Forum Activity for @hugssandi

WOOHOOO!!!  ~this is wonderful~  Congrats to all winners!!!

I cannot wait to see that M.D. case!!!  I finally sewed the inner lining to mine today, but I have not attached it and will also need to crochet a strap and drawstring top....

ken,

I was trying to tune higher from middle string A up to c or d (Fcff or Gdgg) I couldn't turn the 14 that high but the string gage said could do 11. But I think the slot was not meant for an 11, so I changed back to 14 and retuned back to DAdd.

I guess the way I learn the dulcimer is by trying and doing and then re-doing. I had tried putting a bit of paper in the slot but the string still had a ring so just decided to go back to what this dulcimer was design for, a 14. I wasn't ready to fill and recut a slot. 

Thanks, all fixed for now was just trying and learning

m.

Not sure what you mean by "ringing," Marg. If you had a .014 in before and went to a .011, I am sure the string is moving in the slot as you strum it. Do you want a permanent fix or temporary? String choices vary buy the vibrating string string length and note you want to tune the string to. The choice of .011 seems light if you are tuning to the standard A note used on dulcimers. Let me know which one you want to do and I will try to explain it.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

The design is very close to the Tennessee models. (Bill Davis for one) Looks close to a Milford Blevins piece? And there were more than one Presnell making instruments. I will double check the pieces we have in the morning.

Well, I already congratulated you over at Everything Dulcimer, but why not here as well? So, CONGRATULATIONS, MARK! You did well and so did Cassandra and Wendy. Congrats to all you.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

It sure looks nice; I'd love to hear it.  Maybe Jerry Rockwell might know something about the maker?

I don't believe it is.  Never saw one of his like that.  If there's no label, I'd say it's not a Presnell, at least not an Edd Presnell.

 Congratulations, and well deserved!

Steven

Good on you Mark, this is well deserved!

More piccies to add tomorrow as I'm finally making my M.D case from an exercise mat and covering it with material!

That is the question, being told they think it's an Edd Presnell, but from what I've been seeing, Presnell dulcimers look to be hour glass shape, this is that fiddleside type.

 To me it looks much more like a Bill Davis, but it doesn't have the edge that sticks out over the side, (Can't recall what that's called), like Davis's others, also there is no signature inside or engraved on the back like his others.

 The only thing they are basing the Presnell call on it, is a business card they found with it, see photos.

 Any opinion?? 

 Thanks folks!!

 aa.jpg - 94KB

Congrats Mark, nice job!

Huzzah!  

This is beautiful, top and bottom!  Have never heard of the maker, though.

I'm wondering if the top could be sour gum.

Congratulations, Mark!  Thanks for sharing your songs with us!

Wow, Mark!  So proud of you!  You've always been a winner in my book!  Bask in the glory--you'll always be a champ!

I am very pleased to report that I won the 2016 National Dulcimer Competition at Winfield.  Second place went to Cassandra Damper and third went to Wendy Songe.

Mark Gilston
http://markgilston.com/

Thanks all,

Here are videos of the four tunes I played in the competition.

Grigsby’s Hornpipe:

Mark Gilston
http://markgilston.com/

 Winfield winners 50.jpeg - 148KB

Pretty Fabulous, I hope this man strings it up and lets it sing. It would be wonderful to hear it.

Congrats, Mark.  An honor long overdue.

We are excited about your win Mark! Thanks for representing our "Sweet Strings"!

Congratulations, Mark, on your win at Winfield!  

I've played n/d on 3, 4 and 5 string dulcimers and I've borrowed a 6-string once in a while.  I haven't felt the need to adapt my strumming except for one thing: how the number of strings (and how they're tuned) affects the sound balance between melody vs drones. 

If you're used to a typical 4-string setup (with a doubled melody course) then you're used to hearing 2 melody strings and 2 drones.  If you try a typical 6-string with three doubled courses, you'll have 2 melody strings and 4 drones.  Which might seem like too many drones. If the drones are (ahem) droning out the melody then you'll want to adjust your strum.  Angle the pick so you're strumming the melody string(s) harder than the drones.  Don't feel compelled to strum across all the strings at every strum, either.

If you're used to a 3-string, then maybe a 6-string won't be a big change.  There are a lot of possible 6-string setups and tunings.  I guess the only real answer is listen while you strum and adapt as you like. 

Ha!  I knew there was a good reason I was up in the middle of the night!

Great seeing Bubbles again!

Two lovely backup singers!  Delightful... and yet... terrifying.  You may become famous for this one.  Watch out. 

I have a middle string that rings. Could it be too thin of a string for that slot? I change from a 14 to 11. If it's moving in the slot, do I put something in the slot with it, or go back to the 14 size string and don't try tuning so high?

thanks

Loved it Dusty.

Ken

"The dulcimer whoops a sweet song."

Pretty KEEN, Patty...

Cool stuff, Patty!  All of us with that particular spelling are related somewhere down the line (or so I'm told).

I saw this on ED and thought I would share it here. I was going to post in the build discussions but I thought everyone would be interested in seeing this. Someone brought a vintage Virginia dulcimer to the Antiques Roadshow. It was appraised between $3,000 and $5,000.  It interesting to see what the appraiser says about this piece. Notice the fret across the sound hole on the fretboard. The appraiser's last name is Keane. Is that a coincidence or what? LOL

Here is the link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/season/18/richmond-va/appraisals/appalachian-dulcimer-ca-1880--201308A20

HA!  ~greatest video everrrrr, Dusty~  :)

Beach pics have a way of making you see what you don't wanna.  :(  This morning I did a 20-minute, PowerFit Harmony workout.

.

And now presenting . . . for the first time anywhere (except when they made the recording) . . . Dusty and the Millennial Whoopers!

Paula, happy to look at it during the next jam,..., when is that exactly?  It almost sounds like your fretboard is warped.  If you have a good straight edge, usually a metal ruler 18" or longer will do, place it on the frets between the strings without touching the nut or saddle.  The straight edge should touch all of the frets.  See if the straightedge rocks on the center frets.  It so, the fret board may have bowed out and is causing your problem.  It doesn't sound like your fretboard bowed inward as you said the action is too high by the upper frets, not the middle.

Yes, Arnold did retire. However, I just had my 1978 dulcimer in there and Joe Konkoly did the work....superb!! He's also the Repair Shop Manager. Like I said earlier, the guys in the repair shop are the ONLY ones who touch my instruments. Joe said he and a couple others are now doing the dulcimer work. A dulcimer really isn't that complicated compared the other work they do. They know their stuff. It does cost money, but sometimes a little investment will ensure the work is done right and will result in you bring a very happy camper rather than a frustrated one.

Might be easiest to start over with a new Nut and Bridge.

Hey Ken,   It does have new strings.  I had a luthier try to set it up at a festival.   The strings are really high over the upper (meaning 7 and higher) frets so I asked him to set it up.  He lowered the bridge and then he said the strings started to hit the frets, so he then put a shim under the bridge.   Now the strings on the higher frets are way high again, and it sounds twangy when you play it...  ugh...   I could take it to Elderly's, I did hear the guy who did all the dulcimer work left.  Not just anyone can work on a dulcimer and do it well.  Not to mention they are not cheap.  However, it probably does need to see a luthier again... as I certainly could mess it up more!   :)