dulcimer kit
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thanks for all these neat details @john-c-knopf
Forum Activity for @nate
Optimum spacing for the two melody strings
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Also, if you were to get a nut of a different thickness, which I don't recommend until you understand the instrument better, the most important thing is that the length of the VSL isnt changed. Under no circumstances should a new nut and bridge cause the VSL to become any longer or shorter. A new nut and bridge should snugly fit against the inside edges of the slots from the old nut and bridge.
Optimum spacing for the two melody strings
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
ggray:
Is there an optimum spacing for the two melody strings, or at least a minimum spacing that would avoid the strings vibrating and touching each other? In general, can existing slots in the bridge and nut be filled in with super glue, wood putty, or something, such that new slots can be cut using different spacing? There may be a partial overlap of the new slot to the old. The strings will be .010's. My bridge and nut are glued in so replacing them would not be fun! Thanks!
There isnt a steadfast answer, because if the strings are at a higher tension, they can allow a smaller space, whereas at a lower tension they need more space. Also, super glue has been mass produced since the 60s, but it is not preferable. If you were to fill in the slots, there is an old trick of filling slots with baking soda, then carefully dripping on superglue, which creates a very strong compound. Also, filling the slots with sawdust and adding wood glue can work well. Sawdust and wood flue is more aesthetic, whereas baking soda and superglue is much stronger.
updated by @nate: 12/16/24 02:29:29AM
Disappointed with customer service from The Dulcimer Shoppe.
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Thats really unfortunate to hear. Its important to know that an Appalachian dulcimer is often built in a much more "hands on" fashion than most mass produced string instruments, and still often manages to offer handmade instruments at much lower prices than other instruments made in factories. For this reason, some amount of imperfections could be expected.
Nonetheless, I can definitely understand your frustration. If the instrument was damaged before it reached you, it doesnt make sense that they should say "we didnt look that close." Given that a skilled woodworker would obviously know if they accidentally left dents on the wood.
They should have known the level of cosmetic issue on the instrument and should have been honest with you about it before shipping, and after your negative feedback.
In a business sense, its surprising that they didnt simply placate you, even if they disagreed.
updated by @nate: 12/05/24 09:46:49PM
Chromatic Dulcimer is still a Dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
s11141827: the larger sized jumbo frets reduce the distance between the strings & the frets allowing for easier action.
The frets should already be installed before the action is determined. String action is set by adjusting the height of the nut and bridge relative to the tops of the fret crowns, so the height of the frets doesn't affect the action of the instrument.
Confused about strings gauge reccomendations...
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I have gone down to .08 and up to .16 for a D melody string on a 25" vsl. Its mostly a matter of preference. The amount of tension on the strings affects tone, volume, and sustain. It also affects how comfortable the instrument is to fret. A lot of dulcimer players prefer pretty low tension, relative to an acoustic guitar of the same VSL, for example.
Inner melody string flat by the 3rd fret
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thanks for sharing those photos. I would say that the string spacing on that dulcimer is pretty unusual, which might make it extra difficult to play. If you look at the dulcimer in the 4th photo you attached, you can see that the two melody strings are usually close together, and the "course" of paired melody strings is equally spaced with the other two strings. I'm not sure if your father in law intended for it to be "paired melody strings" or "four string equidistant" but I think it would difficult to play in either.
Also, there are many different ways to hold a noter based on your preference, and I recommend joining the "Old Style Drone & Noter players group if you haven't already.
https://fotmd.com/strumelia/group/19/old-style-drone-noter-players
updated by @nate: 11/26/24 06:27:20PM
Inner melody string flat by the 3rd fret
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thats a very peculiar design in a few different ways. Could you please take a photo of the entire instrument, id be really curious to see it
Introduce Yourself!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Wow @chris-hornby . That is quite a futuristic approach. It turned out great. I'd love to hear a recording of it!
Looking to buy a new dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thanks Ken for clarifying. I should have been more explicit that the difference in a Daaa and Dadd bridge is VERY slight, and will likely equate to only a couple cents difference. It is nowhere near enough difference to sound "off" however, if you are keen on developing your ear to hear subtle differences over time, in my opinion its good to have the most precise intonation possible.
Looking to buy a new dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
rdpugh:
The dulcimer I currently have is one I purchased back in the mid-1990s before we even had internet at my house. I walked into our local music store that rents school band instruments (bought my oboe for band through them). I asked about buying a dulcimer and they pulled out a catalog of instruments they can order. I think I paid just over $100 for it. No maker marks on it. Basically if I wanted a dulcimer, this is the one I had to buy.
I want another dulcimer, and pretty much have settled on a McSpadden standard 28.5" hourglass. I see one of the options is having it tuned to D-A-AA vs standard D-A-dd. Which tuning should I get, or does it really matter? I play in both D-A-AA, D-A-dd, also in D-G-cc, D-A-cc and D-G-dd. There are other tunings in some books of Celtic music I have that use CGC, CFC.
The key difference between a dulcimer indended for Dadd or Daaa is the intonation at the bridge. On a dulcimer intended for Dadd, the melody side of the bridge will be VERY slightly closer to the nut than on on a dulcimer intended to be tuned Daaa. This is because in a pack of strings intended for Dadd, the melody string will be thinner than the middle string (eg 22,14,12,12) whereas in a pack intended for Daaa, the melody string will be the same gauge as the middle string.(eg 22,14,14,14) The thicker a string gauge, the further away from the nut the bridge needs to be for the string to be properly intonated.
So basically, if you play the instrument in both tunings, you should pick whichever one you play more often. The bridge placement will be slightly better intonated to that tuning than the other. Most of the tunings that you mentioned are closer to Dadd than to Daaa, so if you play them all regularly, I would recommend the Dadd instrument.
Nate
Silicone Free Furniture Polish
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Thanks for the insight Ken. I have avoided lacquer on my finger boards, to try to avoid "sealing" them in rather than letting the wood "breathe." In general i treat the body of my dulcimers with a coating of sealant like polyurethane and just put oil on the fingerboard. In the past I have left a ton of fingerboards untreated, and typically the oil from my hands attracts grime, leaving a dark color to the areas that i fret the most often.
Silicone Free Furniture Polish
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Hey folks I've heard before that furniture polish shouldnt be used on fingerboards. As best as I can tell, this is because they often contain silicone (like pledge for example) which apparently builds up on the wood or something like that. I have a can of orange oil based furniture polish that specifically says it doesnt contain silicone, so Im wondering if this can be used to clean fingerboards. Is silicone the only concern with using furniture polish? According to the online details, it contains orange oil and mineral oil, and specifically does not contain silicone or linseed oil.
Thanks
Nate
updated by @nate: 11/14/24 06:13:18PM
Appalachian Dulcimer Museum
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Ken I'm really grateful that you did; thank you very much. I was super curious, and I'll likely not have any chance to go there any time soon so I'm very appreciative for this.
Introduce Yourself!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Wow that is seriously cool. How did you manage to get such intricate cuts into the plywood? That must have taken a lot of work to make.
Introduce Yourself!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Sorry to hear that, i have noticed that sometimes having a "false bottom/galax board" or a built in "possum board" can dampen my sound. After several experiments I think a very rigid and thin "false bottom" is best for tone and sustain. I also think that the inside face of the "false bottom" should be coated in something that is "sonically reflective." A hard layer of shellac, polyurethane, or anything else that is super rigid.
Id love to see more pictures, the instrument looks awesome
Nate
updated by @nate: 10/22/24 06:32:51PM
Differences between two dulcimers
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
RevDave:
Ken Hulme:
RevDave -- I suggest investing $50 or so in a carboard dulcimer. The sound is good, the frets are dead on and intonation can be adjusted if needs be. They're a greater learner instrument, and can be 'upograded' by making a simple wooden box... The picture shows a cardboard dulcimer fretboard transferred to a Virginia-style elliptical body that a student made ...
cardboard? Really! These things exist? I once made a nominally working “organ pipe” from a sheet of notebook paper, but a cardboard dulcimer…
I assume made from corrugated boxlike material? How do they hold up?
It's often thick sheets of really stiff paperboard, but some are actual corrugated cardboard. Because the board is very stiff and lightweight, the instruments are shockingly loud and punchy, especially for their price. The box itself will not be durable if you're not careful, but the fingerboard will be good quality, and as Ken mentioned you can simply remove the fingerboard and glue it onto a different box later.
I've seen them in kits that you assemble yourself for as little as 45$, but for under 100, you can find some that look and sound pretty nice.
Introduce Yourself!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Wow, that's pretty cool Chris. What material is the dulcimer made from? Also, do you mean that it has an additional sound board on the inside of the instrument?
Differences between two dulcimers
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
It seems to me that since both options are good quality, and you cant actually play or hear either one before buying, it might be best to pick whichever one you like better aesthetically. If you like to look at it, youll like to have it out, and you'll want to play it more often 😁
How Many Dulcimers Do You Own?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Thats a pretty cool instrument. I like the tin at the end and the bridge setup is clever. Thanks for sharing
How Many Dulcimers Do You Own?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Very cool @dulcillini
I love the pattern of the one on the left and the shape of the one on the right 👍🏽
How Many Dulcimers Do You Own?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
That is awesome @overdrive
Id love to see a photo of the dulcimer that has served you all this time
Nate
How do I put a new posting in "The :Positive Thread?"
Site QUESTIONS ? How do I...?
Thank you for sharing this story. As a child, something like a cane can instantly make one feel like a sophisticated adult. I remember how much joy I got strutting around with my grandfather's canes when i was little. it's so great to have sentimental things like that, which can still find use all this time later.
1977 Robert Mize
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
capewavedancer:
Thank for your suggestions. I'll give the new strings a go and see how they sound. Is Geee tuning somehting that anyone plays now?
I believe that the pamphlet is intending that you tune your instrument to Daaa, and is suggesting that you use the G string from a guitar for the D, and three high E strings from a guitar for the As. Geee is not a tuning that is used on dulcimer.
Nate
Angry internet people, so hateful that it's funny to me
OFF TOPIC discussions
WOW, that's all really terrible to hear. Really glad to hear that you persevered and kept a good spirit. Internet trolls definitely pale in comparison to the kind of real hate that exists out there. If weird comments that have nothing to do with me are the worst it gets, I think I'm getting off pretty lucky as far as internet hate goes.
Angry internet people, so hateful that it's funny to me
OFF TOPIC discussions
Strumelia:
They must be a total weirdo.
I am guessing that's probably an understatement LOL. I have to assume that when he looked up "nate dulcimer" my account happened to come up, and I cant even imagine why he is so mad at the life choices of some hammered dulcimer player in the first place...
Angry internet people, so hateful that it's funny to me
OFF TOPIC discussions
More than anything, I find it really funny that someone clicked on a bunch of my videos, and after seeing me a dozen times, still thought I was Nate Pultorak, the middle aged, white, bearded hammered dulcimer player. I guess they were so angry they didn't even glance at the videos?
updated by @nate: 08/31/24 09:49:17AM
Angry internet people, so hateful that it's funny to me
OFF TOPIC discussions
Agreed, Strumelia! When I see someone that angry and vitriolic I have a lot of pity for them. I'm sorry to hear that someone was that vile to you. Luckily for me this person is just unwell and most of their comments made absolutely no sense, so it doesn't affect me that much. He was saying such extremely specific things that I had to google it to find out who he thought I was.
updated by @nate: 08/31/24 09:32:30AM
Angry internet people, so hateful that it's funny to me
OFF TOPIC discussions
Thank you for your kind words Robin. I honestly have never received a mean comment on a video, so I was very shocked to see that someone had gone through my videos to leave a mean comment on each one, and I was totally blown away when I realized that this person is very specifically angry at some other dulcimer player named Nate. 
Angry internet people, so hateful that it's funny to me
OFF TOPIC discussions
I really hope the guy who typed all these messages finds the Lord, and finds peace in their heart. However I couldn't help but to laugh at seeing that someone left really mean comments on a dozen of my videos, and they apparently are mad at someone else. The internet is a funny place.
updated by @nate: 08/31/24 07:27:18AM
Angry internet people, so hateful that it's funny to me
OFF TOPIC discussions
A very angry guy left a bunch of mean comments on tons of my YouTube videos, and after reading several, I realized that this disturbed man thought I was the esteemed hammered dulcimer player named Nate Pultorak. 
Some folks are too angry too see straight 
updated by @nate: 08/31/24 07:31:25AM
Reasons NOT To Get a Chromatic
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
granto:
However, alluding to Shakespeare, what we call the instrument doesn't change what it is, its value, or its place in the musical world.
A mere by any other name would sound as dulce." -Grant Shakespeare
History of mountain dulcimer
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Wally Venable:
He proposes that the dulcimer was commonly used for dances and church services. I have seen no evidence that dulcimers from our area were ever used in dances or church.
I know only a little about dulcimer history, and even less about the history of southern churches, but with smaller churches it makes a lot of sense to me that musicians would be invited to play small intimate performances in front of their congregation. Most church people that I've met love musicians bringing their instruments and performing a piece of worship music, since church is fundamentally about community. I guess i had assumed that any instruments which weren't considered "of the devil" would end up getting played in churches. I really hope it wasn't that different in 'puritanical' times in Appalachia...
updated by @nate: 08/30/24 06:31:24AM
Play Music On The Porch Day 2019
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Robin Thompson:
The 2024 edition of worldwide Play Music On The Porch Day is Saturday 31 August! Make music where you can when you can, friends! (Not everyone can go outdoors to play nor is everyone available on the actual stated date.)
Glad you brought it up! This year is slipping by far too fast I almost let it blow past me!
How Many Dulcimers Do You Own?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Maddie Myers:
How come nobody ever comments on how much money it costs to keep all these babies in fresh strings !?! 
Right? One thing I've been meaning to try per the advice of some folks on here is getting a spool of string, which seems to be WAY cheaper.
String Action
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I am not sure about the "one size" anecdote, but dramatically changing string size will dramatically change intonation. In the past, when I have already installed a fixed bridge, and it is only off by a couple cents, I will sometimes file a slot or two slightly deeper to adjust it. Not my favorite solution, but it shouldn't affect playability very much. For that reason, I recommend taking a tuner and fretting each note to see if the instrument is well intonated. If all the notes are in tune, I'd say leave it alone. If they're not, then it may be fair to assume that the strings are at different heights due to imprecision.
Nate
String Action
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I would recommend checking the frets with a tuner before making any alterations. It may be the case that the strings are set at different heights to accommodate their location on an installed bridge. There may be very small variations in the bridge that are actually adjustments made for intonation.
Nate
updated by @nate: 08/20/24 05:54:33AM
Choosing for bad weather..?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Ken Longfield:
My strategy when facing adverse conditions as far as playing outside is simple. I cancel any plans to play outside.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Choosing for bad weather..?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
A lot of my dulcimers are plywood, and I very often use a few layers of polyurethane on them. (for solid wood dulcimers i much prefer oil)
I am aware that conventional knowledge suggests allowing wood to breathe, but in rough weather or high humidity, I wonder if it's better to have an instrument that can "hold it's breath"
I have made two with no soundholes and with a heavy coating of polyurethane on the entire outside, including the fingerboard. They are essentially waterproof, and have traveled back and forth between inland and the coast multiple times with no noticeable warping. I left one of them on a back porch and it got rained on all night, and I just wiped all the water off, put new strings on it, and it was totally unaffected.
Probably not applicable for most people, but I definitely appreciate having a dulcimer that is specifically more weather resistant than the rest.
updated by @nate: 08/08/24 09:36:32PM
