Speaking from my own personal experience... I honestly do not find my Galax dulcimer to be particularly louder than the non-Galax dulcimers I have played. It has a deep large box which makes it sound a bit deeper, so the tone is not 'brighter' either, which Melissa says she wants.
Melissa has no dulcimers right now, and she's looking for ONE that will do it all. Since she says she wants to do some chording as well, I'd recommend against a Galax dulcimer, unless she is going to string it in standard form with a heavy bass string....but why choose a Galax anyway if not stringing it in high octave?
Modern Mountain Dulcimers have the volume and the double back, and probably the brightness if you ask for it...but I doubt they'd fall under the $400 range.
McSpaddens would fit the bill- but Melissa didn't like the looks of the one she had.
Lots of things to consider!
I would not worry about a built-indouble back to give more sound. For under $10 you can make a simple and effective possum board to accomplish the same thing.
Read some of Robin Clark's commentaries here about how useful and versatile he finds a Galax strung dulcimer to be when playing in sessions with fiddles and other instruments. He may make a convert out of you. If I had access to the kind of playing groups he does, that's what I'd choose.
Wood type is actually pretty far down the list of things that affect the sound quality. If you want a brighter sound you want a shallower and narrower dulcimer than you've had before. Relatively less volume of the sound body gives a brighter tone. Another good trick is to take off the wound 20 to 24 ga bass string and use say an 18 ga, plain steel string, to also enhance brightness.
Hi Melissa,
Though there are some good quality dulcimers made for $400 or less, that price will be a somewhat limiting factor, in terms of false-backs, custom wood choices, etc. Some McSpaddens will fall within that price range, but may go over w/case, shipping, etc. You might want to look in the beginner GROUP here at the several threads about choosing your first dulcimer- since you have a lot in common with them in terms of buying only one instrument to 'do it all' plus the modest price range. There is a long and excellent thread there discussing the good luthiers who produce modestly priced new dulcimers.
One more point- chording does not require a 26-27" VSL. Any VSL/scale from 26"-28" will be just great for doing anything. 
Hello all! I haven't been around this board for a while because I've been concentrating on my hammered dulcimer. (No tomatoes, please!) In fact, my MD was sold to finance said HD, but I'm discovering that I miss it too much to continue to be MD-less.
So, I've received my tax return andI am looking for a new MD. I play regularly with a fiddler and a banjo player, so I need it to be fairly loud to avoid being drowned out. I know that I should play several dulcimers, but I live in an area where MD's are uncommon. In the past I had a Black Mountain dulcimer, which I did not like because the frets were oddly placed, and an older McSpadden, which sounded nice very nice, but the VSL was too long to make chording comfortable, and I didn't find it visually appealing. Yes, I am shallow. I'm not fond of walnut.
I considered a Galax dulcimer, but I think that since I will have one dulcimer, I want it to be more versatile than a Galax would be. I suppose that my most important "wants" arecorrect fret placement, (which shouldn't be a problem on any of the well-known dulcimers, I would think) fairly loud, and not a walnut soundboard. I would like to spend at most $400 for dulcimer and accessories (case, capo, etc.). What should I look for? Would a false back be something to consider? I've read descriptions of which soundboard woods impart varioussound qualities, but the descriptions don't seem to be especially consistent. I am looking for a bright sound. I will be playing old-time music, mostly noter and drone style, but I would like the VSL to be not more than 26-27 in case I want to do a bit of chording.
I wish there were an application that would let me input my desired qualities, then spit outyou need a: McSpadden! or Gibson! orHensley! or whichever dulcimer would suit my needs. Since that doesn't exist, I figured this message board wouldbe the next best thing. 
Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!
Daniel, Does your Keith Young "Youngster" have round button feet on the bottom? My instrument does, and I'm finding them difficult to work with. When I tune, the instrument wobbles. I was wondering if the Keith Young instrument has the same feet since my instrument doesn't have a label inside.
And are the bridge and nut glued in their slots. Mine are and I'll have to have my brother lower the action for me the next time I see him as it's just too high for my comfort. It's two dimes high at the nut. I'm still wondering if mine is a true Keith Young or a copy.
Thanks, FF
Daniel Lewis Goad said:
Hummmm, left front paw for strumming and right rear paw for fretting. Interesting technique, Tigger.
ns that is a Keith Young "Youngster." The only difference between yours and mine is that mine has walnut back and sides.
Daniel, Does your Keith Young "Youngster" have round button feet on the bottom? My instrument does, and I'm finding them difficult to work with. When I tune, the instrument wobbles. I was wondering if the Keith Young instrument has the same feet since my instrument doesn't have a label inside.
And are the bridge and nut glued in their slots. Mine are and I'll have to have my brother lower the action for me the next time I see him as it's just too high for my comfort. It's two dimes high at the nut. I'm still wondering if mine is a true Keith Young or a copy.
Thanks, FF
Daniel Lewis Goad said:
Hummmm, left front paw for strumming and right rear paw for fretting. Interesting technique, Tigger.
ns that is a Keith Young "Youngster." The only difference between yours and mine is that mine has walnut back and sides.
Hummmm, left front paw for strumming and right rear paw for fretting. Interesting technique, Tigger.
ns that is a Keith Young "Youngster." The only difference between yours and mine is that mine has walnut back and sides.
Hummmm, left front paw for strumming and right rear paw for fretting. Interesting technique, Tigger.
ns that is a Keith Young "Youngster." The only difference between yours and mine is that mine has walnut back and sides.
I just bought the sweetest little 21 inch long dulcimer. It's a 3 string cherry with a 17 inch VSL. The sound box is a trapezoid sort of shape with the bottom width being only 3 1/2 inches across and the top is the width of the fret board. There's no makers label so I can tell you who made it. I just tuned it down from DAA to CGG to see how the sound changes and it really sounds sweeter in C. It has all unwound strings, probably 16 on the bass and 12/or 14 for middle and melody
And the best thing of all is that it fits in my carry on bag, so when I go to the UK, I will have a dulcimer with me. With zither pin tuners, I'm going to have to invest in some spare clock keys in case I lose my goose neck. And the prototype possum board that Dave made years ago, is just the right size for this little baby.
Hoping to get some photos of it posted soon. Now I have to go make a carry bag for it. I think I'll use a quilted plaid I have. That some how seem appropriate.
I'm thinking of calling her "Candy" as she's a sweet little bit and really bounces through songs like "Coulter's Candy".
There is a group here at FOTMD entitled "I have extra frets," which sounds like the opening line of a 12-step group: "Hello, my name is Dulci and I have extra frets.I knew I had a serious problem when after getting a 1-1/2 fret one day I was banging on my luthier's door at 4:00
AMbegging
for more."
I got a good laugh out of thatjohn p
Hi Tony,
John P has this right. I believe the 6-1/2 or 6+ fret became common in the 70s and is almost standard now, to the point that a dulcimer that does not have that extra fret will usually be labeled explicitly asa "true diatonic."
The 1-1/2 or 1+ fret is the next most common "extra" fret. It is useful for blues, as John P states, because it gives you the lowered third, the most important of the so-called "blue" notes. But it has other uses as well, most notably the ability to play the 7th chord of the I and IV and also a wider variety of minor chords.
Two of Bing Futch's recent Dulcimerica videos examine the 1-1/2 fret in depth, so if you want to see what can be done with that extra fret, give those videos a look.
I've seen some folks who have added a 4-1/2 fret, and Ron Ewing convinced me to put not only a 1-1/2 but also a 1/2 (0+?)fret on my dulcimette, the logic being the greater number of chords that could be played. I'll be honest, though, although I use the 1-1/2 fret often, I have not yet begun to explore the .5 fret (or however you designate it).
Traditionalists will argue with some pursuasiveness that once you begin adding extra frets, the dulcimer ceases to be a dulcimer and becomes something closer to a guitar or mandolin.
There is a group here at FOTMD entitled "I have extra frets," which sounds like the opening line of a 12-step group: "Hello, my name is Dulci and I have extra frets. I knew I had a serious problem when after getting a 1-1/2 fret one day I was banging on my luthier's door at 4:00 AMbegging for more."
These extra frets have been added to increase the flexability of the instrument when it's in the hands of more modern players.
The pure diatonic scale is a bit restrictive if you play outside of the older traditional style, but that's not to say you can't play in the traditional manner if they have been fitted.
Most common is the 6+ fret, one of it's immediate effects is to allow you to play the Major scale starting at the open string as well as the more normal 3rd fret you would be restricted to on a pure diatonic instument.
In fact many makers now add the 6+ as a matter of course, and only supply a pure diaonic scale to order, used to be the other way about.
The other common extra is the 1+, used by blues players I believe.
After that I think most players would go to a fully chromatic fretboard.
john p
I play mostly hymns now, they're just easier for me to play for some reason.
I like to play primarily original and improvisational stuff.
My favorite is John Stinson's # 2
But I just found the words to Harrison Town and I am currently mesmerized by that tune too. :)
Best wishes,
Mary Z. Cox
I like to play most anything on my MD. I have very eclectic tastes in music. Everywhere from Celtic to Hard Rock, but Celtic and very old time Appalachian music is what sounds "right" to me on the dulcimer. Good thread!
Scott
Scottish, Irish, and English folk songs. Especially the old ballads and songs of historical uprisings etc.
If it mentions Bonnie Prince Charlie, it is probably in my TAB or on my to be tabbed list.
I like a large variety, but more old time and fiddle tunes than any other kind. I prefer to sing, so a lot of other stuff turns up. I've been known to play bluegrass, Hawaiian or rock as well.
Paul
I love to play the old-time tunes and fiddle tunes, with a little bluegrass thrown in. I like the tunes my dad played such as Evelina, Seeing Nellie Home, Home Sweet Home, Cripple Creek, Cluck Old Hen. I have written several tunes that I like to play too....and... I love old gospel hymns. I guess I tend to like the older melodies rather than the modern ones.
Dulcerina-
Well ... since I don't actually play, I have substantial limitations. I can strum the melody to a few tunes and so that's where I am. I like older folk tunes. I guess the standards are what I most want to play ... Shady Grove, Old Joe Clark, things like that.
I enjoy listening to almost everything and really hope to improve to the point that I'll be able to actually play a few songs all the way through.
I'm not talking about what playing styles people use, but rather what kinds of tunes and songs you like to play most on your mountain dulcimer....?
What do you like to play most often?-
jazz, old English/Appalachian ballads, countrywestern, blues, traditional hymns, modern popular music, American folk songs from the 1940's-60's, original compositions, fiddle tunes, childrens songs, classical music, rock music, trad Irish/Celtic music, medieval, or some other kind of tunes....?
Tell us what kind of music you mostly like to play! I'd love to hear what people are most into on their dulcimers these days.
You can list your several favorite types, too. But if you say you like to play them ALL, ...then that's not really listing your 'favorites', is it?- so please, tell us your favorite types of music to play- maybe pick between 1-4 types maximum if possible.
Carol I'm very happy to hear that. Every time i have wooden pegs on an instrument and they refuse to work well for me, I have found that Peg Drops makes the pegs behave very nicely- just one drop does the trick every time for me!
If only more folks would try that rather than immediately changing the wooden pegs out for mechanical at the first sign of trouble.
Paul- all the old-time fiddlers I know have fine tuners on their fiddles...and I do know many fiddlers.
Violins with steel strings usually have fine tuners, those with nylon or gut strings seem to do just fine with the friction pegs. Nylon/gut seem more forgiving than steel, since steel has very little stretch. A slight turn and steel jumps from flat to sharp. But a big part of the tuning problem is experience-we get good at what we practice. In time, I believe any player can get the feel for friction tuners. I eventually got pretty good with the 5th string peg on my first banjo, but over time it would loosen and need the screw tightened. After a number of years I had had enough of not knowing when it would jump out of tune and had it replaced with a geared peg. Violin pegs are tapered to fit a tapered hole, 5th string pegs on a banjo are straight, and require tension on the knob to stay in place. They are a lot less stable than tapered pegs, in my experience. Try the peg compound and see if that helps.
I can't recall seeing fine tuners on a fiddle, just on school violins. Any fiddlers care to comment?
Paul
I fully agree with Maestro Pedi (Hi Don!). I would not convert a Mize dulcimer from wooden pegs to other tuners. Converting that dulcimer will seriously impact it's resale value. Buy another dulcimer instead.
It's a simple matter to adjust wooden peg holding ability as Don & Lisa have said. I own a vintage 3 string with violin pegs, and it tunes at least as accurately as my mechanical pegged dulcimer, and just about as quickly once I learned how to properly tune with them. As Don said - if wooden pegs are such bad tuners, why do violins continue to be made with them.
