Forum Activity for @silverstrings

So, I live in North Georgia and am very careful with my Redwood/Black Walnut McSpadden. It has been a mild winter. I never leave it in the car. I take great care of it. I have only had for 8 months and noticed on the back bottom part of my dulcimer a few hairline cracks. I will call McSpadden as they made it for me. I did let my husband show to his luthier. The luthier says that sometimes makers see a problem in the grain and don’t want to remake it so they cover it up. I really love the sound and no light is coming through the wood. I want to approach the right way with McSpadden. I don’t want to give up this dulcimer and get another. The tone is unbelievable. However, I have never had this problem with a guitar. I feel like I am already very careful with this instrument. Suggestions are very welcome. I worked hard to get this wonderful instrument and can’t go out and buy another. Thanks.

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Thanks, Lisa. I have a McSpadden and my melody strings are closed together, too. There are times when I am quickly sliding my thumb while anchoring the other strings in chord playing where the bottom two strings separate some. I might see if I can try out someone’s dulcimer in my group. That is a great idea.

Thanks, Dusty, I appreciate it. I played rhythm guitar on an acoustic in the past and didn’t want to give up the extra string either. I just went to my first dulcimer festival and one of my teachers suggested I remove the string. I am a chord player and want to improve on hammer on’s and pull offs, etc... I think I should try it. 

I tune my dulcimer to DAD. Sometimes other tunings.

So, everyone in my dulcimer group plays with 3 strings. I have resisted removing one of the melody strings. I thought the sound would be better with 4. However, after 8 months of playing I am doing more flat picking, hammer on’s and pull offs.  Pro’s and cons to removing the extra melody string is encouraged. Thanks!

LD. Thanks, I am seriously thinking of going ahead with the possum board. Thanks for your input. I have 2 McSpadden’s with 26” vsl. One is redwood with walnut and the other is all walnut with some extra frets. I love them both!

LD, so you are at least glad you bought the MsSpadden possum board? I have a 26” dulcimer from them, too and love it. What does your Spalted Sycamore sound like and does it have Cherry sides and back? I am looking at one of theirs in the 26” vsl length. Thanks

I am thinking of getting a walnut possum board to increase the volume on my 2 McSpadden Dulcimers. Does anyone have one of these? I will be playing acoustically in groups mostly and am not ready to think of external pickups and amps. Thanks!

I am curious to know if Black Mountain Instruments out of California is still in business. Does anyone know? I looked online and have the impression that they are not still making dulcimers. Thanks

Thanks for all the great insight and advice. I realized once I got to my Dulcimer Group, that my technique was the problem.  Greg Gunner, I think you nailed it. I am new at this so I am actually glad it was not my instrument. I even tried my bad technique on my Teacher’s standard McSpadden and realized I did the same thing! I appreciate all of you at FOTMD! Great site.

When I am practicing pulls offs on the Bass and Middle strings on the 1st and @nd frets, sometimes I get a buzz and sometimes not. Seems like I have to pull off very lightly. Is this due to my technique or lack of technique? I just got a wonderful sounding McSpadden so I hope it is me and not the instrument. My cheapest guitar doesn’t do it when I pull off. 

Any suggestions? Thanks

FYI, it is a 26”vsl and I do tune mostly in CGC because my Dulcimer tunes to CGC.

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Thanks, I do like the Micarta. Even Jim Woods of McSpadden told me that if he were building a dulcimer for himself now, he would go with Micarta. I know Ebony is rare now to get so I didn’t know if I should have it this time around. However, I live in a high humidity area. I have only been playing 3 months. Right from the get go, not only was it smooth, I found myself being able to look away from the fretboard from time to time while flatpicking. Slow, flatpicking, of course, tee hee.

I have a Micarta Fretboard on my McSpadden Dulcimer and love it. I am thinking about getting another McSpadden made with some additions and different woods. I was wondering about any experiences of other regarding Micarta versus Ebony for a fretboard in sound, durability and feel. Thanks

Thanks everyone for your responses. I did the math and it would not save me much money. I just bought the McSpadden in my profile picture and will hold off for now. Dusty, the strings being farther apart and the floating bridge kind of made me rethink it. I want a dulcimer with a 1-1/2 fret down the road and am willing to wait. Again, thanks to Banjimer and Dusty Turtle.

Does anybody have an opinion about the Blue Lion style 1 with Red Cedar and Walnut? I am wanting a big, warm sound. It also has a 1-1/2 fret that I will need in the future. There is a used one that I am really interested in purchasing. Thanks