Forum Activity for @john-henry

Fond memories of the Deputy, I received my copy of his small booklet of tunes while recovering from my first heart procedure, it helped !

I have a Bob Fletcher dulcimer, which he claims is a copy of the Audrey Hash original , he worked with her and her father for a while.     There was a feature article about Bob in the DPN some years ago.    The instrument I have (circa 1984) was originally fretted in 'an old style !' but has subsequently been refretted to equal temperament, not by me I would add,  and has 'bead' fine tuners.     Of course I had to make a couple just to see if they worked....... they did !

JohnH

Thank you for the kind thoughts Cindy ,much appreciated !

JohnH

Ahh!    Just found it Lisa..........upper corner...............bit like saying New England's near the border ?

I'm ducking !!!

JohnH

 Cynthia, its not just you who is going senile!    Hamburgers, cell windows, I reckon I'm gonna have to wait until Jim Fawcett gets here in May and pay for a one to one tutorial !

There's your answer Kevin..............I'm sure Jim won't object to toting a few dozen copies in his carry-on bag ?   (usual fee of course)

JohnH

See !.......it starts, upper left where ?

never gonna get another vid up at this rate !!!

JohnH

Chuckle................don't be misled by the extraordinary skills shown by Dan Lundrum when wielding a camera..............he very nearly managed to make a  'silk purse out of a sows ear'  on this occasion !                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               I have'nt seem the article in question, so cannot reply to your comment KenH, except to say I'm still learning to play.

Have been in a black place for the last few months, lost any music in me, but have booked for a week of dulcimer stuff in May, only problem is it coincides with the time Mary left the house and never came back ???

Lisa, don't despair, I have just purchased an iPad, so maybe in the future I shall be back to normal asking 'how do I' questions, and Val........

I had bet money that Ireland would upset our apple cart !!!

There is some great stuff being posted here, a privilege to be able to hear it, thanks to all concerned for the sharing

JohnH

I thank you all for your kind thoughts............very gratifying to see that we are remembered.    Mary will leave us for the last time on Dec 5th from the church where we were married over sixty three years ago, on her coffin will rest a representation of the flower arrangement she carried all those years ago.    Its been a hard few years, and a particularly hard last six months and I am struggling a bit..............dunno if I shall get back into music, but I do know that I shan't forget the many folks I have met thro' this site and the good things we shared.   Thank you for the exchanges of information, I have learnt a lot from them.

JohnHenry

At the time of his death I was feeling rather sorry for myself in a coronary care unit,

 and was much heartened when my wife brought in the little book of tunes that Rod had just put together.........to send it must have been one of the last things he did...........its treasured !!!

JohnH

Definitely not forgotten..............always very forgiving of my errant computer technique !

JohnH

David !    Sounds as if you are in for some fun , as others have said there are sources available, but don't under estimate the one already available to you.........yourself, ie do not be inhibited by that little noter, when in i-5-5 (or thereabouts ) you will be surprised by how many tunes 'just happen',   I always sing 'em in my head whilst playing, as that definitely influences what my right hand does.    I fully endorse what Robin has said about using a 'guided' noter , whichever grip you decide on,  and on a minor practical note here, you might just want to 'ease' the ends of the nearside frets a tad, I have known people who abandoned the noter simply because 'it hurt their finger' !!!

good luck

JohnH

Like Robin, I to have enjoyed your excellent posts on ED, thank you.

'

It is with sadness I have just been given the sad news re Johnp.    I shared with him music, a love of our West Country, and my home !   I also lay claim to having introduced him to this our site, where he gave his knowledge and experience freely and never in a disparaging manner.   He was a quietly confident player of our shared instrument......I just wish he had shared more recorded music with us !

Indeed, Rest In Peace Johnp

JohnH

Where is the crack situated ?  (in relation to the soundholes, for instance)

JohnH

Is that akin to getting 'noterised'?

JohnH

Well there you go then Charles-Thomas, I've learnt something new today, I've always made a new one when I thought an instrument sounded a bit off !!!

JohnH

The one that might be in tune, lol !

JohnH

Thanks Dusty, problem solved !   It was occasioned by the fact that the popup box was not appearing, due I think , to the fact that I had an 'empty box' ie, no fav. tune shown.

Ain't it all exciting !!!   Time for bed now tho'........... probably dream of that missing chat feature !

Did,nt work for me ?

Yes Babs, its an 'extra' step, but help prevent the softer metal of say, a chromium plated screw, letting you down ! And for what its worth, IMO the pozidrive offers a tad more protection against the screwdriver slipping and thus inflicting a scratch/dig into your pristine instrument !

JohnH

We shall have to stop meeting like this , folks will talk ! I'll get me bike out next time and come up and do it for you, lol!

Good on ya Gal ! I forgot to mention that I always run a standard screw of similar size to the fancy ones that come with the button in first, sorta 'belt n braces' and helps prevent any possible shearing And if you are following Dusty Turtle's advice and using soap, go for the most expensive, sweetest smelling stuff you can find. It does not help the process at all, but does show that you have good taste.

best wishes

JohnH

Bit late to the party Babs, but when you buy buttons/screws together, they can be consider a match. The supplier usually knows what he is doing, and its worth thinking about 'collateral' damage that may occur should your shorter screws pull out !

That 'small' pilot hole you mention should not be too small. Even with soap/tallow on the screw, it does not take too much to shear the screw shank, this you do not want to have to deal with !

A minor point. Bearing in mind that your instrument likely has a polished finish it is useful. once you have decided where the screwhole is to be located, to make a small indentation at that point (I use a centre punch, but a suitable sized nail or the actual screw would do) just to ensure that your drill does'nt skid all over the place.

good luck

JohnH

Clue ! OK, I know that you are busy ! Bristol origins ?

JH

Strumelia, fifty dollars 'on the Nail' for your K Young, just to free up your options ! (fifty five if you can tell me where 'on the nail' has its origins ?)

JohnH

Then it seems as if we may be somewhat in tune with each other on the subject of meantone fretting Robin !

John

You did good Gal !

JohnH

Hello Pat, don't fret too much over that crack, probably the easiest place to fix such damage ( in my experience also one the the more 'common' cracks to be found, usually resulting from someone picking up an instrument with a 'thumb on top' grip adjacent to a sound hole and exerting enough downward pressure to cause damage) Careful manipulation of the crack to open it sufficent to be able to rub adhesive into it, followed by the careful insertion of a glue soaked piece of linen (I use a piece of handkerchief, don't tell my wife !) thro' the soundhole if possible, below the crack, massaged into position with a finger. Any surplus adhesive on the top to be cleaned away immediatly. Kevin M does good work.

I've done four or five in that manner.

JohnH

Always good to welcome another noter/drone player Tom ! You might try listening to the videos posted here by players such as Robin Thompson, or Bobby Ratliffe, both excellent exponents of the form, and there are others ! Have fun searching out those that really grab you !

Hello Ruth ! Never having seen/handled a cardboard dulcimer I am guessing the 7/16" high piece is the bridge, this coupled with your description of a 'high action' suggests to me that you may indeed have nut and bridge at the 'wrong ends'. As for your string problem, try reducing the amount that you are attempting to wind on by 1/2" or so, and try to keep 'tension' on that part of the string you are winding on.

JohnH

(OK all you expert builders, I did say that I had never seen one, lol)

Great looking instrument, I love the Walnut in that back !

JohnH

You have had acouple of good answers LIz !, but not by 'he who asked the question' lol, sorry, I was abed ! I 'converted' one of my 27" VSL instruments into a baritone, ( heavier strings and consequent adjustment to string slots ) so your 28" VSL may well perform as a baritone. Be good if you could get it to another player/luthier for a looksee at its existing stringing, or maybe post a pic/sound clip here ? String gauge the vital factor !!!

John

John Henry said:

Liz, what is its 'Vibrating String Length' (or VSL), this is of more use than an OA length to anyone trying to make decisions on what your instrument might be( baritone?). VSL = distance measured from inside face of the 'nut' to inside face of the 'bridge'

John

Liz, what is its 'Vibrating String Length' (or VSL), this is of more use than an OA length to anyone trying to make decisions on what your instrument might be( baritone?). VSL = distance measured from inside face of the 'nut' to inside face of the 'bridge'

John

I have three Bodhrans ! Before coming back to the MD I played HD for many years in all sorts of sessions, and found it convenient to have a drum by my side to 'bridge the gap' when tunes arose that I could not cope with. I did'nt always use a 'tipper', quite often relied on the fingers of my right hand ,and frequently used a 'brush' type beater, offers a softer option ? And of course you can always 'dampen the sound, your hand , duster ,tea towel, knick...whoops !
Main thing to remember, you may think your timing is great, others may not ! Softly ,softly catches monkee !
JohnH

Here's a couple to start the ball rolling ! I met a busker playing a HD, we got talking, and he said when given his instrument by an elderly relative all the strings were rusty, so he had restrung it, but now had a job keeping it in tune. On examination it was plain to see that he had 'wound on' the strings the wrong way, so as he attempted to tighten a string he was raising the tuning pin. I took him back to our place, my wife fed him, and I restrung his dulcimer, and no, I did'nt put anything in his cap !!! Another story which I have mentioned on this site before, a friend purchased a Ledford dulcimer at a knock down price, only trouble was it resembled one of Charlie Chaplins boots ! Top and back just holding at the head, completely free of sides and tail, one side only holding at the tail. Long story short, pleased to say it finished almost as new (I posted a vid of me playing it on this site) That friend is John Shaw, currently in the USA, catch him at the Lincoln Theatre, Marion, Virginia if you can, well worth hearing !

JohnH

My mind is already working on some sort of a 'holder' which might allow the playing of your didge at the same time a dulcimer................... Do you have a choice of 'keys' ? This is a truth; I used to play in a pub session wherea

guy often turned up with THREE, and they were all different !

look forward to you posting soon???

John

Hello Juliana ! I'm not American, so do not claim to be any sort of expert on the matter, (tho' my Grandchildren reckon I look like a man of the mountains !) but here offer a selection of sources that please me, they offer just a taste of the things you seem to be looking for ?

The Dulcimer Book Jean Ritchie

Songs and Tunes of the Wilderness Ralph Lee Smith and Madeline Macneil

FolKSongs of Old Kentucky Ralph Lee Smith and Madeline MacNeil

Folk Songs of Old Virginia Ralph Lee Smith and Madeline MacNeil

Galex Dulcimer Phyllis Gaskins

I am sure that you will have many more suggestions from others better placed to offer them !

good luck

JohnH

Even tho' it was a very long time ago I have no trouble 'naming that tune'. It was "AU CLAIR DE LUNE" ! How can I be so precise ? 'Cos I'm looking at the book I learnt it from, "Make and Play the Dulcimer" by John Pearse (copyright 1970) Ignoring the 'Make' content, I rate the shortish 'Play' section of that book as one of the best absolute beginner scripts I have ever come across, simple and uncluttered, with some very useful illustrations. Must admit to some bias here tho', the book has sections on using a 'noter', and 'feathering'four ways, no less , including 'beating' (as you see, I have been playing on the 'dark side' for a very long time, lol) The availability of the book coincided with a weekly TV series "How To Make and Play The Dulcimer", and the emergence of a Folk/Rock Group named 'SteelEye Span', which included one 'Tim Hart', who sometimes played ..........Mountain Dulcimer !

JohnH

Duly noted Randy ! (OK, I'm sorry, but it's often pointed out to me these days that the old ones are the best ?) Gonna have to get her to give me some lessons one day, I've been a fan since I first joined FOTMD

JohnH!!!

60 ! (the number of years we've been married)

JohnH

(sorry to hear that Dusty, is it 'catching' ?)

My pleasure entirely John, lol !!!

Have you finalised the detail of the trip yet (I'm asking 'cos I'm both curious and extremely jealous )

John

John Shaw said:

Thanks for pointing out my lack of numeracy, JohnH! I meant 3/32", of course!

Hhmmm! Slightly less than 3/16"..........? getting very near to 1/8" says I , lol !!! Slighty less than 1/8" ? Now that might be 3/32 " , which, should I now use doubled courses, I also would find to be too close together !

How you doing John, have you made your USA trip yet, no change here, we just keep plodding on. Regards to Angela.

John