Forum Activity for @strumelia

The site is supposed to go visible/public again in another week or two, as Dusty said.

@Adrian-E, my understanding is that the site has gone "private" but will be made public again within a few weeks.  Members still have access but it is not open to the public and cannot accept new members while in private mode.

Great job................

I was doing pretty good cutting back on the carbs until this week.............then disaster..........."Apfelstrudel mit Radler"

Rick Long makes the most elegant psaltery bows!  I still have two beautiful walnut bows he made for me years ago when I had a redwood psaltery of his.

I have also heard of black cherry for gout.

Well, y'all are still killin' it!  YER AWESOME!  I missed last Friday due to a BIG splinter, did a seated workout on Monday that was harder than the standing ones~HA!, and I have a plan to get another HASfit in tonight and Saturday.  Still slowly progressing, knees doing well, low back pain is a bother at times.

Just came by to drool over it again.  ~sigh~  Methinks I'm jealous! 

That's all I found, too, Dan. It would be wonderful to know how many dulcimers he made and who has them. I first heard his name when this dulcimer showed up for sale at Cotten Music in Nashville.

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Welcome Marcel!  Sound like you're off to a good start with the dulcimer!  It is, of course, the American cousin of the Dutch Hommel/Hommeltje, and can be played in that traditional manner as well as the modern "Bing Futch" style.  Enjoy your journey.

Caoineadh Cu Chulainn (Lament) by Bill Whalen on the Riverdance album. 

You can find the same thing played by Davy Spillane on YouTube.

There's a luthier 45 miles north of Portland in Longview WA (where I live). http://advancedguitarrepair.com

If you want to do the repairs yourself, it's not very difficult, but does require some time and attention. I adjusted the action on two dulcimers recently: one I had put together from a 46-year old Black Mountain kit (which presented several problems) using their directions and a Folkcraft walnut kit assembled by a guy near Salem OR who didn't follow the instructions as close as he should have. I also am working on a not-so-well-made walnut dulcimer my wife and I bought in TN about 20 years ago. I'm changing the headstock, removing the frets, planing the fretboard, and installing new frets. The fret removal requires a fret puller and chip stopper (see link below) to get them out without damaging the wood, I'm ordering those now. Installation of new frets is not difficult unless you're changing their positions, which requires a fret saw (which I recently bought along with some fret wire from Folkcraft).

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Necks_and_Fingerboards/Chip_Stoppers_Set_of_2.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=2019-06-gp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp7DPiKn24gIVBspkCh3RMgIfEAQYBCABEgJCLPD_BwE

Hi all,

Marcel, 47 years old, from the Netherlands, married, 5 children, ages: from 14 to 26, senior java software engineer by profession.
Playing, collecting and listening to music are my main hobbies. I play bass guitar for 12 years, a little double bass and acoustic guitar (campfire level) and synths.

I found, by randomly watching movies on you tube; Bing Futch and like his work. So I bought an beginner dulcimer to see if it is something that I would enjoy. I have a Roosebeck Grace 4 string. It looks good, sounds nice and the string height and intonation is ok. I think it's a great instrument to start with and already enjoying learning the first songs from Jeffrey A. Lambert's books. For theory I've bought Bing Futch 's Method For Beginning Mountain Dulcimer.

Marcel

Thank you, Dusty. I'm finding my way around...I appreciate the guidance.

Hi @retomas.  It sounds like you have a really nice instrument there.  I would be surprised if no one around this site has any information for you.

FYI: I moved your post from the Site Questions Forum, which is for questions about how to use the site itself, to a Forum on specific instruments and specific luthiers.  That way your discussion will be easier to find.

And it shouldn't be hard just to reduce the size of your photos before posting. The free editing software that comes with most PCs or even most phones should be able to do that easily.  

I was fortunate enough to find a very nice Ray Branson four string Dulcimer. It was made by Ray in 1987. It is inscribed inside, but I cannot make out all of the writing. I have found very little information about Ray or his dulcimer. 

If anyone has anything to say about Ray Branson, I would appreciate your information. I was not able to attach pictures because the files are too big! The instrument has a very nice scrolled walnut headstock with slot, cedar top, mahogany or rosewood sides, mahogany or rosewood fingerboard,  cherry back.

I may be wrong about the sides and finger board, but I am probably close.

I plays and sounds very excellent. Thank you, thank you...

I find if I ride often I can quickly build myself up to longer distances each time. Land here is flat so its easier for me... Robert.

Bobby, you might want to reduce your rate of increase a little- adding 1 mile per week, or 1.5 mi per week gives your body a chance to build the muscles and gain the aerobic strength it needs for the increases.    :) 

That wood is so nice.  Love the upside-down hearts! 

What a BEAUTY!

It sounds like Angus left you with many wonderful memories.  Sorry he had to go, but know he'll be waiting for you with all 4 legs on the other side.

Thank you Dan.

$400 - $500

I found out that someone I know has an Edd Presnell dulcimer made back in 1969.  It's curly maple and looks like a walnut fret board.  I haven't seen it in person, but she sent some pics.  She has had it for years but never really played it - mostly used as decoration.  She may be willing to sell it to me.  My question is how much would be a reasonable price to offer for this dulcimer?  I know it's probably hard to say without seeing it, but it appears to be in good shape.  I just want to make a fair offer and would love to have this one if she agrees to sell it.  Thanks for any suggestions.

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Yes, Black Cherry can help..........I suspect you need to drink more water since your weight loss may be contributing to those crystals forming in your joints. 

Big hug, Paul.

Yes, we'll be heading for southern Sweden (Skåne) in 3 weeks. :)

I'm sorry about Angus, Paul.  Pets are family.  

Sorry to hear about Angus. He was a pretty dog.

Sad news. The other Tuesday (4 June) we had our Sheltie, Angus, put down. He developed cancer in the late summer of 2016. The next spring his right front leg was amputated. He coped well with that, but tore the ACL in his right rear leg, was operated on and had a pretty good recovery, but then he tore the left rear ACL. Recovery from that wasn't so good. He limped and didn't walk much. We had carpets covering most of the hardwood floors to keep him from slipping and falling. Then, this spring, he developed a hacking cough. We took him in to be put down several weeks ago, but they diagnosed it as bronchitis. But, despite the meds, the cough wouldn't go away. Finally, the Mrs. couldn't stand to see him in pain/discomfort any more. It was a quick, painless death, and he's not suffering now.

When I was in the hospital in September, a fellow patient asked how long Angus had had his cancer. When I told him it was two years (at that time) he, a veterinarian, was amazed. He said most dogs last six months. When Angus was first diagnosed, our vets said that it was a very aggressive cancer and they weren't sure he'd last the six months. Angus was always eager to please, but, when it came to his survival, he was one tough dog. Even with his bad legs, he still tried to herd the squirrels.

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@tssfulk I imagine Bosse may be getting to spend time outdoors soon.  

@David-Bennett Did Sally play Gray Cat on a Tennessee Farm? 

Sally checking out the dulcimore Dulcimore Dan made for me

It's a beauty, have fun playing it!  :D

This has been a busy thread, and I love it!  I so agree that it is INSPIRING!  Thank you all for sharing so much of yourselves.  

Today equals a month of working out with HASfit~just 15 mins., 3X a week, senior vids.  Yesterday the kids and I went to the park and walked some wooded trails.  My knees and balance would not have been able to handle the unevenness of the terrain just a few weeks ago, but I was able to hop over creeks even!  So big improvement over such a short time.  (I tell myself if I can't get 15 mins. in, I'm a scrub!  HA HA HA!)  I am looking forward to increasing when I'm ready.

@slate-creek-dulcimers, I miss your fat bike updates!