Glynda, Thank you very much for posting. I have an all cherry mcspadden and an MMD in Redwood/Walnut. I like the shorter scale length of the MMD, and I also want to keep the Cherry for its sound, but would sure like a little shorter scale length. Sue at McSpadden said there is no discernible difference in sound or tone since the body size is the same on both the 26 VSL and the 28.6. So why not go shorter, is what I'm thinking. Plus after going through a couple sets of strings I'm not loving the scroll head on my McSpadden....thinking that nice flat head looks awfully good! :)

Sarah....would love to hear your David Lynch...have you recorded it yet?

Thanks again,

Cheryl

I was looking at McSpadden's site today and saw they make a 26" VSL dulcimer with the same body as the 28.5" VSL. Has anyone played these...I'm wondering if there is a difference in sound, volume, tone?? I think I would love the shorter scale length, but not at the expense of sound.

Thanks!!

CJ

Hi Wayne

Thanks for the reply

The dulcimersounds great, and looks like it has been in the case for the last 35 years and never played.

Its a pain in the neck to tune with the friction tuners though.

Thanks again for the help.

Wayne Jiang said:

Hi Ed,

I talked to Steve Palazoo today got some info on your dulcimer. Steve is now a guitar teacher in Santa Cruz. In the late 70's and 80's he worked for Folkroots, the dulcimer company in Felton (near Santa Cruz) and he also worked for Santa Cruz guitar company. According to him there was a dulcimer maker in Santa Cruz named Ray Popelka in the early 70's. From what he described your dulcimer your dulcimer looks very much like Ray's dulcimer. Ray also taught how to make dulcimer thru Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation in the early 70's. Steve told me his girlfriend in high school had a Ray Popelka dulcimer in 1973. According to Steve, Ray is now living in Colorado.

Hi Ed,

I talked to Steve Palazoo today got some info on your dulcimer. Steve is now a guitar teacher in Santa Cruz. In the late 70's and 80's he worked for Folkroots, the dulcimer company in Felton (near Santa Cruz) and he also worked for Santa Cruz guitar company. According to him there was a dulcimer maker in Santa Cruz named Ray Popelka in the early 70's. From what he described your dulcimer your dulcimer looks very much like Ray's dulcimer. Ray also taught how to make dulcimer thru Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation in the early 70's. Steve told me his girlfriend in high school had a Ray Popelka dulcimer in 1973. According to Steve, Ray is now living in Colorado.

Very interesting. This does not have the body shape of a Folkroots/Capritaurus dulcimer. I'll ask Howard Rugg if he knows Ray Watkins.

Have more info and a pic. I bought the dulcimer and on the inside is "Popelka #122, Ray Watkins, June 1975, Santa Cruz Ca." It doesnt look like it has ever been played.

I found out the ad on CL was misspelled, it is a Popelka Dulcimer and the luthier is Ray

Watkins. The plot thickens

Thanks everyone for your input

Ed

One more thing. You might want to contact Howard Rugg about this. Howard is one of my friends In FOTMD. He started and ran Folkroots dulcimer the time your dulcimer was made

Wayne Jiang said:

I know a few luthiers in Santa Cruz. a lot of them made one of two dulcimers at one point in the 70's. The otherpossibilityis it could be build by one of the employee of Folkroots or Capritaurus dulcimers in Felton, Ca which is just few miles from Santa Cruz. Folkroots and Capritaurus was biggest dulcimer producer at the time in California if not the west coast in the late 70's.

Can you post picture of it. If it has body like the Folkroot/Capritaurus there is a good chance it was made in Felton.

Ed Day said:

Made 1978, dont have a luthier name.

Wayne Jiang said:

What year is it made? Do you have the name of the luthier?

I know a few luthiers in Santa Cruz. a lot of them made one of two dulcimers at one point in the 70's. The otherpossibilityis it could be build by one of the employee of Folkroots or Capritaurus dulcimers in Felton, Ca which is just few miles from Santa Cruz. Folkroots and Capritaurus was biggest dulcimer producer at the time in California if not the west coast in the late 70's.

Can you post picture of it. If it has body like the Folkroot/Capritaurus there is a good chance it was made in Felton.

Ed Day said:

Made 1978, dont have a luthier name.

Wayne Jiang said:

What year is it made? Do you have the name of the luthier?

Ed - do you mean Kokopelli? That's the name of one of the Anasazi Spirit people. My dear friend Kerry Coates of Ruidoso, NM was famous for her Kokopelli dulcimer design. Although she's not building anymore, she is performing and doing a lot of other things. Check her out at www.gilamountaindulcimers.com

Sevceral others have made Kokopelli themed dulcimers as well, including Molly McCurdy, Tom Yocky and Bill Webster

Made 1978, dont have a luthier name.

Wayne Jiang said:

What year is it made? Do you have the name of the luthier?

What year is it made? Do you have the name of the luthier?

Does anyone have any information on KopelkaDulcimer made in Santa Cruz, Ca. ??

Google search only came up with on on CL.

I hear ya!!! I have four steel strings and three classical guitars...now three dulcimers. I'm going to join you in the looney bin.....or the poor house! :) Thanks...I get my classicals strings at Just Strings...guess I never looked much further but will on my next string order.

CJ

A lot of folks use Just Strings . A string is a string, after all, whether one calls it a dulcimer string or a guitar string. Just pay attention to whether you want loop end or ball end.

I actually have a deal with a local acoustic music shop. Whenever they place their order for single strings I add to the order. I get a good price and they get a small but reliable profit.

The hard part for me now is that in addition to a few regular-sized dulcimers, I have two octave dulcimers, a baritone dulcimette, and on its way is a full-sized baritone.Even if you don't include a couple of guitars, a mandolin, a couple of ukuleles, and more, I need a certified accountant to keep track of my string needs. It's enough to drive you loonie.

Thank you Dusty. Yes....took a little bit to figure out what was what in terms of string size/tension.

Do you have a place in particular that you can buy in bulk for good prices???

CJ

Cheryl, the gauges you ended up with (12, 14, 24) are what I have come around to using on all my regular-sized dulcimers. Now that you are getting experienced enough to know what your preferences are, I suggest not buying strings in pre-packaged sets and buying them in bulk. You'll save in the long run, especially if you play more than one dulcimer on a regular basis.

Thanks Sylvia....I'm am once again really enjoying the McSpadden....its always been so easy to play but now it sounds even better!

Cheryl, so glad it was an easy fix. I am looking forward to the new video.

YESSSSSSSSSSSS !!!

Glad it worked out. I thought it would and now we get to hear another wonderful song!

Okay so this is crazy. I have a whole new dulcimer. Strung her with Riverlark Dulcimer Strings...very very nice...Purple label. I only use three strings currently so treble is .012 middle-.014 and base is a wound .024. I am floored at the difference. No more buzz or twangle of loose strings when strumming and with finger style the tone is clean and clear. And the instrument is actually sounds louder and rounder. Yay, yippee, yahoo!!! Such a little thing and such a big result. Thank you both for helping me on this, I couldn't' be more pleased!

I'm learning In the Bleak Midwinter today. Hopefully I can record this on the new version of my beautiful McSpadden early this week so you can hear it.

What Sam said! Changing string gauge to increase the tension will make the action (at least seem) higher. I wouldn't do anything to the bridge or nut until you found the best gauge strings for the way it's to be played, then you could play with the bridge height. Remember though, raising the bridge too much, particularly with heavier strings could change the intonation. It may not benoticeableto the ear, but you'll be able to "see" it on a tuner. That's one of the problems I'm having with my Marsh. Get the strings right, intonation is off at the 7th fret. We're now trying to see if it's fret placement or bridge placement. I'm hoping for bridge!

Sam, thanks for those ideas. I used to use paper match sticks to shim my guitar bridges back in the day. I thought it was my own invention .. :) I will try string change first and see what that does, then proceed from there if needed. Heading out to a guitar gig now....back later to fiddle with the dulci. Thanks again!

If the bridge is not glued or afixed solid to the fretboard you could mark it carefully for position, loosen all the stings and slid a shim underneath it (a piece of paper or thing cardboard). If it is solid, you can try tiny pieces of tape in the grooves of the bridge and/or nut. The nut is most likely glued in. One thing you will notice ... if you go to heavier strings, it will raise the action a tiny bit ... the strings won't go quite as far down into the notches and they will be at a higher tension as well. Maybe a combination of two or three small things will give you the action and tension you need. I wouldn't make any real structural changes until I tried the small things that you can do yourself.

Another thought....Is there a way I could raise the action just a tad???

CJ

Thanks guys. I'm not sure what strings came on it, but I'm thinking maybe they are the stock mixolydian strings which are .10 for the first two. I have some .12 plain steel strings I'm going to try out today. I'll report back later! Hopefully they will improve things...I like the sound of the cherry dulci and would hate to part with her.

CJ

Rob's advice is right on. I would also remember that McSpadden and cherry sort of lean toward a softer sound (from my limited experience). Try a set of heavier gauge strings as Rob suggested. I think they will liven up your McSapdden and compliment your playing style.

Sam

Cheryl, sounds like the strings are too light for your style of playing. Use this http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.htm

to determine the basic gauge then add some because this site has it a little too light for my taste.

Ex: vsl=27.5 tune DAd

It says the high d should be a .10; I'd use a .12 'cause I like 'em a little tighter for fingerpicking.

That being said, you know from your classical guitar background that individual guitars like certain strings. My di Georgio hates Augustines. You have to experiment with different gauges and types, bronze for the wound or phospher bronze or steel. Thank goodness we just need 4 and they are cheap. I'm thinking about a wound 3rd on the one I'm keeping in DAAd. Try it 'til it feels good and sounds good too

Rob

I have a question regarding the string tension/guage on my Mcspadden standard cherry dulcimer as compared to my modern mountain dulcimer. My strings feel sloppy and loose on the McSpadden, currently tuned DAD compared to the MMD. (I know, apples and oranges). So I can't strum or pluck too heavily on the McSpadden or the strings clang and buzz...whereas on the MDD I can wail away to my hearts content. Can I put higher tension strings on the McSpadden? Or is it a matter of string gauge, scale length or something else?? There is a lot more room on the MMD to produce different dynamics...loud, soft, etc.....whereas on the McSpadden is limited to playing on the softer side.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Cheryl

What dulcimer tuning did you use to get key of G?

Players may write a song in a key they find easy to compose in, but find they can't sing it in that key. When they record the song, it may end up in a very different key. Another possibility is that the G version was arranged by another person.

Paul

Randy, we enjoyed seeing you again VERY much! Thanks for everything you bring to an event like Dulcimerville. It's folks like you who make it what it is! We miss ya already!

Randy,

Your time at Dulcimerville sounds delightful. (I have an idea of some of what you're feeling because I was privileged to go to Don Pedi's retreat last month; Don is a treasure!)

If I ever get to Dulcimerville, you're one of the first people I'd be searching-out!

Randy, thanks so much for sharing all this with us so we can enjoy the thrill along with you. Sounds wonderful!

Randy, it sounds like you might have had a great time . Wish I could have been there, but week-long seminars are just not do-able for me right now. So I'll just live vicariously through the descriptions you and others have given. Maybe next year will be different, but right now, it doesn't seem like it will be .

I'll have to get Phyllis's book. Love her playing and the sound of the traditional Galax dulcimer

Rob

Someday, Randy, when family, work, and money allow it, I hope to be one of those new friends you meet at Dulcimerville. Everyone seems to returnwith such wonderful stories of music and friendship.

Have a blast! Sounds like you are already.

Our band name is.............. narrowed down to 2. HAHAHAHA. You thought I was going to have it, but no our vote was tied. So we'll have a final vote next week with the winner. Our choices are Blackbird Courting and Pickers Local 151. One of those is our name! Such fun tonight. We've started to sing one a'capella (no idea how to spell that) song that's Irish that is so cool. We plan to sing that while our fiddler is retuning between songs. She only has to retune one time, so we'll get it worked in somewhere in our set. Wish I would have done this years ago. SOOOO FUN!