That’s a great idea John. I’ve repacked the dulcimer so won’t be able to try that until I get back home with it in two weeks. I’ll let you know if I’m able to read anything.
An update on my Chet Hines Dulcimer!
I was able to make it back to Texas today and am at my in-laws house where I had the dulcimer delivered. I finally got to see it in person.
I had also found a copy of his book and had it delivered to their house as well.
imagine my delight when I discovered on page 111of his book a picture of my very dulcimer. The grain is very distinctive and there’s no doubt it is my dulcimer. I’m so very excited to own this wonderful instrument.
it does look like there may be an inscription visible through the lower sound holes. They look lightly scratched into the inside perhaps with a nail or an awl. I can’t be positive as there is little contrast between the inscription and the wood it’s on. Once I’m back home in Portugal I will try and see if I can bring that out.
cheers everyone and thanks for your help with this project!
paula
Ken, that’s wonderful. What a great article! I’ll be sure to contact Ron and see if he can give me any more information. I’m starting to feel I have a real treasure with this dulcimer.
So Steve, I see a picture of that on The Mountain Dulcimer Lore FB page. Very nice!
Wow, thanks Steve! I’m really excited to actually lay hands on the dulcimer. From the looks of the photos I’ve got, I think it had been strung equidistantly.
cheers,
paula
It looks like to Mountain Dulcimore Society was founded in 1965 I assume the card included in the case with my dulcimer would date my dulcimer to being from sometime around that. I’m not sure at what point the MDS changed their name. So I at least have a broad range of between say 1964 and his death in 1977.
Wow. So young. Thank you so much Steve for this additional information. I’ll be curious to see if I can determine a date for my dulcimer. I’ve reached out to the dulcimer society of Dayton (the current iteration of the Mountain Dulcimore Society) to see if they have any additional information but I haven’t heard back yet.
(I’d try to help you with posting pictures but I’m clearly doing something wrong regarding size)
I apologize. I’m not sure why my photos are posting so large. I’m sure I’m doing something wrong.
Hi Steve!
thanks for the great information. Given how influential Mr Hines was in establishing the Dulcimer Society in Ohio, I’m surprised there’s so little information I’ve been able to find.
I’m assuming that he’s probably deceased at this point but I haven’t been able to find an obituary.
I’ll reach out to Ron Ewing and the dulcimer society and see if they can supply additional information.
the dulcimer came in a homemade wooden casket case and had several business cards with it.
I still haven’t seen the dulcimer in person as I live in Europe now. I had it delivered to my in-laws house in Texas I’ll pick it up when I’m next in the US
hopefully I can find a date or serial number inside
thanks again,
paula
Hi all, it’s been a while since I posted here. We moved to to Portugal several years ago and I has sold my dulcimer before we left. (I seriously had to this the herd!)
im getting ready to have a visit back to Texas and that led me to taking a look on eBay to see if there might be an interesting MD to pick up to bring home with me when I return to Portugal.
i ended up bidding on (and winning) this “dulcimore” by Chet Hines. I think at some point I had borrowed a copy of his book “How to Make and Play the Dulcimore” (1973) from the library. He was also the founder of the Mountain Dulcimer Society in Dayton, Ohio.
other than that I haven’t been able to find a huge amount about him or his instruments. I’m assuming my dulcimer is from the ‘70s.
Any additional information anyone might have would be appreciated. I haven’t actually picked up the dulcimer yet. I’ll be retrieving it from my in-laws in Texas in April.
thanks,
paula
Thanks Geoff,
I had seen it but didn’t know the website belonged to someone here in FOTMD. It’s good to know there are still other North Country Dulcimers out there!
cheers,
paula
I actually found a really cool picture but it’s on Flickr and I don’t want to either join Flickr or download it without permission and proper acknowledgment of the builder.
it was a cigar box dulci-cello and looks pretty nicely executed.
I was actually surprised I didn’t see more different ones. It seems such a reasonable mating.
cheers,
paula
I’d love to play a bowed dulcimer. I am currently taking cello lessons. I imagine with a dulcimer set up with a curved fingerboard and say ddaD tuning; you could either play the dd, the a, or the D or you could double stop and play the dda or the aD strings. I wonder if an old cello fingerboard could be turned into a dulcicello.
Dang. Now I may have to go invent something. Someone stop me!!!!
Cheers,
paula
What a great anecdote Ken! Robert seems like he was a sweet guy. I know he worked with special needs kids too. I was able to find an article about him and his wife Yvonne online in an old issue of Dulcimer Players News. I don’t know if he’s still around anywhere. I found a LinkedIn profile for him but it hasn’t been updated in quite some time. I sent him a message but if he’s anything like me he doesn’t really pay attention to LinkedIn.
Nate, she does seem a sweet dulcimer. She’s the only one I’ve ever played so I don’t have much to compare with. I trying to play all my instruments more. I’m on a bit of a kick. I’ve played guitar for years, strictly amateur. I’ve been taking cello lessons for about a year and have just recently been teaching myself tin whistle. I can easily pick out songs on the dulcimer tuned ddaD but want to work on taking it to the next level.
I need to build a case for her. My wife and I are moving to Europe next year and all of my instruments need to have solid cases. She’s the only one that doesn’t. (Actually, I also have a harmonium from the 1840s but that’s a subject for a different forum!) I’ve seen a couple dulcimer cases on eBay but the dimensions don’t work. Luckily I have a workshop and so knocking one out that will work shouldn’t be too bad.
hope everyone is having a lovely weekend,
paula
I was able to actually find a used copy of “Irish Music for the Mountain Dulcimer “ by Robert Hutchinson online and it’s wending it’s way towards me even as we speak.
im very excited to know the origins of my dulcimer and learn more about the story of its maker.
paula
By Jove, I believe you're right! And, I was able to find a great number of references to him, his wife Yvonne and their dulcimers. It's too bad there's no trace of a label. I'd love to know what year etc. it was made. It looks like he was featured in Dulcimer Player's News several times and actually wrote a book about playing Irish music on the Mountain Dulcimer.
We're currently fostering this fellow. His name is Gary. Bull Terrier.
Cheers,
Paula
I've had this dulcimer for about 30+ years. It was a pawn shop acquisition. I imagine it was most likely homemade but it seems nicely done. I've never seen one exactly like it especially the standing bridge. Any info someone might have would be lovely.
Thanks,
Paula
