Buying a New Dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Hello all! I haven't been around this board for a while because I've been concentrating on my hammered dulcimer. (No tomatoes, please!) In fact, my MD was sold to finance said HD, but I'm discovering that I miss it too much to continue to be MD-less.
So, I've received my tax return andI am looking for a new MD. I play regularly with a fiddler and a banjo player, so I need it to be fairly loud to avoid being drowned out. I know that I should play several dulcimers, but I live in an area where MD's are uncommon. In the past I had a Black Mountain dulcimer, which I did not like because the frets were oddly placed, and an older McSpadden, which sounded nice very nice, but the VSL was too long to make chording comfortable, and I didn't find it visually appealing. Yes, I am shallow. I'm not fond of walnut.
I considered a Galax dulcimer, but I think that since I will have one dulcimer, I want it to be more versatile than a Galax would be. I suppose that my most important "wants" arecorrect fret placement, (which shouldn't be a problem on any of the well-known dulcimers, I would think) fairly loud, and not a walnut soundboard. I would like to spend at most $400 for dulcimer and accessories (case, capo, etc.). What should I look for? Would a false back be something to consider? I've read descriptions of which soundboard woods impart varioussound qualities, but the descriptions don't seem to be especially consistent. I am looking for a bright sound. I will be playing old-time music, mostly noter and drone style, but I would like the VSL to be not more than 26-27 in case I want to do a bit of chording.
I wish there were an application that would let me input my desired qualities, then spit outyou need a: McSpadden! or Gibson! orHensley! or whichever dulcimer would suit my needs. Since that doesn't exist, I figured this message board wouldbe the next best thing. 
Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!
updated by @melissa-pnw: 10/27/19 12:02:25PM