Divergent Luthier, don't let your first post be your last.. You are doing some interesting work making Randy Wilkinson's work available again. There are others on here who will appreciate your efforts.
Hello! I'm new here, this is my first post, as a matter of fact. I was looking for info on this book and came across this thread, so I joined up! I have been in contact with Randy a few months back. I had come across another of his books, Classical Guitar Music of Sor, Carcassi, and Carulli Adapted and Arranged for Mountain Dulcimer. A lady at our club had one and a number of us made copies. Like Dusty Turtle, I was a little uneasy about copying, so I searched for a copy of the book, to no avail. Then I began a search for Randy that lasted a month or more until I made a connection with him. I took the book and converted everything to digital format, duplicating the text and entering all the music into notation software. I made a copy of what I had done and sent it to him. He has given me permission to "publish" the book for minimal charge. I recently learned of the Elizabethan book and found someone who had a copy. I am hoping (over the winter months) to enter that music into the notation software and make that book available, as well. That will be a more formidable task, since the music is more complex and voluminous!
Gregg, you could post this festival in our "Festivals/Events section here on FOTMD, since it has various performers/instructors and is a music gathering. Then it would appear in our site's Events calendar. You can add a picture for it as well. 
Thanks for liking my Posting about ETBPG here on FOTMD Strumella!
The Bowed Psaltery Gathering in East Tennessee Oct. 24 - 26 2019 is a great event for Bowed Psaltery enthusiasts but more special this year because Nozomi Nose, the best Bowed Psaltery Player in the world is flying there from Japan to perform and get a chance to meet the American Bowed Psaltery community! In Japan there is a large group of Bowed Psaltery players that perform together on stage. She will be bringing one of the extra large Bowed Psalteries she makes. I plan on driving out there from California in order to bring more instruments and gear and get to the campground on site early though its never full as most people stay at the wide range of motels in the area. Visit EVENTS on FOTMD's sister site "Psaltery Strings" for more information.
As a semi-professional foodie, I'll try almost anything -- Uni, sushi of any kind, monkey brains, menudo, dried grasshoppers -- you name it. Lots of those things I'd eat again readily. But.... I just can't take raw oysters. It's a texture thing. Breaded & fried, sure. Likewise oyster stew. But not raw.
Massive dislike of boiled okra for the same reason -- slimy texture. Love 'em breaded/fried or split and fried with Amchur in the Indian style.
I've had them sliced thin, and cut into pieces. I suspect they may be like calamari or gator -- overcooked and you have rubber; cooked properly you hve nirvana on a plate.
I will take and post some pics when I go back east. They are in Boston and I am in Phoenix, at the moment.
Oh please share some photographs of your antique dulcimers! What a wonderful history you have. I am sure you will get excellent advice on the care and maintenance of these instruments.
Salt Springs - Hah! If I send my dulcimers to you in Florida, I'm going to send myself along with them and get a little vacation time away from Phoenix (and a big ol' slab of key lime pie).
Seriously, folks, thank you for the input so far. Regarding setting them up to be played again, if modifications of any sort are needed, then I think I would prefer to just keep them intact. The luthier I spoke with back in WV said other than the fact they have aged 150 years or more since when he estimates they were put together, that they are in an amazing state of preservation. He was sure, because the finish and "oxidation" was so consistent, that nothing had ever been done to them - no modifications or repairs,and he even was pretty sure they both had the original (or at least period) strings. I am thinking Dan's suggestion of a museum might be a good option for them, as I have no one to leave them to. There is a stellar musical instrument museum just outside of Phoenix, I am told, but maybe it might be best to see if there's some place back in WV where they came from. Meanwhile, I can learn and practice on the McSpadden that came with the lot.
I would keep them in a cabinet with a couple of guitar humidifiers that you can buy online or in a music store. Or, if you wish you could send them to me and I'll be glad to keep them here in high humidity Florida.
They should be playable, but I would be cautious about using too high a string tension on the oldest of them. Post some pic's if you have a chance.............you have a treasure trove to enjoy. Drop Dulcimore Dan a note if he doesn't reply in short order as I am sure he can help you out with any questions you might have so far as cleaning etc.
I clean with distilled water, gently wiping with a soft cotton cloth (an old t-shirt) and Q-tips. Dry air is not good for any instrument so some sort of humidifier would be good. Making them playable would have to be determined by a luthier, depending on whether "you" are O.K. with altering them from an original state, maybe museum pieces?
Pictures?
Where in AZ? I am in Phoenix.
I am quite interested in the care and feeding in the desert question also. I have a 30 year old dulcimer. I would be decimated if something bad were to happen.
But then, I have been here for over 20 years now. The only effect (maybe) has been a bit of drying of the wood and that has gotten a better tone if nothing else.
I inherited a half dozen mountain dulcimers of various ages a while ago. Among them are two particularly old ones which, I was told by a luthier in WV, were made sometime before the Civil War. One is "coffin" shaped (for lack of a better description) and appears to be made of walnut, and one is a long, rectangular and box-like, but with the tail end of the box being a bit wider than the head end. Both instruments have these wooden key-like pegs instead of mechanical tuners like you see today. (Apologies if my descriptives might ba a little vague, but I'm new at this.) They both have finishes that are alligatored or crackled and with plenty of honest grime, but look in good shape with no cracks, breaks or separations, and each appears to have all original parts. The frets, however, only go under the first string and not all the way across like on the McSpadden I have. My question is this: I have recently moved from back east to Arizona, and want to bring the old dulcimers out with me when I return from my next trip to the east coast. What suggestions would anyone have as far as maintaining these instruments in the dry southwest? I have a cabinet I can keep them in - what about humidity? Do I oil or wax them? Are instruments this old still able to be played?
@david-messenger There are elements which make me wonder whether the dulcimer was put together from a kit. The hearts look very uniform (as though many were cut just alike) and the ply top and fretboard look basic.
Thanks Ken for the quick response. That's good news. I will be filing tonight.
Filing those new slots will not affect the value of the dulcimer. Just use a small triangular file, not a saw.
Curious. I wish I had a clue as to who was the maker, David. What jumps to mind, though, is the maker had some sort of banjo tail piece in mind when they they did the tail on the mountain dulcimer.
Wow, @paulinphoenix, such a neat story! It sounds as though you have a wonderful collection of instruments with memories to match.
@david-messenger That metal piece surely is distinctive-- thanks for the photo! I can't help but wonder whether under this metal piece is where the original string anchors were located and the metal piece was added after the original string anchors failed some way.
Sounds like a great price on the Doty, John-C
[quote="PaulinPhoenix"]
My "very first" dulcimer was actually six dulcimers. I spent a summer in West Virginia many decades ago and heard my first dulcimer played on an old front porch by an equally old and delightful lady who was regarded as the matriarch of the town (the name of the town and her surname were the same - it was founded by her ancestors).
What a wonderful story. You are fortunate to have that collection of dulcimers.
My "very first" dulcimer was actually six dulcimers. I spent a summer in West Virginia many decades ago and heard my first dulcimer played on an old front porch by an equally old and delightful lady who was regarded as the matriarch of the town (the name of the town and her surname were the same - it was founded by her ancestors). She played noter/drone style, and simple melodic sound of the thing just fascinated me - it had an appealing singular plainness about it, but she had some techniques as well where she could make it seem to warble, chirp and sing. Our families kept in touch, and not long after the day came when she eventually passed a carton was delivered to me - 6 of her dulcimers, all wrapped so they would survive the postal transit in an old bed coverlet.
I came to learn that two of the instruments qualify as "ancient," according to the luthier that looked at them, as they were made before the Civil War. One, I was told, was either owned by (or made by, I can't remember exactly) Jean Richie, two were made in Walton West Virginia, and the newest one is a walnut McSpadden that is maybe 30 or so years old. I've cared for, but not much attempted to play, all these instruments for years, but recently have picked up the walnut one and started practicing again, as even just hearing the sound of the thing transports me back to a far less complicated time in my life.
@david-messenger The tail on your instrument looks really distinctive. If we could have a better look at it, perhaps someone can help make a positive ID on who was the maker?
Good price. Especially considering that includes case, books, spare strings...
Thank you for the information. I agree, I thought it was odd she stated she watched it being made, that being said we have only communicated via email and I have not seen it in person yet. I did have another pic that I didn't post, but now that you mentioned Dan and Ethel Doty it makes sense, because strings that come with it has Dan's name on them. See Pic. Dulcimer, case, 2 how to books and strings asking $175. Does the price seem in the ballpark?
Well it depends, when it was bought. Dan and Ethel Doty have been there for about 40 years and that dulcimer should have a signature inside one of the bottom sound holes. Check it out if you can.......I suspect it is one of their's and if so it is a pretty good instrument. If the price is right, I would not be afraid to buy it. When the seller said she watched it being made, I suspect she may have meant string it up or setting it up somehow............you're not going to build one in a day or so........
If it is a Doty it is going to be signed.
Could someone help me identify a Dulcimer I am looking at. The lady said it was made in Dollywood and she watched it being made. Does anyone know who may have made them or the value?
Does anybody have any idea who may have made this dulcimer? It doesn't have any tag or anything on it. I bought it on ebay out of Alford, GB
Hi Lisa:
Just got here for my morning scan of things, and noticed that the Wall contents of the three Groups I follow most commonly have been completely and randomly re-ordered -- and current threads have been misplaced somewhere in the many pages of threads.
Specifically the Groups are Beginner Players, Dulcimer Making, and Old Style Noter & Drone.
Great tune, Kendra...The kind you go around humming when you're happy! Hope to see you again in Berea next year.
