I visited Howard a couple of years ago. He was starting to build again at that point. As you can see from the other posts, he is still building very high quality dulcimers.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I re-tune my zither pin dulcimers and other instruments all the time. As long as you don't pull/push the exposed part of the pin to the side (bending the exposed pin or putting excess pressure on the buried pin) -- and the pins are firmly embedded in a HARD hardwood like Walnut, Maple or harder, then you should have no problem retuning with some frequency.
Still, if I were you, I would experiment with tunings on an instrument with geared tuners -- until you settle on 2 or 3 tunings that you find useful for most of the tunes you play
Lisa, I do not re-tune my instruments with zither pins by turning the zither pins. I think lots of re-tuning would strip-out the holes in which your pins are seated.
Actually, my very first dulcimer was a Folkroots dulcimer. I played it for several years. In the early 2000s I started a dulcimer club where I taught, and I passed the Folkroots dulcimer on to a student that had joined the club. I think she probably still owns it.
Patricia's link didn't work, probably because it was inadvertently joined to a line of text in her post. Howard Rugg's website is here:
http://capritaurusdulcimers.com/
Hi,
I'm wondering if you like to retune often, if zither pins, instead of conventional tuners would be a problem.
I found a travel dulcimer, but it has pins, and I am trying lots of tunings right now. Would it wad out the wood quickly it I tuned often?
The headstock design would need some major changes to put in tuners.
Thanks, Lisa
Hi Patricia,
Ken Longfield told me that Howard was still building (or maybe it was Bing). I have not been in contact with him, but I have had conversations with Richard Ash of Folkcraft instruments. I called him after I heard him on your show! Unabashed plug: Hearts of the Dulcimer is an EXCELLENT podcast....everyone should give it a listen.
Dave
That's awesome! :-)
Did you know that Howard is still building? http://capritaurusdulcimers.com
I just recalled a couple of songs that the kids in my class seemed to like a lot.
I'm Gonna Tell by Rosalie Sorrels was a favourite.
I'm gonna tell, I'm gonna tell
I'm gonna holler and I'm gonna yell
I'll get you in trouble for everything you do
I'm gonna tell on you
I'm gonna tell how you broke the plate
And I'll tell all about the bananas you ate
I'll tell on you one time, I'll tell on you two
I'm gonna tell on you!
I'm gonna tell Papa where you hid your gum
And then I'll tell that you still suck your thumb
And soon he'll find out about the cat and the glue
I'm gonna tell on you!
Another that I learned from a Michael Cooney record was one that he called What Do They Make In Washington?
Michael once worked at the Toronto Folklore Centre and he said in the liner notes that his Canadian friends should feel free to change the lyrics for Canuck kids, so I did. My students sang:
There was a teacher in a fifth grade classroom
Teaching geography;
All about the goods from the different places
All across the country.
Well the lesson was nearly over
When a little kid raised her hand
She said, "Please tell me teacher,
For I do not understand:
Tell me what do they make in Ottawa
To give to all of the nation?
Oshawa people they make the cars
In Bewdly we take a vacation.
They grow those big potatoes
In P.E.I. I know
But what do they make in Ottawa?
I really want to know.
After a few more verses, we come to:
Well, the teacher was bewildered
As teachers often are,
He knew that this young student
Had taken things a little too far
And searching for an answer
This is what he did say,
"That's a very good question.
We'll save it for another day."
Elvensong - and a beauty she is! I bought mine off of craigslist, in the ad it’s said “my Dad bought this years ago and it’s been hanging on his wall ever since”, I think I paid $60.00 for it ( plus $10.00 shipping). It had no strings, I found some info on the internet on what strings were required, installed them, tuned it, strummed and was very happy at the sound it made. Learned a little more about Dulcimers noodled a lot and didn’t realize how Large it was until I came across a standard dulcimer. Brought her to Tom Fellenbaum ( an outstanding luthier and all around nice guy) and had the 6 1/2 and 1 1/2 half installed opening up my world to the blues. This summer I had the pleasure of taking a class with and spending some time with Bing Futch who’s pretty darn good teacher!
Recently, I acquired my standard dulcimer and decided to string my FolkRoots as a Baritone... sweet and loud! I am very much a student, but they give me great pleasure! Dave
The beauty in my profile pic is a 1987 Folkroots. Gorgeous tone and a lucky find on eBay for $250. I played her in competition at Winfield this year.
Hi Patricia,
sorry about being late to the party, but I have a Folkroots made in 1974: the label inside says RR&J, Ruggs Ruggs and Jaekel, I believe. It is a behemoth! It is the one on the left in my profile pic.
Dave
Hi Lisa,
i have a Naylor Dulcimer, pre buyout, and I just acquired it. The instrument has a very nice sound and I find it easy to play. I also have a early Folkroots that is a behemoth. I just completed restring on both, ( thank you Ken)And I very much like the sound and sustain of both of them.
ahhhhhh, thanks Robin. thanks for looking at us when we only had 8 at home. That was my first dulcimer, and my first bowed psaltery. All grown up now....youngest one there was three...now 33. sigh. I loved raising our big family and they all still love each other...music being a huge part in raising our family. They all play one or two instruments and all sing. An play a LOT of games in more ways then one. ha. We're going to have another family reunion this August. aloha, irene
@irene You are a marvel! What a beautiful family!
In the poetry of James Still, he included mountain dulcimers sometimes. As I recall, Mr. Still lived for some years in the Amburgey cabin and worked at Hindman Settlement School in Kentucky. I highly recommend his writings!
A day before Christmas I got a DVD of our family playing and singing Christmas songs thirty years ago in Hawaii. I got somethings wrong in my speaking, but you'll see 8 of our 14 children. The older ones were gone....one in the Marines, some in school and some married. Happy new year to you all.
Irene, that's delightful!
Personally I'd regret not getting the Keith Young instrument. I was considering having him build me on of his Virginia traditional dulcimer, when he up and passed away...
Glenda,
Somehow, over the last 18 or so years, I'd forgotten the tragic end of the movie, and only vaguely remembered the relationships, for some reason remembering mostly the music and the idea of searching out the mountain music. But after getting your response, I went back and read the plot synopsis in Wikipedia, and now recall what you mean about the personal relationships, both that of the two women running the school and that of the musicologist and the Aidan Quinn character. I quite understand how that left a bad taste.
Jim. Yes I got the name incorrect it was the "Songcatcher".The movie had many great folk singers and a lot of the wonderful song we love and play sing . Pretty Saro being one of my favorites I guess saying it was not that good wasn't a good way of expressing the way I felt about the movie I did love all the things you talk about . It is worth watching for all the reasons you say . Don probably didn't play more the 10 seconds in the movie. My disappointment came near the end and how the personal relationships ended totally not necessary and ruined the whole move for me. But yes worth the watch just for the music.
Thank heavens we sang a lot in my family. We didn't listen to the radio, nor did we kids have radios of our own, but we sometimes listened to the hi-fi show tune albums. For most of my childhood I didn't realize there was a story that went with those songs! We sang a lot in Girl Scouts, too, and even had a chorus in our elementary school for a semester or two that met for a half hour before school started. I made my own music, too, as the family piano was in my bedroom from age 5 until I graduated from high school.
Don Pedi played Dulcimer the movie the Tune Catchers set in Appalachian Mountains Not that good but remember it because of Don.playing dulcimer at a barn dance.
Are you perhaps thinking of the 2000 movie "Songcatcher" about a musicologist who, in the 1900s, visits her sister who runs a struggling school in western NC? She gets intrigued by the mountain music and searches out and catalogs some of the mountain musicians. The quality of a movie is of course subjective, but I enjoyed it. It has some good music in it as the musicologist goes about her search. The great singer Iris Dement appears in the movie as a mountain musician, and sings Pretty Saro. Emmy Lou Harris, Dolly Parton, Gillian Welch and Roseanne Cash also provide music. And as noted, you get to see Don Pedi play. The plot moves along well enough. It's got some pretty good drama, IMHO. If it's available to you , I think it's worth taking a look at, if just for the music. It's available On Demand from my cable company, Comcast. Maybe yours offers it as well.
I'm looking at a couple used dulcimers right now. One is a teardrop Keith Young with modern fretting that I could finance. The other is a no name, homemade one, with some inlaid strips down the back and fretboard, pictured in my first post. Its a five string, notched for double bass, double melody, though I'd probably stick to 3 or double the melody. It looks like it was made with love, and I'm thinking, not from a kit, given the narrow waist. I'm trying not to get over excited and pull the trigger, buying something I'll regret. I can see Not regretting the KY, I'm sure it's very well made with great intonation, given his reputation. The wasp waist really appeals to me also, it has character, and I wouldn't feel so bad getting a scratch on it, as its got some battle scars. Soooo, I don't know, lots to think about. Both are for sale far away, no chance of playing them. Lisa
I like that shape of that dulcimer, Lisa.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I can't remember ever seeing a film strip in music class in grade school, but the one about the Grim Reaper is one I would have liked to see. We, too, had the same music teacher, Mrs. Harrington, from K through 8th grade. She directed the 7th and 8th grade chorus and orchestra.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Oh, she was a dedicated music teacher and I suppose something I just took for granted. Class change daily for music and art until junior high when we could opt for band, art, or drama. I guess I just took it for granted that all public schools were like that. Coming out of it after seven years I didn't seem to retain much past ta-tee-tee-ta-ta-ta and Every Good Boy Does Fine. She tended to teach more towards choir with piano accompanying. A lot of singing and occasionally busting out the hammers for us to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
If you have very sensitive acoustic recording gear like an oscilliscope, I believe that you can see the difference between an hourglass (especially a wasp-waisted design) and an hourglass -- the soundwaves would show two peaks -- one for each bout. If I remember, Richard Troughear, the scientific luthier down in Australia demonstrated this. However I do not believe the human ear is capable of such discrimination.
Although the wasp waist certainly adds to the looks of the dulcimer, I believe it does add to the tone. It mellows the tone a bit, making it somewhat less jangly. People compare the hourglass with the teardrop and say, see no difference. They forget that a teardrop has an effectively shorter body than a teardrop.
I think John Knoff is correct on it being mostly for aesthetics. I like the term John used: "wasp-waisted".
My own dulcimer designs generally have that thin waist. I just like the lines, and also have been told (and agree) that it also makes for easy carrying.
It's mostly aesthetics, Lisa. Some like the look of a wasp-waisted dulcimer more than other body styles. Uncle Ed Thomas of Bath, Kentucky and C. N. Prichard of Huntington, West Virginia popularized the shape over a hundred years ago.
Hi,
I was wondering if someone could explain about an hourglass shape with a narrow, or pinched waist. Is this simply a regional or comfort design, or does it affect tone? I mean more than the average amount of pinch than I see on most instruments. I imagine it would be a bit more fragile, but it’s very a very lovely look.
I tried the search, but maybe I’m not using the right terms
Thanks, Lisa
Jan, that's a great idea. Since my procedure I have been unable to lift the scroll saw. I'm still working on strength but not able to lift the scroll saw and the table it's attached to. Thought about selling it but my husband packed it away. Maybe some day.
Mrs. Vaughan taught me from Kindergarten and moved with me through intermediate school so I had seven years of teaching from her.
Was she your only teacher for 7 years, or was she a music teacher? I was guessing you meant the former. I never had a general music class throughout all of my education--what a treat that would have been, I think! Our teachers (up through 6th grade) all had a piano and music books available to pull into the classroom if they wished to do so--some were very opposed to the idea, unfortunately.
We should probably play more of the songs we learned as children. I'm glad this discussion is still giving folks lots of ideas along these lines!
Hmm...Patty, maybe you could figure out how to make a limberjack fashioned after Mike Slone, sort of. It would be a creative way to honor his memory...
Hearing this made me cry. I would often chat with Mike on this website. I loved his knowledge of building dulcimers and his sense of humor. A few years ago he sent me a climbing bear toy. I treasure it. I've had fun with it. I guess I'm still a big kid at heart. I tend to be a crafty person and Mike encouraged me to buy a scroll saw as I wanted to make limberjacks. I wanted to make him one but I only managed to make a bow for my neighbor's ukelin instrument. Well, life took a few twists and due to some health issues I never got to make that limberjack. Mike will be missed. I will be lifting his family up in prayer. Here is a picture of Mike's climbing bear:
I just wish I could remember what it was. Okay, off topic confession is that the film itself, all stills just changed it was those old projectors after all. Still paintings but it captrued me and reminded me of the climax of the Ray Harryhausen Jason & the Argonauts film, which was and is a favorite of mine.
I love that description of the Grim Reaper 'film' Bob.
Mrs. Vaughan taught me from Kindergarten and moved with me through intermediate school so I had seven years of teaching from her. I'd say it was mostly repetitive, she loved music and was a good teacher but never really lit a fire under me.
Hmmm
"Kookaburra" was one of her favorites as well as "Sakura Sakura". There was a still projector film she would show at Halloween of the Grim Reaper playing violin and raising a band of skeletons in the graveyard to play with him until dawn. Really loved that but I have no idea what it was.
There were a lot of traditional songs. "On Top of Old Smokey" and the like.
Lisa, the danger buying most of the cheap dulcimers out there is that they are not really instruments but "dulcimer-shaped objects" intended to be hung on a wall somewhere rather than played. A lot of them have really high action, making them hard to play, and many don't even have correct intonation, so you will sound off even if you are playing correctly.
Bill Berg and David Lynch are two reputable luthiers who make "student" dulcimers for less than $150. They are real instruments and will encourage you to play. However, they are not really small travel dulcimers. The small dulcimers don't really cost less than the big ones since they involve basically the same amount of work. One option for you might be a cardboard dulcimer. Folkcraft sells some that you can either put together yourself or buy pre-assembled. I played one at a festival a couple of years ago and was amazed how well it sounded, although obviously it did not have extraordinary volume.
But I should also say that I own several really nice small dulcimers, including octave dulcimers by Ron Ewing and David Beede. They are small enough to fit in a decent-sized backpack or under the seat in front of you on a plane and yet they both have a really charming tone. They don't have a lot of sustain, but they stand out in a group of dulcimers because of the higher pitch. They are not really cheap, but they are delightful instruments that maintain their value pretty well.
