Forum Activity for @ggray

Thanks for the info and Merry Christmas!

I've used Franklin Titebond wood glue for years and am happy with it,  I can heat a bad joint and pop it open quite easily if needed.  And it's quite strong for my purposes.

I have a video from McSpadden produced in the mid 1970s where Lynn McSpadden says that used aliphatic resin glue in building his dulcimers. This is what I used when I made my first few dulcimers around that time. It came in a can as a powder which you mixed with a prescribed amount of water. Of course, you could make it as thin or thick as you liked, but the thicker you made it caused the glue to crystalize creating weak joints.

Lynn began making a dulcimer in 1962 and finished it in 1963. I don't remember him ever telling me that he used hide glue.

White Elmer's glue has a polyvinyl acetate base. The yellow wood glues contains less water and is aliphatic resin based.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Ken Longfield said "Back in 1974 I would guess that McSpadden recommended using a wood glue like Original Titebond or Elmer's Wood Glue."

I would agree as far as kit instructions go.

The "factory team," including kit assemblers, might well have been using hot hide glue mixed from powder.

see: http://www.makingtheviolin.com/Glues

Most other wood glues for serious work only became available after about 1950, and the traditional stuff still has a following, partly because it can be disassembled with modest heat.

Back in 1974 I would guess that McSpadden recommended using a wood glue like Original Titebond or Elmer's Wood Glue. As John says, they'd only have a drop or two of glue coming from the factory, but if this is a home assembled kit, it is difficult to know what glue was used. I could be white Elmer's glue which makes it very easy to disassemble. You might check at Stew-Mac to see what nut blanks they have available. I'm sure you can find something that will fit your dulcimer. You want to the surface of the nut butting up against the fret side of the slot. If it were to butt up against the peg head side you would be changing the VSL and throwing the intonation of the strings out of whack.

John's suggestion of check at a Guitar Center or local music shop for a nut blank is also a good idea. You won't pay shipping that way.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I'd guess the McSpaddens used wood glue for assembly.  I don't think super glue was "a thing" way back then.

If the nut and bridge were glued in the traditional way, they'd only have a drop or two of glue holding them into their slots, making them easier to remove with a sideways tap of a hammer as mentioned below.  

You don't want to use a nut blank of different thickness than that of the original one.  You'd be asking for trouble.  See if a guitar shop like Guitar Center sells something you could use.  And mask-up if you cut bone, as it's nasty stuff to breathe!

Thanks for these ideas!  After Christmas I will probably try replacing the bridge and nut.  Did the 1974 McSpadden kits use wood glue or super glue?  Will the "rap" work with either, or just the super glue?  My current nut and bridge are both just under 5mm wide.  I noticed the Delrin replacements are 1/8 inch (3.175mm).  Would centering in the slot provide the correct breakover or should I move the Delrin up against the slot wall toward the fretboard?  The difference might not be noticeable as long as I stay perpendicular to the strings.  Thanks again!

I agree with John on the 1/8" spacing. Any closer and you are sure to have problems. Depending upon the glue used your should be able to remove the bridge with either water/heat for wood glue or a sharp side ways rap with a hammer for super glue. In the first method I use a little water placed along the bridge where it meet the slot it is in and then use a heat gun to soften the glue. As the glue softens I can pry the bridge out of the slot. In the second method I use a piece of wood the width of the nut, place it against one side of the nut, then hit the wood sharply with a hammer. It doesn't have to be hard hit. Make sure you have the dulcimer securely clamped in place so it doesn't move when you hit the bridge. On hourglass dulcimers I place the dulcimer on its side and can put my right arm in its waist while holding the stick on the bridge. Then I can give it rap with a hammer. Be careful.

I have used very fine wood particles which I save from sanding. I have small bottles of ebony, rosewood, walnut, maple, and oak dust which I use on corresponding bridges. The finer the wood dust, the better. Even though it will harden quickly, I let it set for an hour or so before trying to add new slots.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Hello!  The generally-accepted spacing between melody strings is 1/8" or so.  It can be less, but there's a danger that the strings might touch each other when vibrating if they're tuned to a low note, and they get "floppy".  Professional guitar repairmen use a combination of (believe it or not) super glue and baking soda to repair or fill gaps in bone or plastic nuts. First the gap is slightly overfilled with a dab of baking soda, then a tiny amount of super glue is added to bind it all together.  The resulting material is very strong, and must be trimmed back with a file.  Setting time is nearly instantaneous!  Be careful!

Is there an optimum spacing for the two melody strings, or at least a minimum spacing that would avoid the strings vibrating and touching each other?  In general, can existing slots in the bridge and nut be filled in with super glue, wood putty, or something, such that new slots can be cut using different spacing?  There may be a partial overlap of the new slot to the old.  The strings will be .010's.  My bridge and nut are glued in so replacing them would not be fun! Thanks!

There are many players these days however who look for and love the traditional style of dulcimer and dulcimer playing style. Personally, I hope this beautiful dulcimer remains just the way it is without being 'modernized' (geared tuners installed and extra frets added). There will be someone to cherish it and play it in the old way.
Jud, if you are thinking about your kids dealing with it, consider tucking in a little note with the instrument explaining a few things about it that you have learned. Just a paragraph or two, would be so helpful to your kids in the future, and would help steer the dulcimer in the right direction in the future.

Most current day mountain dulcimer players are more interested in an instrument which is built to play chords and or finger pick. Jeremy's dulcimers from the era of the '80's were better for noter drone style playing, or sometimes called traditional style playing. It is a lovely instrument.

Thanks for the comments, everyone. Yes, it's simple and elegant! It seems like this style of dulcimer is not really an in-demand instrument for playing, so I'll likely hang on to it in case I ever bump into someone local who knew Jeremy and may appreciate its vector through the universe. Worst case (or best case if I'm doing the math right) in 40 years my kids can deal with it when they clean out my house! 😜

Second the suggestion to buy a number of single strings and experiment. It's what I did, and while it is a pain at first, it's the easiest way to find what you like. As Dusty says, there's not a lot of practical difference between the two manufacturers' recommendations, but , your personal playing style may introduce differences that neither you nor the manufacturer could have anticipated. And, your needs can change. If you have sensitive fingers or hand problems, you may choose to start lighter and see if you can manage a heavier set (or like the sound of one) later on.

One issue with shorter VSLs is that the heavier gauge bass strings can lose some of their resonance on the higher notes (if you play chord-melody style or your finger dancing goes across the strings). That's one reason I ended up using a .020 gauge on my bass--it hit the right balance both ways. Not so light as to make extraneous sounds, but not too heavy to vibrate nicely a bit further up the scale. Plus, when played as a drone, it has a particularly nice rich, clean sound. 

For single strings (or bargain packs), the nice people here pointed me to juststrings.com , which I can now recommend in turn.

Western North Carolina Dulcimer Collective - Free Emailed Newsletter - I need your Help!

I switched computers last week and managed to lose my entire contact list.  This included the email addresses for everyone who subscribed to the free WNCDC emailed newsletter...

If you would like to continue receiving the free emailed newsletter (or start, if you never did), click on the "More Information" button at https://wncdc.org/ .  Then click on my email address and it will open an email to me. Send me a note and I'll get you on the list.

The next free newsletter will be sent in early January. Thanks!

Steve Smith, WNCDC

No problem. I joined a BP Facebook group. I see Donna is a member there. I posted there asking about the forum. Thanks for allowing me to run it past you.

Susie, I never really knew Donna. When FOTMD and Donna's Psaltery forums were both on Ning servers, Donna and I compared notes once or twice, many years ago. I'm sorry you are having trouble contacting her or getting her forum to work. I wish i could do more, but alas.

I've tried contacting Donna. I've also tried requesting a password reset, but that didn't work. Looks like signing up can only be done through a Google or Facebook login. I think I've done all I can.  I appreciate your ideas...I also wondered if you knew Donna or if the forum is active. I guess I'll wait and see if I hear anything. Thank you!

Hi Susie,

I see on that site of Donna's that there are events listed from late 2023, so maybe its stil active.

I see links at the bottom of their home page to contact the owner directly- have you tried that?  Also, you can try creating a new account in oder to get in. (you could always get the admin to delete a duplicate account later once you are activated). And also- I've had trouble in years past with logging in on places online by using my Google account. Is there another choice besides using Google when logging in?

Lisa,

Sorry about reviving this old thread, but I wanted to ask you....Do you know if Donna is still supporting the psalterystrings.com forum? I tried logging in using Google to join the forum, and it stated that my member sign-up request has been sent, but I haven't heard anything back. 

I'd love to join that forum (if it's still active), as I pursue the BP further (giving another shot at it). I ended up selling my previous BP, but have a new one on order from Master Works.

Thanks!

I'll second John's post. The FolkRoots kit will make a very nice dulcimer.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

You have an excellent quality dulcimer kit. Congratulations!  It should turn out wonderfully when assembled with care.

Also, you can join the builders' group here on FOTMD and get lots of help from our members who build a lot of dulcimers:
https://fotmd.com/strumelia/group/11/dulcimer-making   They are always happy to help out with advice.

-Note, you have to JOIN the group before you can post there or see all the discussion replies. And joining and Unjoining groups is as easy as clicking a button.

That's great to know. Thank you

FolkRoots dulcimers are well known.  It was an off-shoot of Michael and Howard Rugg's Capritaurus Dulcimers in Felton, CA.  At some point (but later than the 70s, I believe), they sold FolkRoots to Folkcraft, which continues to make a line of dulcimers under that name.

The good news for you is that Howard Rugg is making dulcimers again and is a member of FOTMD!  So if you have any questions, you should go directly to him.

I just acquired a dulcimer kit from the 70's it was sold by a company called Folk Roots. I know nothing about dulcimers and before I go tearing into it, I wanted to make sure I wasn't making a mistake (devaluing the instrument/would be instrument) because of it's age and being in original condition. It appears to be walnut sides and back and a spruce top.

Thoughts?

I've removed a few escalating personal attack posts going back and forth here, and I've locked this thread.
Folks, please stay civil and let it drop. Thanks!

Thanks for this, Strumelia.  I have shared it on another social media site.  

Beautiful! x

Strings Attached, you will get more help if you post this request in the General Mountain Dulcimer or Instruments forums. I am not familiar with your dulcimer, so I can offer no other help except to say call New Harmony Dulcimer and ask them. 833-852-4637

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I am trying - without success - to re-string my New Harmony Pudge Pro dulcimer.  I can't seem to get the string through the hole; in fact, there doesn't appear to be an actual hole!  Help!

I just wanted to share this lovely video to enjoy and inspire us all...
https://youtu.be/o4OlL0OpbW8?feature=shared

What a gorgeous instrument!  

It's lovely! I'm amazed that it is in perfect/new condition after over 40 years. I'm thinking it deserves a case, if even just a cheap cardboard or padded gig case.

Hello, Jud, that is a very nice example of Jeremy's dulcimer building. He made for traditional styles of playing as he did not include a 6 1/2 fret on most of his instruments. There are two things that make this dulcimer unappealing to modern players; the lack of that fret and friction tuners. I would not like to see it changed as it is such a fine example of his work. Also, Jeremy is not well known as a dulcimer builder outside of the northeastern US. As to a selling price, I hesitate to offer one. If you put it in an auction, it could go for perhaps $300 or more. As a straight sale, I would guess maybe $150 to $200. 

Oh, and by the way, those little blocks are fine tuners.

I hope this helps and gives you something to think about.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

PS - If you send me your contact information via a private message here, I know of someone who might be interested in this dulcimer. Thanks.

Greetings from a snowy Vermont. I just joined this forum to get some advice on selling a dulcimer that I recently re-discovered while cleaning out the family home for my aging parents. Thank you for the warm welcome upon my joining.

The dulcimer has a backstory, which I’ll share here:

In the late 70’s and early 80’s our family used to take a vacation in Hancock, VT for a week every summer, renting the house of a family friend. Every year there was always some new “Vermonty” experience to be discovered. We came home with fly fishing rods one year, new jackknives for whittling another year, and in 1981, a beautiful handmade dulcimer.

The dulcimer purchase stands out in my memory because we had to navigate our station wagon up a steep and curvy dirt road to a rustic home where we were met by a bearded, bespectacled man named Jeremy who invited us in. My Dad, a corporate-type guy, had been romanced by the simplicity and beauty of the instrument while in VT. I wasn't privy to the transaction, but the dulcimer came home with us to western NY to be explored for about 2 weeks before it took up residence on top of the equally unused piano for the next 40+ years.

I rediscovered it while paring down my aging parents’ belongings. The label inside the dulcimer was handwritten and confirmed my memory that a man named Jeremy had built it. It also revealed his last name, Seeger. With a little research on the web, I learned of Jeremy’s lifetime of dedication to the instrument and also that he had sadly passed away in 2023 (otherwise, I would have reached out to him first, as I currently live about 1/2 hour from Hancock.)

While this dulcimer does have some sentimental value, I’m content with having the memories. I would like to find it a new home where it will be appreciated and played as intended when it was first crafted.

I’d love opinions from this community on a fair selling price and welcome inquiries from potential buyers. I will happily donate back to the forum upon sale.

The dulcimer is with me in Vermont. It does not have a case, but I am wiling to work with a buyer to coordinate safe and secure shipping. I replaced the strings just to keep the little blocks by the bridge from falling off (they probably have a name that I don't know!)

Thanks for reading and I look forward to your comments and questions.

Jud

Thats really unfortunate to hear. Its important to know that an Appalachian dulcimer is often built in a much more "hands on" fashion than most mass produced string instruments, and still often manages to offer handmade instruments at much lower prices than other instruments made in factories. For this reason, some amount of imperfections could be expected.

Nonetheless, I can definitely understand your frustration. If the instrument was damaged before it reached you, it doesnt make sense that they should say "we didnt look that close." Given that a skilled woodworker would obviously know if they accidentally left dents on the wood. 

They should have known the level of cosmetic issue on the instrument and should have been honest with you about it before shipping, and after your negative feedback.

In a business sense, its surprising that they didnt simply placate you, even if they disagreed.

Sorry to hear about your poor experience. I agree. That is not the way to encourage repeat sales.

With sadness I have to say that I had a frustrating experience with The Dulcimer Shoppe, the maker of McSpadden dulcimers. It was the first time that I dealt with this company. I ordered a Ginger short scale dulcimer, and the instrument that was shipped to me had two nicks-dings on the top. Ok, just cosmetic, but it bugged me. I wrote to The Dulcimer Shoppe and added photos. The owner answered that when they check an instrument before shipping they “do not use a magnifying glass”… which I think it is not the right attitude towards a customer who has a problem. He also said that he offered to fix the dulcimer, or that I was free to return the instrument, as long as I was going to pay for the shipping cost... Again, I am not sure this was right because I was not returning a perfect instrument just because I changed my mind, but I was returning an instrument with a cosmetic issue. Anyway, before deciding to return the instrument, I asked the shipping department how much they were going to deduct from my refund because of shipping costs. The answer was: $25.81. So I shipped it back. Today I received the refund, and they deducted $84.25 from it, for shipping expenses… that is more than 3 times than what I was told. I wrote to them asking to explain. Response: “ Sorry for the misunderstanding. When I replied to you I was focused on the return shipping and not the previous one. Due to the fact that you are returning and not exchanging, our policy is that the customer pays for the shipping both ways. If you had elected to exchange or have it repaired, we would not have charged you the shipping”. I would have much appreciated if they had given me this detailed info upfront, which they didn't. If I knew that I was going to lose 85 dollars, I could have chosen a different option, as having the dulcimer fixed or having it replaced. I am sad to see that they didn't do any effort to put themselves on the customer's side and understand my frustration. It looks like, for the Dulcimer Shoppe, a few dollars are more important than losing a customer for life. I am sure that there are many customers who have been very satisfied with their experience with The Dulcimer Shoppe and McSpadden dulcimers, this is one of the reason why I decided to go with a McSpadden. But in my case, unfortunately, It looks that I had bad luck. My frustration is not that I received an instrument with a cosmetic issue (it happens). It is the way I have been treated when I tried to resolve the issue. Confusing information about the amount of refund that led me to believe that the return would have cost me just 25 dollars, when instead, after I shipped back the dulcimer, I discovered that they have a return policy that establishes that even if a customer receives a defective instrument, he has to pay both shipping charges if he wants to return it. Something that I have never seen applied by any other reputable maker. And something that it is not mentioned on The Dulcimer Shoppe web site... In the end, I have lost $85.00 and I did nothing wrong, I just received an instrument that was in subpar cosmetic condition. Every other maker would have accepted the return and issued a full refund.

 469202108_2046020082536367_448645389491526548_n.jpg - 40KB

will do....probably won't start excavating tll tomorrow...I'll let you know either way