Forum Activity for @dusty

The Positive Thread...

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Hey everyone, I just want to say how wonderful it is that an off-the-cuff comment I made on National Guitar Day has led to a consensus here about International Appalachian Dulcimer Day.  When I get a chance (and recover from a long day at work) I'll create a new discussion somewhere else on FOTMD specific to IADD. We can share resources like Steve C's poster and, when the day arrives, share photos, videos, or just descriptions of what we do on that day.  (IF someone wants to do that before I get a chance, please go ahead.)

This is a positive outcome of a discussion on the positive thread!

updated by @dusty: 02/24/22 06:22:16PM

The Positive Thread...

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I can adjust the contrast for the white text areas by deepening the yellow and pale blue background colors just a little, if anyone needs me to. Then it would be nicely readable if printed out or copied in greyscale.

updated by @strumelia: 02/24/22 05:02:43PM

The Positive Thread...

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Like those?

The Positive Thread...

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Thanks Stumelia!  I fixed it will try to get it re-sent

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Great poster!

Note: the word "holding" at the bottom has a typo.

Also- many folks would be printing/copying this out in greyscale, and it'd be good to bump up the contrast between the lettering and the background colors so it's easy to read. ...making the background colors behind the white text just a bit darker. Here's how it prints out on a blk&white printer as it is now:

updated by @strumelia: 02/24/22 03:23:21PM

The Positive Thread...

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Great poster Steve

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Good job on the poster, Steve!

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Way cool from Steve C! 

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..and from Steve Carney...

updated by @dan: 02/24/22 04:54:52PM

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Looks great, Robin!

P.S. Someone should copyright the name "grassroots celebration" before some corporation does.

The Positive Thread...

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In the way of many who have gone before us, I used what I had on-hand to make a little sign.  

updated by @robin-thompson: 02/24/22 10:36:58PM

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looks great!

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My apologies for the big photo-- I've tried to re-size it yet don't really know what I'm doing (obviously)!

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I'm wanting thoughts on going ahead and putting this picture on my Facebook page.  

updated by @robin-thompson: 02/24/22 09:07:32AM

Steeleye Span with electric dulcimer on Germans TV 70s show

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I envy you. The current lineup is still quite a great live band as far I can tell from youtube although Tim Harts Dulcimer and Peter Knights fiddle are surely missed. 

Their new fiddler Jessie Mae Smart is a great fiddler in her own right though. And the "young blood" (not only her, there are others as well) gives some nice changes to the sound even without Dulcimer ;)
 


Peter Knight now concentrates on his gigspinner projects where he combines folk tunes with afro beat, see this incredible rendition of "The King of the fairies":


Enjoy, Jost.

The Positive Thread...

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We aren't an off-shoot of worldwide Play Music on the Porch Day.  It's a totally different thing.    

International Appalachian Dulcimer Day is its own thing-- just a day set aside to celebrate however you choose and in some small (or large) way, our favorite instrument.  (I live in an old coal mine village and everything we do here is on a small scale.  )   

The Positive Thread...

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I'm fine with it (assuming we are celebrating indoors--it will be cold where I live). Good to have an easy to remember date!

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Being that the date will change yearly it will make it possible for others to celebrate if not this year then next.  It will not be a fixed day. 

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@marg I didn't check the date here or internationally.  My thinking was it is not a day which would interfere with anything (unless one were on silent retreat or some similar event) yet, rather, a day to celebrate what many of us do every day-- play mountain dulcimer.

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That's fine, just checking if that date was good  Internationally.

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'Block or street gathering [party] day' for dulcimers on an annual basis.

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@marg I was advocating for using "International" because the spread of the fretted dulcimer is across the globe and the membership here at FOTMD reflects this.  

This is to be a grassroots celebration on only one day.  (This is how I understand it.  No committee with officers, a budget, etc.  More like a flash mob, maybe?  If I'm on the wrong track, somebody can jump in and point the way.)  Even if a person just wished to post a special still photo for the day or make an elaborate video or a piece of artwork or anything in-between, assigning a day is a simple way to celebrate the boxes with strings we all love.  

updated by @robin-thompson: 02/22/22 02:12:49PM

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(International - last Saturday in March) 

Did anyone check if this date is ok for different countries - That their country doesn't have that as a special date? Did anyone discuss just (Appalachian Dulcimer Day)

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@dan    Or 'MD Day".

OK  for me although 'Appalachian' sounds a bit 'puffed up'.  Reason, I'm used to referring to it as a mountain dulcimer .   Baaaaaa

{No need for a poll.}

updated by @skip: 02/22/22 11:18:26AM

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Go for it!  

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Sounds good to me for International Appalachian Dulcimer Day  on the last Saturday in March.

Go for it.

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@dan Yeah, we'uns know!

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Not exactly good for outdoor activities in my part of the world, but I have no objections.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

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How many do we need for a consensus, can we just stop and agree at the conspiracy level?

P.S. You'ins do know the Black Sheep will refer to this as "Dulcimore Day"...just sayin'

The Positive Thread...

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No real need for a poll if everyone thinks that's a good plan, Dusty.

Does anyone have other options they'd like to see considered?

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@dusty-turtle, I like it!  

updated by @robin-thompson: 02/22/22 08:19:04AM

The Positive Thread...

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OK, folks. I think this conversation has wound down. Perhaps it's time for a vote.  Before we go there, how 'bout this:

International Appalachian Dulcimer Day: the last Saturday in March 

What think ye?  If there are serious objections, we can isolate some variables and have Strumelia set up a poll. But I wonder if we might reach a consensus.

updated by @dusty: 02/22/22 01:36:22AM

Steeleye Span with electric dulcimer on Germans TV 70s show

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thank you so much for posting this.  I was lucky to see Steeleye Span a couple of times "back in the day" when they were in their prime, when I lived in Boston, Massachusetts.  Fantastic video.

Micarta fret board

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Jim, John, Ken, thanks for the info.  Richlite looks like a good source and I am already talking with them.

Steeleye Span with electric dulcimer on Germans TV 70s show

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

The TV show Rockpalast is still running today. It was started in Germanys public radio/tv WDR (Westgerman Broadcasting Westdeutscher Rundfunk) in the 1970s. Every episode features another show from a band/single artist. Most of the times they were actual live shows  other times (like this Steeleye Span show) they were recorded "live" in the studio.

For real live shows they often recorded them in the Dortmund Westphalenhalle since the WDR is located in Cologne. Both cities (Dortmund and Cologne) are large citys in the state   North Rhine-Westphalia. 
The Westphalenhalle used to be quite popular as venue for big names of show buisness. 

Youtube has a lot of these shows although mainly all kinds of Rock music.

So looking for Rockpalast episodes will often lead to live material with good audio/video quality :)

Micarta fret board

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

I have Richlite fretboards on two of my Martin guitars. You can't see a difference between it and ebony and I think the Richlite lets you slide better than ebony.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Micarta fret board

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Etsy and eBay are good sources for micarta.  Luthier's Mercantile sells Richlite fingerboards, which looks similar to micarta.

Micarta fret board

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Matt,

I have not made a fretboard from micarta, but I use it for nuts & saddles.  I buy that stock from "Texas Knifemakers", but I think maybe they would not handle pieces long enough for a fretboard.

A good place online would be:

https://www.professionalplastics.com

They have many types and colors of micarta - listed under "Phenolics".  You would probably want the "linen" grade - itis a very fine weave.

A couple of months ago, I found some blocks of micarta on Ebay that I used for a guitar repair job (internal insert) - so you can check on Ebay.  It was very nice material.

Good luck,

Jim Phillips

Micarta fret board

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Wondering if any of you build using Micarta fretboards and if so, where to you source the material?

Wormy Chestnut for dulcimers - Clifford Glenn

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Interesting dulcimore for sure.  I wasn't aware of the fact the Glenns may have helped Stanley Hicks fill orders for dulcimers.

The Glenns apparently made several dulcimer models:

1. A Teardrop Model (1950s)

2. Their Standard North Carolina Model (Based on a dulcimer made by Leonard Glenn's grandfather, Eli Taylor Presnell, in the 1880s.)

3. Their Standard Kentucky Model ( Based on one of Homer Ledford's or Jethro Amburgey's dulcimers.)

4. A Nathan Hicks Model (Based on a Nathan Hicks dulcimer taken to Leonard Glenn by Nathan's son, Lewis Hicks, with a request for two copies for Hicks family members.)  This pattern was used to make dulcimers for Frank Proffitt.

The dulcimer in the picture appears to be made in pattern 3, the Standard Kentucky model.  It would be interesting to know the explanation for the Stanley Hicks label in the interior.  If I had to guess I would say Stanley saw an economic opportunity at a time when he was not yet building the instruments commercially.  Stanley was known as an entertainer and often had to be talked into building an instrument.

Incidentally, Paul Dolce ("Slingerland") purchased all of the Glenn dulcimer patterns from Clifford Glenn after he retired from actively making the instruments.

updated by @greg-gunner: 02/21/22 06:26:25AM