Check out this article that Lil Rev wrote in Dulcimer Players News about a year-and-a-half ago. He's got pretty simple tab in a DAC tuning.
Hi! Does anyone have a tab (or know where I could find one) for the song Swannanoa Tunnel? I know it from Paul Clayton's dulcimer album, but apparently there are other versions with different names- Swannanoa Town and Asheville Junction. So if you have a tab for a song with any of those names it's probably what I'm looking for!
Thanks in advance folks!
...and the nearer to the end of the roll, we learn to treasure each sheet that much more....
God be with you, my friend.
I just wanted to say thank you to all who sent me their condolences about losing Ms. Noni. I truly appreciate it. And thanks again this experience is one that I would not like to repeat again, way too draining. I guess it's time to close that chapter and move on. Perhaps they're right about life being like a roll of toilet paper the closer you get to the end the faster it goes. Thanks again everyone.
I love my Blue Lions! (Two of mine were bought used and Bob and Janita Baker made modifications to the instruments for me.) Wishing you the best in selling yours!
Currently seven ... or eight ... something like that. Including a Bernd Krause, a Tom Yocky, a Farkleberry Farm Steam Dulcimer Works ... I'm 72 and there have been so many that have come and gone ... and I'm not done yet :-)
I see this thread has been dormant for many years. Does anyone know how to contact Mary? The last phone number I had reached a car dealer!
I am saddened by your loss. Pets, especially dogs, are wonderful friends and family. They endear themselves to us right from the start. Please know that I share your grief.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I can feel the sadness in your post, because we've had to say goodbye to many family dogs. It's so very difficult. We've experienced the same emptiness. I can also understand the need to express your feelings in words. Thank you for sharing. My heart goes out to you. Take care of yourself during this difficult time. Noni was such a beautiful girl.
There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.
Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart for a dog to tear.
When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet's unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find–it's your own affair–
But ... you've given your heart to a dog to tear.
When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!),
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone–wherever it goes–for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear!
We've sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent,
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we've kept 'em, the more do we grieve;
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-time loan is as bad as a long–
So why in–Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?
Noni was a beautiful little girl and my heart is with you, Lilley Pad. At our house, dogs are family. <3
All our dogs who have died still live in our hearts and I imagine all dog lovers feel the same way.
Take care. I hope making some music can bring you comfort.
I know this is not the right Forum but I just needed to vent I apologize
NO NONI Goodbye my old friend
It looks like it's a sad day for me. Today Friday I had to say good-bye to my roommate and friend for the last 11 years. She will no longer lie next to the door waiting for me to come home. She will no longer wake me up in the morning to let me know that she wants to go outside to go to the bathroom. I think I will truly miss her. I know we are all going down that path. Today I decided to make today our last special day. I threw her in the sidecar on the motorcycle. We went to the park so she could walk around a little bit and she could sniff at the rocks, the grass, and explore little white dots on the sidewalk to see if it was something edible. and just watch the world go by, then we went to the vet to say goodbye.On the table at the Vets office when she was being sedated she gave me a little kiss. Goodbye Mis. Noni I will truly miss you. It's been fun. I hope you enjoyed the life you had with me.
Last night when I was in bed trying to fall asleep, and I reached over there was just no Noni. When I hear the wind and the noises in the house, just no Noni. When I look at the doorways to see if she's peeking around the corner there's just no Noni. At the front door waiting for me to come home there's just no Noni. When I'm at the table eating I look down at my feet and there's just no Noni. There's just no Noni.
This morning the sun is creeping up over the hills. It looks like it's going to be a very nice day today. I guess that the birds and the grass just haven't heard that I have lost my old friend. I decided to go to the park for a walk. I think I'm just looking for a lost spirit.
I find myself still looking out the window into the backyard. no Noni. When I get in the car I look over at the passenger seat no Noni
I think writing this stuff down is helping me work things out. I hope I'm not boring everybody,I just felt the need to do this. Why No Noni.
I'm pretty much in agreement with John, a combination of heat softening of the glue and string tension resulted in separation of the "flat head." I would guess that there is little other structural damage.
You have three clear choices, (1) a very expensive "restoration" (2) a repair to playing condition (3) giving or selling it to someone who would repair or restore it. Don't throw it in the trash, at least give it to Goodwill where it would find a new home.
McSpadden instruments can have a variety of signatures, even if factory assembled. From the shaping or the sound holes, I'd say a kit is a good guess.
It may need new "bridge", spacer, strings, and tuners, but McSpadden can readily supply them. The re-gluing is pretty much a handyman project, not lutherie, and you might want to make it a DYI job. If I was doing the repair, I'd probably keep the discoloration and the story.
In any case, it is always a good time to get another instrument.
Oh, I am so very sorry you had a house fire!
My concern is repair would be very expensive. Thus, you may be better-off looking for another instrument.
Take care. Sending best wishes!
Amazing how it got so scorched, and without touching the case! Just kidding. I hope all are doing well since the fire.
I don't know of any luthiers near Nashville, but I'm sure there are many. As for the cost, well that could get "interesting"...Depending on what you are looking for. Fully restored to like new, will cost you probably much more than it is worth. Returning it to functionality, with all its scars and stories intact will be much more affordable. It "looks" as though the scorching may not go thoroughly through the entire depth of the woods, so other than some thinness in places, and a bit of stabilization, things should work out well.
It looks as though you are correct about the head/glue joint. The heat and string tension made it lose it's mind....Personally, I love instruments that tell a story, give a glimpse into the history. Makes the songs that much sweeter. Just wait till you play Johnny Cash "Ring of fire".......epic!
Hello all! Hope you're doing well. I've posted on FOTMD a couple times in the past, most recently for advice about what to look for when buying my first wooden dulcimer secondhand. I wish I was back under better circumstances, but I'm now looking for advice about what to do with an instrument that was sadly damaged in a devastating house fire (pic attached).
I don't know much about this dulcimer since I got it on Facebook Marketplace from someone who was unfamiliar with the instrument, but it's been suggested to me that it was built from home from a McSpadden kit because the case is McSpadden but there's a different signature inside. The head is intact but has come off as you can see (we're thinking the glue melted in the heat) and the upper area of the instrument is a bit scorched. I live in Nashville, TN — any suggestions for a good luthier in the area? Or is this enough damage that I should just get a new instrument? Thanks so much for your help!
Five. One is a kit dulcimer by Cedar Creek. It all began when I ordered an antique Fishtail Dulcimer by Hughes in the mid 70's. The next three are home builds by myself and more to come.
Some would think I'm going in the wrong direction.....I was at 7, now I'm down to 5. I had a couple dulcimers that weren't getting the play time, so I moved them on to folks who would give them the love they deserved. We did pick up a new Folkcraft for my husband, since he's decided to learn. So, the household is officially at 6.
Some would think I'm going in the wrong direction.....I was at 7, now I'm down to 5. I had a couple dulcimers that weren't getting the play time, so I moved them on to folks who would give them the love they deserved. We did pick up a new Folkcraft for my husband, since he's decided to learn. So, the household is officially at 6.
Some would think I'm going in the wrong direction.....I was at 7, now I'm down to 5. I had a couple dulcimers that weren't getting the play time, so I moved them on to folks who would give them the love they deserved. We did pick up a new Folkcraft for my husband, since he's decided to learn. So, the household is officially at 6.
This is a long video, but as a contra dancer, I found it fascinating. It's about the history of folk dancing in America (English country dancing, contra dance, and Morris dancing)- specifically centering around the Pinewoods dance camp in Plymouth, MA. Amazing that famed ballad collector Cecil Sharp taught and promoted traditional dance there, among many others over the years. It's cool to learn about how the dance traditions at the camp evolved greatly over the decades from when it was established in 1933 towards what it is today.
A lot of dulcimer players have a natural interest in and fondness for the Child ballads, the narrative songs collected and categorized by Francis James Childs in nine volumes entitled The English and Scottish Popular Ballads . Smithsonian/Folkways has curated a playlist of 25 of these ballads, including one by our spiritual godmother, Jean Ritchie.
The Folkways website has links to Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube: https://folkways.si.edu/playlist/child-ballads?mc_cid=fa2fdd795f&mc_eid=1abbbf21aa
Nate, you're welcome. I like having a visual reference.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I change both string gauge and string layout pretty often on my dulcimers, and I prefer floating bridges for how adaptable they are.
As Dusty mentioned, when a bridge is fixed into place, it is intonated for specific string gauges, and if you use different gauges, the string will be slightly imprecise in it's intonation.
In my opinion, when someone understands how to adjust their floating bridge based on the string gauge, they have a lot more freedom to use different strings, and therefore different tunings, while still sounding harmonious.
Also, if the bridge isn't fixed into place, it's easier to swap out different bridges for different string arrangements.
Ken that's a great visual reference, thanks.
Here is a photo of fret placements for different intonations on a mountain dulcimer fretboard. It is from Bobby Ratliff over at TTMD.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Yes. Happy Halloween
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Hi kids, sorry to bother everybody. I'm still working on my education here. My question this time is it has to do with equal intonation versus just intonation. If I understand this whole thing right, most modern dulcimers are set up for Equal intonation (Temperament) . Is that right?
And the difference has to do with where the Frets are placed? 
Oh before I forget Happy Halloween (Samhain)
They are a good buy and the sound is good. My friend has two and they are both good sounding dulcimers. I use to help out in a Dulcimer shop and that sold them and I help sell and played them often. I would definitely say the price is on the lower end but well worth it and that's just my opinion.
I'm sorry but I didn't notice this short posting/query until today. My wife has a TK O'Brien Walnut Creek dulcimer she bought maybe 8 or 10 years ago. It sounds beautiful and it looks beautiful- walnut body and butternut top.
Thanks. I wanted to change the price to $2000 or best offer.
Hi Old Dawg... what is it you want to edit? I can probably help you out. Or, you can always add a new post to your existing thread, such as "This item no longer for sale"... or "I'm reducing the price to ___". That will bump the thread up to be newly visible again in any case. Let me know if i can help!
Wow, a great deal for someone. I have a few Blue Lions and the intonation is always perfect. Best of luck selling (and buying).
I have decided to sell my Blue Lion model IIRS; Style II, “R" for East Indian Rosewood back and sides; “S” for Brass Rosette soundhole covers. Come with the original hard case
East Indian Rosewood back, sides and scroll peghead; the soundboard is Western red cedar; the fingerboard is Honduran mahogany as are the insides of the peghead; the fretboard overlay is East Indian Rosewood.
The VSl is 26.25” originally strung with .012/.012; .014; .024w bronze wound strings. The nut and saddle slotted to accommodate either doubled melody or four equidistant string spacing.
top of the line planetary tuners. The reason I am selling it is I have decided to try to buy a Terry McCaffery all electric chromatic or a Resonator with a built-in pick-up and preamp.
$1,000 + Shipping
Jon Lilley email JonLilley49@gmail.com
The disadvantage of a floating bridge is that it is easily moved as John pointed out. I've known folks to lose them when changing strings because they took all the strings off rather than doing it one at a time. Also changing strings may move the bridge a little and throw everything off which requires a little time and effort to correct. I've built dulcimers; some with fixed as some with floating bridges. As I builder I prefer the fixed bridge.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
