Forum Activity for @strumelia

@dulcinina here are a few pix from this morning. The full jar ready to harvest is red clover. The little seeds just soaked overnight and ready to start growing are alfalfa. Then you see the mung beans which have been growing about three days after soaking overnight.
Then pix of pulling the mat of sprouts out of the jar, and teasing them apart and risning in a tub where the hulls float and can be skimmed away. then the finished rinsed drained red clover sprouts in a quart tupperware tub for the fridge.

Yes, I think taking to him is the way to move forward. Keep us posted. I am hoping that you will get it resolved so you can play to your heart’s content without the buzzing. 

Hi Lois, I just posted a comment on the comment wall of the Dulcimer Therapy Group. I also posted in a discussion in the Little Dulcimers Group. Both posts immediately appeared in the main 'feed' on FOTMD's Home Page. If you post something new on the site, it usually appears in the main activity feed (except for comments on people's personal profile pages).

If you want to get notifications concerning new content in particular Groups that interest you, then read this: https://fotmd.com/forums/forum/site-questions-how-do-i/18538/new-group-follow-features-added   You can also subscribe to get notifications on Forum topics you like.

Because Groups are generally more focused on special interests, they tend to have less activity than the General site forums have. As with any online forum, people tend to get back what they put in, as opposed to say watching a movie. Flurries of activity come and go in various places on our site and at any given time. Some threads or groups more than others, some members more than others.

As to scrolling 72 pages, well any site with an activity feed will require a lot of scrolling through past pages if you only visit the site once in a while and then want to review weeks' worth of activity. Facebook is even worse imho since it doesn't even utilize pages...just one bottomless Black Hole of Scroll.

Lois I notice you always seem to post about having trouble missing out on or finding old content after returning intermittently, despite being a long time member. I hope this info from Dusty and me helps in some way. Maybe if you visit more often and post more in the groups and forums that interest you, you won't need to search so hard for activity you missed.  ;)

I have been wondering what effect colder temperatures might be having. I don’t heat my house and it seemed to start with the cooler temperatures. I just took it to my dads yesterday and warmed it up in my truck twice and left it at work all day so it was warmed to normal room temperature. The buzz is still there. Now that I know it isn’t temperature related I will arrange a time to take it to him. 

Well, just that one will also need to be sure the string gauges are appropriate to both the tuning to be used, and the scale length/VSL of the dulcimer. Otherwise even with correct action you might wind up with buzzes (strings too loose), or strings that are too high tension and perhaps unpleasant to play. Keep in mind also that beginner players often like very low action for their sore fingers, and people who strum vigorously might need slightly higher action to avoid strings hitting the frets. (This being a separate consideration from the "noter players like higher action" thing.)

Thanks for the clarification, @Dusty-Turtle .  Yes, waves of activity I figured.  As for where posted, does this mean even Group posts appear on the Home page.  Hope so, &, yes, @mick-mclaughlin"> @mick-mclaughlin it's one of the great things about having the way to scroll back (72 ! "pages").  I know I ought to go through it for times I've had to be away or when time permits to "discover a bit that I missed the last time."

Lois, I think your observation is correct.  The activity in any most groups tends to come in waves.  Nothing for some time and then a cluster of activity around a certain topic.

I also think people don't think of the groups often enough and just post in the General Mountain Music Forum or the Beginner Forum rather than finding a group that fits their post better.

The dime sits alongside the 1st fret.  The nickel sets on top of the 7th fret.  The strings should just touch the coins.

Hopefully not to add confusion to the action, after reading a thread earlier, the dime should fit under the 1st fret space. According to Ken, not on the fret, and the nickel should fit under the 7th fret space. Adjusting the action for the 1st fret space would be at the nut, for the 7th would be at the bridge. Is this correct? Does the string just touch the dime or the nickel?

There was obviously some discourse on that thread that made it unclear.

Thanks.

Haven't been a member long enough to answer your question, but I like reading back over posts and usually discover a bit that I missed the last time.Are you thinking there is not enough posting going on ? Or just not enough chat about other stuff.

Traildad, were you able to get together with Dave of Black Mountain Instruments regarding your new dulcimer issues?

What is your normal tuning on the McCafferty?  Key of D -- DAd -- I'm assuming?  If so, going down to the key of C should be easily playable with those strings.  But going down to the key of B may be borderline 'floppy' for those strings and causing issues.

I prowl the Home page, often without logging in.  I know we all go through topics at times, but haven't spotted any Group discussions.  It would take a lot of time to look at each Group of possible interest.  I love the way the Home page lets us easily look back -- especially when having to be away for a while -- but wonder if I'm missing the obvious when it comes to Groups as opposed to the Forums?

I have a slightly different, but related, question.  On my McCafferty dulcimer, I use the gauges recommended by the builder, Terry -- .24, .15, and .12.  But for some songs I like to play in CGC.  And Wendy Songe posted a YouTube video of a wonderful version of Loch Lomond that she does in BF#B.  That has inspired me to try playing some in that tuning.  Both tunings are a bit bass-y, but as I say, they work well for some songs.  Problem is that the intonation gets noticably  off -- strings get sharp --  as soon as I move up the fretboard, even on the first fret.  Will higher gauge strings counteract that?  I don't really want to have to change strings whenever I want to use those tunings.  [I don't have a lot of dulcimers that I can keep around in different tunings.  Besides, I love my McCafferty in all tunings.]

Maxwell was friends with John Rice Irwin.He did a lot of work on the music display @ the Museum Of Appalachia in Norris Tennessee. There are several pieces of his displayed.

It is hard to find these luthiers. Thanks Ken. 

i found West's obit. but no real information.  He passed away in 2016.  Apparently a Mountain View AR native.  The one currently for sale on EBay certainly looks like a good example of 1980s dulcimer design and appears to be good craftsmanship.

Not a word on Henry C Desler, Dessler or Dressler 

Looking for info on two dulcimer makers. 1 is Author West, 2 Henry C Desler. I have looked through some archives and books and haven't beenbable to find anything about them or quality of build.

I tried a variety mix once, but found it problematic that the different types of seeds matured at slightly different rates. I also found the larger seed ones in the mix to be a little too crunchy. But some folks like the mixes especially for sandwiches and salads, so you could try a small package maybe? Other people love broccoli sprouts.
My husband and I like mild   tasting sprouts best, so our mainstay is alfalfa. Every time I try something different, we wind up going back to alfalfa...I guess we're just set in our boring ways. 

Thanks for the quick reply. I looked on Amazon and there is a lot to choose from.  Have y ou tried the variety packs?  Food to Live has alfalfa, broccoli, mung, clover and radish.  What's your experience with any of these?  Nina

Dulcinina, yes cheese cloth and a rubber band works too!  Some people cut plastic cross-stitch mesh into circles to use with the canning jar's metal band top. Others use pieces of tulle fabric or landscaping mesh. Anything that keeps the seeds in but lets water drain out. I just find the stainless steel screens to be convenient to clean and reuse, since I sprout a lot.

Try to use the WIDE-mouth canning jars, so that it's easy to pull the finished clump of sprouts out once they are done growing... usually the sprouts pack the entire jar if you start with 4 teaspoons of seed, and it's hard to pull a big dense clump out with a small mouth jar. You can use a little less seed, or smaller jars or different containers, but don't use more than 4 teaspoons of say alfalfa or radish per quart jar or the sprouts will get too crowded to grow. I read that a 1/4 cup of mung beans per quart jar works well, but I'm trying that out now.
I'll try to get some photos later to add.  :)

I haven't done this in a long time.  But you've inspired me to start again. Post a picture if you can of the jars before and after sprouting. I don't have screw on screen tops for my jars.  Would cheese cloth and a rubber band work?  Thanks for posting.  Going to give this a try again.  Nina

Now that Winter has set in and the veggie garden is dormant, I've started my winter tradition of growing fresh sprouts in jars in my kitchen.

Especially now during the pandemic when I want to avoid frequent trips out to buy food, fresh SPROUTS are a terrific substitute for lettuce! We pile them on sandwiches, in tortilla rollups, and as a side for scrambled eggs or anywhere you would want a little handful of greens. Mung sprouts are also good in stir fried dishes. I find that a head of pretty purple raddichio stays nice for three whole weeks in the fridge, so a couple of thin slices of raddichio, some grated carrot, and a handful of sprouts (and some croutons!) makes a wonderful salad.

This year with buying lettuce less frequently, I went all in and am adding two other types of sprouts to our usual favorite of alfalfa sprouts... I'm now alternating growing jars of alfalfa sprouts with mung bean and red clover. (we don't care for the peppery types like radish sprouts though some folks love those)

I use quart jars with screw on screen tops, and because each jar takes 5 or 6 days I keep two jars growing at any given time. I start a new jar every 4 days or so because it takes us about four days to eat through each batch. I just have to remember to rinse and drain the growing sprouts twice a day so they stay moist and clean while growing. I keep the jars upside down (to avoid any water pooling in the jar) in my dish draining rack, covered with a cloth to keep them dark. On the last day I sit the jar near a bright window and they totally green up within a few hours- so pretty and magical! Then I pull them out of the jar, tease them apart, rinse several times to remove most of the hulls, and put them in a plastic tub in the fridge to eat. A quart jar can make a big bunch of sprouts! It only takes 4 teaspoons of alfalfa seeds to wind up with a quart jar jammed FULL of mature sprouts.
I buy organic 'sprouting seeds' on am*zon in 1 pound bags. Don't use seeds meant for planting because those are often treated and/or GMO. A 1lb bag will last you at least a year. 
Just seeing the green jars growing in my kitchen during the dead of winter always brings me a feeling of hope and renewal.

Oh, my, has it been ten years since Rod died?  I remember getting home from a family gathering and seeing the sad news.  

You're welcome, John. I've seen a few Tignor dulcimers over the years. I, too, was struck by the narrow waist and wide lower bout as well as the depth and the large pegs.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Thanks, Ken! I remember seeing John's dulcimers at a shopping mall and being blown away by the depth, the width, and the wasp-waist on those critters!  I taught a young girl how to play one, and it was nearly as big as she was!

Rod was a generous and caring person. He was always so helpful. I've missed him over the years. I can't believe it has been ten years.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

This website has a nice photo of a Tignor dulcimer from the tip of the peg head to the end of the tailpiece. A mountain dulcimer does not have a neck. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1970s-appalachian-mountain-dulcimer-1904007493

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

On Christmas day 2020 it will be ten years since Rod passed away. Just wanted to post a fond remembrance of "Deputy Mo" again. He contributed so much friendship and encouragement to members here on FOTMD. Rest in peace and in music, Rod.

Yes I'd say they were old Grover planet banjo tuners. Probably previously used. Not the highest quality of planetary tuners, being 2:1 ratio.

Anyone have a pic of the front of the dulcimer from neck to base for John T Tignor

Will do thanks

"Uncle" Ed Thomas. Nathina if you are really interested in this subject you'll need to do some reading and learning from books and articles on dulcimer history and traditions. There's a lot to learn but it's all well worth the effort to those with a serious interest. Stumbling onto a real Thomas is arguably the Holy Grail of antique dulcimers. Also some fun related content here on fotmd by doing a main search for "Ed Thomas". Also, maybe you'll enjoy some of the threads in this Group . And you'll definitely want to read Ralph Lee Smith's Dulcimer Traditions, and his The Story of the Dulcimer.

And what does a "Thomas" design mean exactly?

That's a beautiful dulcimer, John.  I remember the Galax you showed me in Berea a couple years ago.  Beautiful work.  Nina

The first two strings are #4 gauge or .013", and the bass string is #8 gauge or .020".

That is so cool, @robert-schuler!  I passed along the Jeffreys I had to a young folks music enthusiast and he is thrilled to have it.  Such a sweet little instrument.  

Happy anniversary 1865! I'm sure it will continue to provide you with inspiration.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Just for clarification: Tennessee Tech's  Appalachian Center  for  Crafts are not the same.  Maxwell's Craft center was privately owned and preceded the Appalachian Center for Crafts.  I do own one of his dulcimers, and live in Cookeville, Tn. where he had his shop and his dulcimers were built; made primarily for the tourist trade but overall not a bad instrument.  The wooden pegs are a pain to keep in tune however.