Those ring splints do look kind of cool, Dana, but they also cost. The tape is cheap. I would stick with it, especially since it has worked for you in the past.
By the way, anytime I am tempted to post about pain in my fretting hand that prevents me (temporarily) from playing, I anticipate a message from Ken extolling the virtues of the noter.
Sorry so late w these pics of my capo.
Hahaha, you're funny, Ken. Not coming to the dark side. I have noters but taping has made the world of difference. I can play for hours and hours and have no pain the next day. Immobilizing is what needs to happen and the tape works, just didn't know if anyone had used the finger ring splint things.
D -- you just need to come over to the Dark Side! I'll send you a noter so you can get started; it's free (and pain free), not a spendy silver wire magic ring . . .
Lisa that was the face I saw, have I gone senile?
I have a bit of arthritis in the first joint of my middle finger/left hand. The more I chord, the more irritated it gets, so I tape it to immobilize it. I just saw on a few sites these sterling silver wired finger splints. They almost look like cool rings that can be worn down on that dip joint.
Has anyone ever used one? How well does it work to immobilize the joint? I'm not giving up playing for sure, but I need to get creative on holding that one joint in place!
After clicking on the 'hamburger' mobile menu icon, when you see the dropdown links appear...if you then click on the dropdown link of your NAME, it will take you to your profile page. Remember, you'll click on your profile page TABS- the Video Tab, to see your videos. To add a new vid, when on that same video profile page (of YOUR videos), click on the Plus "+" button to add a new video.
JH- This is only for when you are on your iPad Tablet: when on FOTMD look for this icon in upper corner and click on it to show the links menu:
See !.......it starts, upper left where ?
never gonna get another vid up at this rate !!!
JohnH
Cynthia, don't you agree that they might have also included this photo of John Henry?... 
heh heh
My oh my John you handsome handsome marvelous man you! Isn't this just the way it should be seeing you on that cover!
I know I've written this elsewhere on the internet already, but I wanted to write it here also - congrats John Henry! Great achievement.
A new iPad?? My oh my, you are more up to date than I now, JH! 
Be aware that I've set the site so that tablets use the typical smartphone 'hamburger' style dropdown menu to save screen space. Look for the funny square button in upper left and when you click on it, all the site links will show in a dropdown column on the left.
I'm hoping that somehow it's made sure JohnHenry receives two physical copies of that DPN issue?- one for himself and one for his son...maybe his grandson too? A wonderful family heirloom to be passed down to future generations!
The music will always be in you John and I know your Mary will be glad to hear you play again as will all at FOTMD. We think and talk of you quiet a lot here in Ireland John, Mary is afraid that you might not want to talk to us, now that you are so famous. Best wishes from us both. Val.
John,
I hope the songs you've held in your heart through the years can ring again, be a balm to your spirit.
Mark informed me my DPN arrived-- I should get to see it come Sunday. :)
While Dan Landrum is a great photographer, he's no magician-- you made a handsome subject!
xxx
Chuckle................don't be misled by the extraordinary skills shown by Dan Lundrum when wielding a camera..............he very nearly managed to make a 'silk purse out of a sows ear' on this occasion ! I have'nt seem the article in question, so cannot reply to your comment KenH, except to say I'm still learning to play.
Have been in a black place for the last few months, lost any music in me, but have booked for a week of dulcimer stuff in May, only problem is it coincides with the time Mary left the house and never came back ???
Lisa, don't despair, I have just purchased an iPad, so maybe in the future I shall be back to normal asking 'how do I' questions, and Val........
I had bet money that Ireland would upset our apple cart !!!
There is some great stuff being posted here, a privilege to be able to hear it, thanks to all concerned for the sharing
JohnH
I see that! Got my issue today.
Poor feller; had to whittle his first dulcimer out of a Sycamore timber so he could learn to play...
Careful, he's wielding a knife!
Big congratulations to dear John Henry Crocker 
He's looking great, love it.
Thank you, Salt Springs!
of the new Dulcimer Player News! <3
PS- Having tech woes and can't upload the link. :(
Greg, so true! One would hope that a maker would allow sufficient width of a staple fret to accommodate either string, if it were built intended to service a pair of strings. But you're right- in our non-perfect world it's a point to watch for when choosing which melody string to remove.
Subversive Jesus by Craig Greenfield, and A Creative Minority: Influencing Culture Through Redemptive Participation by Jon Tyson.
I agree with Lisa with one exception. If you are playing a dulcimer that has staple-style frets, you will want to keep the string that is most centered over the frets. These partial frets have a tendency to let the string slide right off the fret. Not a problem with full-width frets, but annoying when playing over partial frets. That being said, most reproductions utilizing staple-style frets or partial frets are built with only three strings, so what to do with the extra melody string is not an issue.
I agree! For noter playing , keep the melody string on that is closest to you and the edge of the fret board. 
In most cases, Elidh, it will be the string closest to you. If you played across all the strings, you would want the remaining three strings to be equidistant from one another. But if you are playing noter/drone, then there is no harm in having the melody string a bit further from the other two.
I'm reading Ordinary Grace, by William Kent Krueger. Pretty good so far.
I'm reading some things on family genealogy, Henry the Fifth by Shakespeare, and a series of books about a fat vampire. Great for a laugh. And generally anything that doesn't move and has words printed on it. If I don't have a book in one hand, my Nook is in the other.
Thanks everyone for your kind responses. Your are wonderful and supportive community. John
Thanks for sharing that poem John.It is beautiful. I'm adding it to my collection of dulcimer related literature.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Very nice poem. By looking at the lines carefully due to the spacing, I could read the poem which gives a sense of time and space that I think was intended with this particular poem and its form. They are often hard to duplicate in certain venues; especially, a place like Facebook is really difficult as I have put poems on there from poets who were having a birthday and the poems never duplicate very well in the form for which it was written and intended.
But alas, it is poetry and it should be written, read, and heard.
Lumber/Limber Jacks (tree choppers) are/were somewhat common here, but we still have fun with them. You could always make a dancing Swagman/Bushranger/Ned Kelly!!!
Thanks perhaps I will, but Kangaroos are somewhat common place here.
I had thought of a dog but I think a man of some sort first. Will definitely work on a design for a Roo.
Thanks All!
That's wonderful, John! Thanks so much for sharing that.
You've got to make a "dancing kangaroo" limberjack!
Omg Ken- great idea! 
You've got to make a "dancing kangaroo" limberjack!
