Forum Activity for @john-rawlinson

Thanks for picking it up Ken, it looks as if the link got broken in the middle

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/19/john-shaw-obituary

John

John Rawlinson -- your link to John's obit does not work...  But this one does:
John Shaw obituary | Folk music | The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/19/john-shaw-obituary
John's obituary, written by his wife Angela is in today's Guardian. I knew him since the 1980s in Bristol, from the Iron Acton folk Club at the Lamb Inn, where he was the only other person I knew locally who played the mountain dulcimer. He was a wonderful, but modest, player, a knowledgeable folk musician and a lovely, kind, unassuming gentle-man. He is such a loss to the dulcimer community. 

Hey @celtic-cowboy, I see that you have in fact posted a "thanks" to people who commented on your East Virginia video, so clearly you know how to post.

There is no option called a "comment back" but there are two ways to accomplish the same thing.  This is how things work on a pc. It may be slightly different on a mobile device.

One is what I did above. I just wrote your username complete with the @ symbol, which does two things. One, it creates a hyperlink so anyone can click it and get to your homepage. Two, it sends you a notification that someone has mentioned you.  Of course, it also indicates clearly to whom you are responding.

The second way is to directly quote someone:

To quote someone, hover your cursor over their comment and you will see an icon appear in the upper right of that box that looks like the speech bubble from a cartoon.  Click that and their entire comment will appear in quotation marks in a new comment box.  You rarely need to quote an entire post, so most of us then edit the quotation to include only what is necessary.

I hope that helps.  If you need further instruction, ask your limberjack.

You should be able to see or access a text box so that you can respond to them with your own comment right there after their comment. 
Are you doing this on a desktop/laptop, or on a tablet/phone?

Was going to post this in Dulcimer Making section but i could not figure out how to attach a photo in that section the attach file is not there when you start a new discussion so i posted it here

Any way my wife was having issues keeping her Dulcimer on her lap while sitting in her chair so I made her a simple stand that allows her to sit her dulcimer in front of her on a stand while sitting in her chair she likes to use

here is a photo can provide details and parts list if someone is interested in making one

How do I respond to comments under my uploaded video? There is no "comment back" button under the comments.

Have been there and done that with my banjo's and my wife's dulcimer

I second Ken H's suggestion to pluck a string then turn the tuning knob.  It is so easy to be turning the wrong tuner-- I've done it enough times.  ;) 

johnpat -- here's another mental note for you -- never tune a string that isn't 'singing'.   Grab the tuner knob, strongly pluck the string you want to tune -- a quarter turn only.  LISTEN  If the sound doesn't change, Stop!  You've got the wrong tuner.  Try again.  Lots of people break strings because they just keep turning the knob even though the sound doesn't change, and Snap!

Thanks, everyone!

I had a set of guitar strings laying  around so i was able to meet my immediate need and it worked fine. I suspected, as Ken said, a string is string.... But I wanted to make sure before I tried. I already broke a string and I didn't want to break the dulcimer, too!

(Mental note to self: tune down, not up. The strings won't stretch that far...).

@ Ken Hulme- that's the way it came, as far as gauges go. It sounds nice so I've no reason to change it at this time.

Online company called Just Strings sells every kind of string for every kind of string instrument. Including individual strings ball or loop end...Robert

Y'all are super! Thanks for the words and actions of support. I did contact the email address given for Warren May to ask if there were any records for this instrument. A woman responded with a pretty brisk message about using a flashlight to read the insert on the inside of the instrument (which I had done already) -- so I don't think there's any special news that direction. 

I did take Strumelia's suggestion and played it this afternoon with the noter. It sounds fine -- but that's not my usual playing style and I can't see myself going there much (besides that wasn't the intent of the donor).  It was a good exercise. 

I think I'll take some more photos next. Inching forward . .. 

Here's one on Ebay with an asking price of $700 . Of course, that's just the asking price.  No one has bought it yet.

I did a quick search on eBay of recently sold Warren May dulcimers. There were two hourglass dulcimers sold; of for $285 and the other for $315. The other May dulcimer was his hourdrop model and it sold for $629.95. This is just an indication of what the eBay market place is bringing at the present time.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I think your plan to sell and use the proceeds to purchase a dulcimer fitted to the playing style of those around you is admirable. So many folks would not want to take the time to do that. 

I think you would want to price it at $600, maybe less. You can adjust your price lower. I just sold a Warren May premium model to a local lady who is a friend of mine. Because of that relationship I sold it for far less than it is worth. But I did not have to pack and ship it.

It seems many current players prefer to have the extra frets and mechanical tuners as you noted in your area. If you are willing to wait it out, I am sure you will find a buyer, but it may take a couple of months or more. The holidays are coming up and the vaccine has not prevented me from having dulcimer acquisition disorder (DAD).

You may want to contact Warren May. He may have someone with interest that would not demand a new dulcimer. PM me and I can help you with contact information.

Perhaps there are a few old traditional tunes that appeal to you that you might like to try out in drone style on this dulcimer. Think DAA tuning, and maybe Start with Go Tell Aunt Rhody. You could also try the beautiful Aoelian mode tuning of DAG, and play Shady Grove. It might be a lovely thing to do when you are feeling like playing something beautiful and haunting, without needing to play chords on all strings. Think about it.. worth a try maybe since you already have the perfect dulcimer for that.

Thank you so very much for thinking on this! You are sharpening my thinking. My desire to "do right" should not extend into evaluating someone else's heart. And Ken is also insightful. I play "melody/chord" and I should give the instrument a try with a noter. 

It's a lovely instrument -- but it isn't served if it sits against my wall and isn't played. Will continue to think on how to move forward. 

Have you sold things on Ebay before? If so, then that's a fairly easy way to sell it, though you have to ship it carefully. If not, perhaps Craigslist, or contact any dulcimer club within driving distance. You must decide whether you are willing or able to ship it.

If it has no cracks or damage at all, then i imagine someone might pay anywhere between $350-600. It's a tricky time for guessing values now due to pandemic. But I'd think $450 would be a logical price with the case and without counting shipping.

If you want to sell it, you really can't be worrying about it going to a 'happy home'. You kind of have to assume that whoever buys it would be happy and deserving.

You're right that Warren probably built that to be played in DAA or other 1-5-5 tunings.  But not because it's a "Kentucky" dulcimer.  Built in 1990, with a true diatonic fretboard (no 6+ fret), Warren probably set it up to be played in traditional Noter & Drone or Fingerdance style, not the modern Chord-Melody style. The label inside may given you some insight -- it may have been custom built for someone.  

Can't help with the value though... others who know Warren better will help I'm sure.

JohnPat -- Strings are strings are strings.  The only things that matter are the gauge and the end type(ball or loop). 

I agree with John Knopf -- go to www.juststrings.com  They have single dulcimer string for about $1, string sets for $3-4, or you can buy a dozen strings of a given gauge in the gauges you need (which is what I do).  Their JustStrings Bulk Loop End strings are $4 a dozen.  That way you'll have strings to last for quite awhile.

What's the VSL and the tuning on your 5-string?  That .009 string you list for the light side of the doubled bass course seems extremely light to me.  If you're tuned Dd A dd then you don't need a .009 for the d on the bass course, just another .011 like the melody course ds...

Just checked it was Amazon

4

D'Addario EJ64 4-String Dulcimer Strings

When I purchased a Dulcimer for my wife it needed the strings replaced I ended up purchasing 5 sets of strings for dulcimer from I think Strings and beyond or amazon cant really remember, I will look at my back orders and see exactly where I did purchase them from and post it here for you

I live on the west coast and do what I can to teach/share the mountain dulcimer. Recently I was contacted by someone clearing out an estate and they wanted to pass on a dulcimer "to a deserving student."  I said I would be glad to evaluate the instrument and felt I could get it into interested hands if it seemed playable. 

I was delighted to open the carrying case to find a very pristine Warren May mahogany dulcimer made in 1990. I struggled with tuning the instrument and finally replaced the middle and melody strings and applied some "peg" dope to the tuning pets. I tuned it to DAD and it was . . . okay. I wasn't thrilled with it. 

Some times insights do come in the night. I woke up about 3 a.m, thinking "This is a Kentucky dulcimer. It may need to be in DAA."

Today I re-tuned the dulcimer to DAA, and it's now a happy, lovely instrument. I'm amazed at the change. 

But now I'm kinda stuck. We play DAD in my area (some DAC) -- and, while the peg tuners are now much, much better, it's still taking some care to tune this dulcimer. I'm not thinking it is for a beginner in my "neck of the woods." 

I'm thinking the right way to honor the spirit of the donor is to sell this instrument and replace it with a good quality beginner's instrument (I like Ron Gibson's  -- and basic McSpaddens).  In this way I could get an instrument into the hands of someone in the area and help them launch into this musical world. 

But how do I price this Warren May dulcimer? Who might be the right sort of happy home for it? (peg tuners, no 6.5 fret). Words of advice would be appreciated. I'm out of my depth right now. 

 small warren may.jpeg - 126KB

You could shop at www.juststrings.com for some great prices and quantities!

I mostly just shop the acoustic guitar string sales from wherever.  Depending on gauges, the 1-2-3 or 1-2-4 strings make up a three string dulcimer.  Yes, I have many leftover wound strings in a box. I shop the sales at CB Gitty for multi-packs of singles to make up the rest.  If I am looking for extra light strings, I will look at electric guitar strings, but never use the wound strings in those packs.  But that is just the way I buy strings. Others do it differently.

Where is a good source of strings?

I am able to get them from the luthier, but I'd like to have a backup plan in case he retires.

Its easy to find 3 & 4- string sets, but I have a five- string with the following gauges:

.011

.011

.013

.009

.024

Are these basically banjo strings? Guitar?

Does it matter, as long as the gauges match?

Should I buy a set of something plus singles? All singles?

As a recovered music teacher, those rules give me heartburn! LOL!

Those rules made me chuckle

I would laugh at those "rules," but they hit a little too close to home.

It is what it is. So be it.

Saw this on Facebook & have to share it here.  I'm sure my Kindergarten report card said: Does not play well with others.

 Golden Rules for Music Ensembles.jpg - 73KB

It's Mahogany.  I have a Facebook page, you can post it there

Thank you Howard for this information. I saw the dulcimer listed on FaceBook Market place and immediately contacted seller. She is the second owner - said that she purchased it from an older lady in Dallas. Since it is a pre-folkcraft Im meeting seller tomorrow morning to close the sale. She said that it is in like new condition with hard case. I haven’t seen the dulcimer yet in person. I know that it has a spruce top. The picture on FB did not show back or side, so I’m assuming either walnut, cherry or maybe mahogany. If you like, I will send pictures

Again, thank you so much for the info

Tom Campbell

Hello Tom

Yes it's pre-Folkcraft.  Date of assembly, 11/3/ 1983

Thank you Dusty for the info.  I will follow up.  No problem moving my post to appropriate forum. 

Tom

Like Dusty, I'm pretty sure that's a "real" FolkRoots Capritaurus, not a re-born Folkcraft.  Howard is easy to chat with...

I am (very slowly) working on an arrangement of the Irish Gaelic air "Song of the Books" or " Amhrán na Leabha."  It's a haunting melody. I found some sheet music for the penny whistle, which provides the basic melody.  But I've been listening to this vocal version and altering the basic melody to capture a small fraction of the nuances of the singer's voice.  The big task will be deciding on the harmonic accompaniment. Lots of minor chords, obviously, but beyond that I've yet to figure it out.

Once I've tabbed out the melody and decided on the chording, then I'll have to actually sit down and play it a bunch to see how it all fits under the fingers. More revisions to follow then.

You can rest assured I'll be listening to this tune non-stop for many days to come.

Hi Tom,

First, I took the liberty of moving your question to the Forum on specific luthiers, since it seemed more appropriate.

Second, I would guess from the model and serial number that the instrument was pre-Folkcraft, but to be sure, why not contact @howard-rugg directly?  He is a member here and usually has very good records about the instruments made by Capritaurus and FolkRoots.