Forum Activity for @strumelia

Bass String Buzz @ 1st & 2nd Fret

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

As a test, try tuning just that bass string up by one step- if it is in D tune it to E.... and see if the buzzing stops. If it stops, then you'll know that the bass string is too light a gauge- switch it to the next thicker gauge and that will make sure it won't be tickling the frets when vibrating.

If the test does NOT eliminate the buzz, then the problem is not likely with the string, but could be with the nut/bridge slots, or the frets, or your fingering techniques.  Since Jim Woods has checked out the instrument thoroughly, and also since he cannot hear the buzz happen for him, then perhaps your physical playing technique as the most likely suspect. 
Can you hear the buzz if you get your husband to play the dulcimer or strum it?

Bass String Buzz @ 1st & 2nd Fret

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

I had the same issue with one of mine many moons ago.  It just about drove me nuts because for awhile everything was fine and then the buzz thing would crank up.  I finally figured it out when like Ken points out, it was me catching the string  on the strum and pulling it up a bit.  I also put a bit of a heavier string on the bass then I found was included in the string sets you buy.  As I recall I went from a 24 or so to a 28.  (I think the Strother string calculator is a bit light.)   That helped a great deal but it still happened.  Steve Siefert once mentioned that a heavier string could correct some problems like this when using a 155 tuning.

The next time it happened I froze on the chord and it dawned on me that my bass string was not being held with the same amount of pressure as the others allowing it to buzz......

I am not saying that your issue is the same, but in my case it was due to several different things.......too light a string, a weak ring finger and an inconsistent pick angle.  I also switched to a lighter gauge pick too.  That made it harder to lift the bass string.

As suggestion, if you have not tried this, tune it up a to maybe EBE and see if the higher tension makes it stop.

All in all, Ken's comment fit my predicament and was right on the money.

Bass String Buzz @ 1st & 2nd Fret

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

This is absolutely the most difficult problem a player and a builder can have.  Frustrating is too mild a word!!

A sometimes buzz can sometimes be traced to "pilot error". 

I had a similar incident to investigate recently for another luthier friend.  A client bought a dulcimer and loved it but had issues with random buzzings.  The instrument was shipped back and forth a couple times halfway across the country with no satisfaction.  The luthier contacted me because I live relatively close to his client, and asked that I basic do a complete checkout and re-setup the dulcimer.  I did so, with the owner watching like a hawk.  Then when she would try it, yes, once in awhile there was a random buzz.  I kept watching her play, and realized that she would get those  sounds because she was not consistent in how she picked the strings.  Occasionally she was picking up, not across, and it was just enough to unseat a string in. its notch, which would buzz a split second later as it was plucked again and returned to its proper place in the slot

updated by @ken-hulme: 05/18/20 12:13:50AM

Bass String Buzz @ 1st & 2nd Fret

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

I have s 26” VSL McSpadden in Redwood/Black Walnut. Only had a few months and when my husband changed the strings (he is a guitar teacher so knows what is doing), the bass string started buzzing sometimes at the headstock. It can happen on open chords, 1st fret and 2 fret. We changed the bass strings to squeakless then tried regular, which was not as bad. I shipped it and all frets they checked were good. They did replace zero fret and did some work on middle string. This dulcimer has great tone and I hate to return to get another one built. However, Jim Woods and several luthiers who work there could not hear the vibrating buzz that I was talking about. He is a great guy and trying to help me with this issue.  I thought about “living with it”. But I hear it a lot and it is annoying sounding. It did not sound that way before we changed the strings. I tried paper under bridge area, nut area, tightening screws, etc... 

 

updated by @silverstrings: 05/17/20 11:13:49PM

Hearts Of The Dulcimer Podcast In Its 5th Year

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast - Episode 48 
Stay Home and Play Dulcimer: with Heidi Muller and Bob Webb

https://dulcimuse.com/podcast

Here's another episode created especially for dulcimer players.

Be sure to check out and download some free TAB on the episode resource page.

We spoke with Heidi Muller and Bob Webb, who shared tips and ideas for using time at home to improve your dulcimer playing.

You can listen to all the  Hearts of the Dulcimer Podcast  episodes directly on our website:    https://dulcimuse.com/podcast   or in most podcast apps.

Every episode has its own resource page with photos, videos, and song lists.

Here's the resource page for this episode:    https://dulcimuse.com/podcast/resource/048.html

Thanks for listening!

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Jill, tell us a little about the boat ..... we lived on ours for 20 years whilst doing a very slow circumnavigation.

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

EVERY good boat should have wirecutters in the basic tool box!  The jewelers screwdriver for tightening tuners is a good idea.

updated by @ken-hulme: 05/16/20 05:38:47PM

Dulcimer String Anchor Pins

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

Yeah, I did actually find those cheers.  I was on Folkcraft looking for a combined bridge/pickup system ( had actually tried loads of sites to be honest ) and found the L R Baggs one.  I checked to see what else they did and came across the anchor pins.  But, they're metal and like someone else on here, I wasn't sure I liked the idea or sound possibilities.

Dulcimer String Anchor Pins

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

That looks a very nifty way around the problem.  Wish I'd thought of it before drilling the holes for the bridge pins. But I'm happy with the way I've gone and I think it looks ok.

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thanks everyone! I forgot about string cutters, although we'll have (big) screwdrivers on the boat. We'll be on/in salt water so this is definitely a concern. We have de-humidifiers and also a generator for air conditioning (also helps to dry out the boat - I can't stand mildewy musty stuff) - yes, having di-silica (sp) gel/packets would be a good idea. I know on our sailboat for long distance sailing it was always best to keep tools coated with some kind of light oil before putting them in ziplocks. I just got some extra strings so I'll go but them in ziplocks and get some of those silica get thingys. Thanks!

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I'm sure the two Kens can tell us the exact year that Bruce created ED. I joined there after it had been online for maybe two years.
Jason's SweetMusicDigest listserve was (to the best of my knowledge) the first dedicated online 'discussion group' for dulcimers. That was before people could easily put up online forum software websites like ED. But remember that SweetMusic was a listserve- an email mailing list...it did not have a website where the discussions were threaded and browse-able, like what we are all used to today.

Ed was started more than ten years before FOTMD. Fotmd was started in July 2009, making it almost 11 years old now.

Yes, there is still an 'official' ED facebook page which was created by the folks involved with running the old ED site, when ED was still running.  That FB page is still quite active:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/165673533442748/

I 'think' Ron Zuckerman started that ED FB page- Ron had volunteered and helped Bruce a lot with the tech/admin duties of maintaining the ED main website during its last couple of years. I think Ron then relinquished the ownership of the ED facebook page to others as of last year. They run it now, but I don't know their names.

Feel free to correct me if I have any of this wrong.
There are many other dulcimer 'groups'/pages on Facebook as well these days.

updated by @strumelia: 05/16/20 03:12:34PM

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

ahhhhhhh, another good learning post thread.    THANKS LOADS.   and that screwdriver and wirecutters are both things that I've forgotten.  ahhhhhhhh, storing in cases our dulcimers.   Well, I can see that too....However, I've made all my cases and they are material with a thick lining on the inside.   Mostly for traveling and getting them on airplanes and such.   Never been turned down bringing my dulcimer....the scroll head pokes out.  Easy to see that's it's an instrument.  The last trip from Hawaii, it was stored in the same closet that the pilot puts his coat.   nice.  aloha, irene

Humidity and a sticky fretboard

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thanks for the advice. Simple fix.

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

TTAD started December 8 2018 from a small traditional dulcimore builders group that had been on Google+ since around 2012. When Google+ closed we decided to go with a website.

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Screwdriver for Tightening Tuning Pegs
Wire Cutters for Trimming Excess String

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Thank you for the correction, Lisa. Perhaps we need a chronology of online dulcimer discussion forums.

Was the Sweet Music Index that Jason started the first? Followed by Bruce Ford's Everything Dulcimer site? Or was it Lisa's (Strumelia's) FOTMD that came next? Now we have Bobby's TTAD (The Traditional Appalachian Dulcimer) and the new Everything Dulcimer site, not to mention the Everything Dulcimer Facebook group.
What is the correct sequence of these groups and what have I missed?

Humidity and a sticky fretboard

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Lift your fingers rather than slide.  Dr. Duck's Axe Wax, or Lemon Oil to rub on the fretboard.  Also try baby powder on your fingertips.

Humidity and a sticky fretboard

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

As bodily fluids are not exactly the same from person to person you'll sometimes find that a specific remedy will work well for one person but not another person. For me, the following remedy works great. Whenever the fretboard  gets a bit yucky I simply immerse a cloth into very hot water, then squeeze the cloth till it's only damp, then wipe the fretboard whilst the cloth is still very warm. Just wipe it over the top of the strings, back and forth a few times, and then wipe it again straight away with a clean, dry cloth.

There's lots of products that contain all sorts of chemicals, but I've found the warm, damp cloth method works really well for me. Hope that helps.

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Only 1 thing is necessary, an insatiable desire to play your dulcimer again and again and again and again and again. If that's the only extra thing you have, then you'll be living in dulcimer Heaven.

Humidity and a sticky fretboard

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I've noticed in the recent humid days we have had here where I live that my fingers don't seem to want to glide across the fretboard as easily. The fingerboard appears to be a little tacky or sticky therefore my fingers kind of drag on it. Any tips on solving this problem?

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I did read your post about Jason, but did not realize that Steve and Dan had a played a role in ED. I know Ron Zuckerman did quite a bit of work with the ED website.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Read my post below about who Jason was.

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I agree with Ken Hulme as I joined ED just after he did. Bruce called me and we did some testing of ED together. I don't remember any Jason involved in the origin of the website.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Greg:

Jason was the guy who started the SweetMusic Index, which was the early and long running  email NEWSGROUP/LISTSERVE for dulcimers. Not to be confused with Bruce Ford's EverythingDulcimer. Jason was not around on his SweetMusic newsgroup very often, and it sort of hummed along by itself until listserves mostly faded from use.

Bruce was quite busy with his military service career, and after many years of running ED he wanted a break. It was Stephen Seifert and Dan Landrum who took over from Bruce on ED for a year or two. But then Dan and Stephen wanted to move on to start Dulcimer School, and Bruce resumed managing the ED forum again for another few years. Bruce finally got too busy in other life activity, and decided to close it down.

updated by @strumelia: 05/16/20 11:07:17AM

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

When I lived aboard full time, as well as living on a small island in the Pacific, keeping strings "good" was the hardest thing, after the first couple days while an instrument stabilized to the higher humidity. 

Do Not store the instrument(s) in cases -- hang them from the bulkheads or lay them on a spare berth or banquet where they can get plenty of air circulation.  Stored cases or tucked away in lockers they will definitely have humidity/mildew issues.  

To store your spare strings and not have them turn black from salt air, store them in a zip-top bag along with a couple of those de-humidifier 'pellets' or 'packets' or whatever they're called. 

For your 'on instrument' strings, light coat of molybdenum lubricant or even wiping them down with WD40 after you play, or at the end of the day, will help keep them corrosion-less.

 

updated by @ken-hulme: 05/16/20 10:30:30AM

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I was on ED the week that the site opened to the public.  There were a couple of 'bots that Bruce used for testing, and two or three humans other than Bruce.  But, I don't recall any Jason or mention of Bruce taking over from anyone.  

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Please remember, Bruce Ford provided a great service for all Appalachian dulcimer players. But he did not create/originate Everything Dulcimer. If I remember correctly ED was created by "Jason (?)" Bruce Ford stepped forward when someone was needed to keep the website up and running, and we should all be thankful that he did.
The new website moderator should be given every opportunity to get ED back up and running.

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I continue to check in to ED every day and make comments there when appropriate. I also tell people to check it out. It is important to have as many resources as possible to promote the mountain dulcimer and encourage people to play it.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Definitely it's no competition. But because they assumed Bruce Ford's original site name, comparisons to his site are just unavoidable. ED was special, and beloved by many.  

Is the strumhollow redundant?

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

The strumhollow is certainly not redundant, in fact dozens of thousands of players pick & strum in that area. That area provides a slightly stronger and brighter tone which is precisely what many dulcimer players want. Other players will use both the strumhollow & fretboard area & some players use the fretboard area exclusively in order to get a more mellow tone and for other reasons.

It's important for us to remember there is no correct way and no wrong way. No superior way and no inferior way. If it works for you then 'your' way is what you should use.

A huge majority of dulcimers are built with strumhollows & that is driven by public demand. If nobody wanted strumhollows then builders would not build strumhollows.

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

When I said it was was just like the old ED I was referring to the design & format of the discussion forum.

I think we should all remember it's not a competition. I believe we should all be inclusive of, and supportive of, all dulcimer websites & dulcimer Facebook sites etc.

Let's spread the dulcimer 'love'.

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I hope you have a case for your dulcimer as all that traveling in a car and then on the boat.  If it's an ocean you'll be living on.....stuff gets rusty and Dulcimer might swell a little being the humidity might be higher on the boat.   Where will you be going?   Not Hawaii?   (wishing)  aloha, irene

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Yes, Thanks Ken. And a capo (maybe two in case I drop one overboard LOL!) 

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

It takes dedicated effort to keep spammers and unpleasant offenders off a public site. Bruce did a great job running ED for so many years. When he closed down ED, he did in fact explain publicly why he chose not to turn the site over to someone else. I can respect that. 

updated by @strumelia: 05/15/20 08:36:31PM

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Indeed, it is not the old ED site. I was a moderator on that site and know the frustrations Bruce Ford experienced keeping it a safe place to discuss all things dulcimer. While he was at sea, he gave me and another person administration rights. I was overwhelmed by how much time it took to eliminate spurious material and offensive members. After he retired from the Navy and started his own business, he just did not have the time to put into ED anymore. Rather than turn it over to someone else, Bruce decided to retire the site. At least, that is how I understand it.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Don't forget your tuner.... and spare batteries for your tuner.  

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

I signed up for it but didn't find anything of interest on it. Sad, sad, sad :(

Now I no longer look at it.  After years of following the old ED site, it was quite a disappointment.  Does anyone know who the "administers" are who owns this new site?

updated by @ptl: 05/16/20 01:00:45PM

Tips what do you bring when traveling with your dulcimer?

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Hi friends, I've traveled a lot - but this time (C-virus permitting!) we'll be driving 1200 miles to spend 4 months on our boat - on the water 95% of the time. I know all the obvious things (don't leave your dulcimer in a hot car, etc.), but I don't want to be gone 4 months, away from stores or shipping, and then find out, "oh, shucks, I should have brought ________ with me" (insert item here). I'm bringing extra strings, extra picks, digital and print tunes to play, and a strap. That's all I can think of! If you were traveling with your dulcimer for an extended period, is there something else you would bring? Thanks! I think that's all I need. I think....

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

No thank you

The EverythingDulcimer website has returned. Whooopie!!!

General mountain dulcimer or music discussions

Just to be clear... the old ED has not 'returned'.  It's a completely new site run by someone who doesn't identify themselves. They bought the domain name when it went up for grabs online, and they decided to use the same name of Bruce Ford's original site. They mimicked the structure of the old site's forum topics, and copied over the original site's tab collection as well.
It's a whole new and different site, using the same name Bruce Ford created. It is not the original EverythingDulcimer come back again.

updated by @strumelia: 05/14/20 10:51:45PM