Forum Activity for @foundryrat

Steeleye Span & John Pearse 1970

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

For those who haven't watched, this show seems to be a continuation of a series on making your own "dulcimer" sandwiched in between a few songs by the second incarnation (1970) of Steeleye Span just before release of their second album Please To See The King.   

The hosts idea of a dulcimer was to make a fretboard stick that would use a table top for resonance.  I seem to recall this being reported as being done in Appalachia with standard dulcimers on occasion.

Where have all the beginners gone, long time passing?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Who has experience with virtual, multi-instrument folk festivals today?  Are there instrument specific "booths" or tracks?  To me, and I'm pretty sure the younger generations agree, virtual festivals can provide exposure to new sounds.  To be a "newbie", you have to have heard a dulcimer and want to make that music, too.  After that decision is made, the internet makes the rest of the journey much easier.

My dulcimers stay out all of the time

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

40-60% measured by the humidistat or no sparks measured by the "humidicat".

The main problem with Catalina is that it no longer supports 32bit programs, only 64 bit. Many apps, including printer drivers, are 32 bit and many of them won't be updated to 64 bit soon if ever. I'm glad Phroedrick could go back to Mojave, but if you haven't backed up your computer, you could really be out of luck.

Using a strap

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Wow!  What perfect timing!  I was about to post the same question and here all of you have answered it and more.  Thanks!

Strings to use on newly acquired dulcimer

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

I understand why, ideally, string gage will vary with the tuned pitch, but what if you want the capability to shift between DAA and DAd? String for DAd and put up with potentially slack melody string for DAA or "cheat" a little bit on the melody string gage and make it .001 heavier?

Portland Oregon Area Luthiers

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Can anyone suggest luthiers in the Portland, Oregon area that have some experience with dulcimers? I have two that need some minor work resetting some frets, general action adjustment, etc., and I would rather not ship them somewhere out of the area.

Thanks

George Hendrickson Dulcimers

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

I bought two dulcimers from George Hendrickson in about 1976 when we were both in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area. I haven't touched them for decades until now but starting to and am wondering if others are out there and what became of him. He worked some area festivals and contributed an article to the Dulcimer Players News, but haven't been able to find anything else.

Capritaurus Dulcimer listed on Goodwill auction

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Bidding ended at $90.98

What's your favorite mournful, spooky, or lonesome song to play?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Richard Farina's "A Swallow Song" whose melody is from a Ladino song "Los Bilbilicos".  Need a chromatic dulcimer to play it, though. (Sometimes misspelled as "Los Bibilicos) Truly haunting melody with words to match.

Strings!

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

I agree with Ken about the likely culprit, although are all notes affected or just open string?  I'm just now getting back to dulcimers after a 40 year hiatus with little knowledge except for something like your problem.  If the string is not in firm contact with the bridge at the point of exit to the playing area, then what you describe could happen.  I had something similar but it was a little easier to troubleshoot since it only made the noise as an open string.  With no zero fret, the problem was easily isolated to the nut where the string was actually only touching it at a point farthest from the frets.  Odd resonance on the far side of the zero fret might happen, but if it is, then muting that area with your finger should change the twang.

BTW, why a 30" VSL, etc.  I will be using your info in trying to re-string the big boys in my picture whose dimensions are nearly identical to yours.