Forum Activity for @benjamin-w-barr-jr

What a wonderful gift. You are so blessed.

Well I just have to relate the extra special Christmas gift I received this morning...

About 10 days ago a Mystery Package arrived in the mail for me, a long thin sturdy mailing tube with no return address except for a rather cryptic customs stamp and the name "Musical Novelties Company". It also had a warning to not open til Dec 25th, so I just had to wait, wondering.

Finally Christmas morning arrived today!

The generosity and thoughtfulness that went into this gift is overwhelming. I'm still not quite sure it's really real! I hope I will be able to do it justice.

Fotmd member John Henry sent me an epinette des Vosges that he made. !!

He remembered how I had talked of wanting to get an epinette a year or so back, and he knew I admired his skills in both making and playing his own epinettes. How incredibly kind and sweet of him to send such a wonderful gift. It's hard to express how delighted, amazed, and humbled I feel. But I know I will enjoy learning to play some simple folk tunes and hymns on it, and it is already cherished. I will definitely post a video of my humble attempts on it in a week or two once I get used to playing it...though I cannot hope to play it as skillfully as John Henry has in his videos! But I'll play it in my own way as best I can!

It's so dainty , I've never played such a pretty little dulcimer-thing before!

Despite it's diminutive size, it has a very resonant bright voice- it really really makes me think of sleigh bells jingling through the cold sparkling crisp snow. So festive and cheerful! I feel like i'm in a Dickens story, receiving such a lovely gift. So unexpected.

John Henry, I just don't have adequate words to thank you for this precious instrument.

Here is our kitty Sheba and also myself getting to know our beautiful new epinette des Vosges this Christmas morning 2011!:

Here are some of John Henry's videos of him playing the epinettes he makes, he plays them so very beautifully, who could not succumb to their charms? :

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/a-french-waltz

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/good-king-wencelas-1-12-2011-wmv

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/mingulay-boat-song-1

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/the-gloucestershire-wassail

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/trial-run

http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/video/bouree-caree-de-st-chartier

Congrats on making your order with Nic. You'll really enjoy it, I'm sure. When I ordered mine, he had to box it and ship it half-way around the world to the tiny island I was living on in the Pacific.

Yes I can see this might get addicting! They are so beautiful, and unlike piano's it is easy to find a place to put them!

Barbara Pak said:

Wonderful Vivian! I can't wait to see the photos! That sounds exactly like what I'd like to have too!

Congratulations, Vivian. Those concert dulcimers of his sure look beautiful. So many dulcimers, so little time. . .

I got a hourglass concert...that's what he called it anyway...he had a beautiful teardrop, but I seem to be drawn to the hourglass...I wanted dark walnut bottom and told him to pick whatever he thought was best for the soundboard. I love the look of the ebony fretboard too. I am soo excited to see it. Anyway, I have a piano and a hammered dulcimer to keep me busy in the meantime...@Strumalia...I have braces on my teeth, so some instruments are out! I have been attempting to learn the bagpipes as well, but with these braces it is just impossible...oh well, a year or two from now will just have to do. In the meantime, I can get into the hammered dulcimer, and read up on the mountain dulcimer. I will send photos when I get it.

This is probably not the thread to post this on, but I am looking for an arrangement of Carol of the Bells for either hammered dulcimer or mountain dulcimer. I saw it played on You Tube and the player said it was arranged by Bill Flanagan...can't find anything on it online. If you have info on where I might find it I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

Vivian, that's very exciting- congratulations! Maybe you can get a jaw harp, limberjack, or harmonica to keep you busy and distracted during the wait. I highly recommend such diversions!

I am soo excited...I just ordered my dulcimer from Nic Hambas, and also some instruction books and a CD from Larkins Dulcimer..what wonderful friendly people! I will now have to wait a few months to get it, but will spend my time listening to tunes and reading, so I should be able to stand the wait!

Hi Gary...you can pull up several videos on You Tube...just do a search under Nic Hambas...he plays several different instruments that he builds...really pretty!

Garey McAnally said:

I just looked at his website www.hambasdulcimers.com What a beautiful dulcimer ! He appears to be a gifted luthier. I would love to hear one of his dulcimers. The sound is the MOST important thing. It would really help if an experienced dulcimer player could help you (especially during the 1 week examination period he gives). Hope youfind a wonderful new instrument to enjoy on this journey.

I checked out his site he does make some beautiful instruments.

Thanks, yes I have to agree it is very beautiful and t would be best if I could hear it first, but there are no builders, much less players that I have been able to locate in my area, so I am just having to go by the recommendations of more experienced players that I can access online...He has been around building for a long time, and I got his name from several different sources, so maybe it will be really great...I wrote to him but haven't had a reply yet...the Holidays and all...Thanks for your response and good wishes!

Vivian, I own dulcimers by different builders. The builders, in no particular order: Jerry Rockwell, Paul Conrad (Timbre Hill), Gary Sager, the Bakers (Blue Lion), Keith Young, and Rodney Hensley. As for my instruments-- I love 'em all. And there are several more builders who make fine instruments. (In the mountain dulcimer world we're most fortunate because there are many good builders; one not need spend $$$$ to get a good, playable instrument. To me, my dulcimers are worth more than they cost.) Though each of my instruments has a different sound, they share one very important quality: they're set-up to play easily. What one is looking for in the sound of an instrument is highly subjective, though.

Happy looking!

Your right Ken everyone thinks there child(dulcimer) is the most beautiful to look at and listen to.Singing there praises to High Heaven.(like me) You really have to get out there and try some for yourself to see what you like. Touch and feel them and listen to them yourself to get a idea of what you want. You can listen to someone sing the praises of a builder all day long but it might not sound that good to your ear. Each person has his own preferences and hands on is the best way to chose what is best for you.

I got on here singing the praises of my kids(dulcimers) LOL when to some they might be or sound ugly as(Homemade sin) as my mamaw used to say.

Welcome Vivian;

Everyone is going to tell you that the one they have is the best, whoever the builder is.

I will only say that I've been playing for nearly 40 years, and when I finally got around to having a custom dulcimer made, back in 2006, it was Nik Hambas that I commissioned to make it for me. You can see at least a bit of Sea Eagle in my avatar photo.

Truth be told, I personally think that buying a fancy, expensive instrument right out of the gate, isn't such a good idea, but that's just my opinion, and you obviously think differently. Dulcimers are not like guitars or mandolins or violins, etc. There are some passable instruments out there that are "gratuitously" expensive. There are some great instruments that are moderately priced. There are some pretty instruments being passed as good whether or not they are fine players.

Caveat Emptor is what I'm trying to say. If you don't know what goes into making what you think of as a good instrument, it can be easy to make expensive mistakes. What makes a good instrument can't even really be determined until you've played for a year or so and decided what style of playing you want to take up and what sorts of music you want to play.

I have a Modern Mountain that has a wonderful sound and sustain they are great instruments. Also Bill Rich in Tenn make a beautiful sounding dulcimer. Someone on hear had a Blue Lion for sale a couple of days ago for a good price. I am not that experienced a player but I know what sounds good. Nice to meet you and hope you enjoy the site.

Hi. I am new (today) to this site, but have been investigating some dulcimer builders for a several weeks now and searching for insight and opinions on them, as well as the things that I need to know before purchasing one of these lovely instruments. I am a complete novice and want to buy a good instrument, one that will be great as a I progress as a player. I have several other types of instruments and really think that getting the best instrument you can find is a sound (haha) decision, as well as investment.

Among the many I have been looking at Blue Lion, McSpadden, and Bear Meadow come up often as highly recommended, (among a long list of others) but I am really looking at Nic Hambus. I think they look so beautiful, but I am wondering if I can get any input from experienced players as to the instruments he builds. I am so new that I feel I don't know the questions to ask, much less the specs to specify in building an instrument, so that I must to a degree rely upon the builder to give me the best choices...any input on this? I recently had a James Jones hammered dulcimer built, and it is really a wonderful instrument, so I had good success there, but I want to try a different builder for this instrument.

I would appreciate any input that more experienced players might be able to give...realizing, of course that many aspects of my question are subjective, still, experience is valuable, and that is why I am asking! Thanks, Vivian

Merry Christmas Rod

It doesn't seem like 3 years.

Dave

Bobby, that's a beautiful thought.

Gone but never forgotten.

Just about two years ago I returned home from hospital after heart surgery to find a package from Rod, his book ! Plus the news that he was no longer with us ! I miss him, for his forbearance , infinate patience, and willingness to guide !!! On here and on 'Paltalk', he helped me (my abysmal knowledge of things 'computer' is long standing) and in the early days of this treasure that is FOTMD he was a presence ! As Lisa has said, always remembered !

JohnH

Every Christmas day I envision Rod playing his dulcimers and sharing his knowledge and wonderful enthusiasm with others. 'Deputy Mo', we will always remember you so fondly!

Rod was the first to welcome me to FOTMD and he embraced me as though we were old friends.

Merry Christmas, Rod.

I hope Rod's family feels comfort today.

Rest in peace, Rod. We miss you, friend.

Merry Christmas Rod

Dave

Thanks Linda

The older I get the faster they get.I didn't know Rod for very long either, but I started learning aboutSacred Harp tunes from him in the short time I knew him.I learned one of the Sacred Harpsongs he used to play and I'm working on some others. Time flies.

Dana R. McCall said:

So hard to believe it has been a year already. For the short time I knew him he was such a sweet man.

Dave,

Thank you so much, this is beautiful.He was such a great Christian first, parent second and musician 3rd. How many of us can say the same. Perfect thanks. LB

So hard to believe it has been a year already. For the short time I knew him he was such a sweet man.

Thanks Wayne

Rod was very much active in the dulcimer community but provided good example for us all to follow.

Merry Christmas

Dave

Thanks Dusty

Thanks John

Merry Christmas

Dave

Thanks Lisa

I have been thinking about posting something for Rod for the last couple of weeks but nothing was coming to me. Some of the players on Paltalk this last Tuesday played something for Rod but I didn't have anything prepared. I had some time this morning and after I found the video I had a creative moment. I felt I should post it tomorrow but ...

Merry Christmas

Dave

Thanks Dave, I for one will always remember

John

Nice tribute to Rod. I can't believe it's been a year.

Peace to one and all.

Dave, thank you so much for posting this wonderful tribute thread. What a beautiful tune you play for him.

Many of us have been thinking of Rod these past few days especially. He poured so much love into 'the family' here on fotmd. I feel like "Depity Mo" will be watching over our site of Friends tomorrow on Christmas day, with his silver bullet in his pocket... just in case.

Thanks Robin

After watching the video this morning, I picked up my dulcimer and that's what happened. Rod was also one of the main players on our Tuesday Paltalk sessions. The Tuesday before Christmas last year he and I were doing most of the playing and it seemed nothing was out of place with him.

Merry Christmas

Dave

Dave,

Thanks for your lovely musical tribute to Rod. I'm also glad you posted the YouTube link to his daughter's tribute-- it's so touching. It surely was a shock last Christmas Day to learn of Rod's death. I remember Rod with great fondness. And he was our own dear Deputy Mo.

Blessings to you & yours!

Robin

Merry Christmas Rod

We miss you

We remember you

Dave

And as an even further complication, neither can I count! The bouzouki has two (that's 2) courses tuned an octave apart, namely those that I tune as G and D in GDAE that's the twocourses which have wound strings. It's the heat that does it, we haven't had rain here in England for at least a day, my brain is turning to mush!

Ben Ramage said:

At risk of oversimplification, an octave mandolin is a big bodied mandolin (called a mandola in the UK) that is tuned an octave below a mandolin, all courses being in unison. I tune mine GDAe. An Irish bouzouki is an offshoot of the Greek bouzouki, it may, but need not be round bowled. Mine is guitar bodied. Scale length may vary between 580 mm and 600mm. It has the bass courses tuned an octave apart, not in unison. My bouzouki is gG DD AAee (if you take my drift), others tune theirs GDAd or ADAd. To complicate matters some Irish bouzouki players tune all string courses in unison the same as a mandola. I am not an expert on it I tend to use it as the mandolin equivalent of a 12 string guitar (hence the guitar body).

And to complicate things even further, yes that is a 5 string banjo I am holding in the photo!

At risk of oversimplification, an octave mandolin is a big bodied mandolin (called a mandola in the UK) that is tuned an octave below a mandolin, all courses being in unison. I tune mine GDAe. An Irish bouzouki is an offshoot of the Greek bouzouki, it may, but need not be round bowled. Mine is guitar bodied. Scale length may vary between 580 mm and 600mm. It has the bass courses tuned an octave apart, not in unison. My bouzouki is gG DD AAee (if you take my drift), others tune theirs GDAd or ADAd. To complicate matters some Irish bouzouki players tune all string courses in unison the same as a mandola. I am not an expert on it I tend to use it as the mandolin equivalent of a 12 string guitar (hence the guitar body).

And to complicate things even further, yes that is a 5 string banjo I am holding in the photo!