Forum Activity for @susie

I have a CSH Folkcraft Dulcimer with flat peghead and three tuners/three equidistant strings.  It measures approximately 39 inches in total length.  I also have a McSpadden with the padded case that comes standard with a McSpadden purchase.  The Folkcraft CSH is about 3 to 4 inches too long for the McSpadden Case.  Folkcraft's case is 41 inches long.  McSpadden's case is only 36 inches long.

Bottom line, the standard Folkcraft CSH dulcimer will not fit into the McSpadden Case.  It looks like you won't be able to use the McSpadden case for your Folkcraft dulcimer purchase.

The Folkcraft CSH dulcimer does fit into a Craggy Mountain Brown Padded Case (available from Craggy Mountain for about $45.00 plus shipping).  The Craggy Mountain Case is a good quality case.  Folkcraft Padded Cases may be made in the USA by Folkcraft.  The McSpadden Padded Cases are made in Thailand these days, and the Craggy Mountain Case is made in China.

Susie

If you don't get some responses, the Folkcraft folks are great to deal with. They will answer the phone or call back if you need to leave a message.

I'm thinking of ordering a Folkcraft FSH or CSH in all hickory. I have a spare McSpadden case that I would like to use (I like the cases with the side walls better than the envelope style that comes with these Folkcraft models), but I need to know the overall length of either of these models (which have identical measurements) with a flat head. Can anyone provide that to me? I know the width measurements, that's no problem.

I would appreciate it, thanks!

No matter what the key of the song is, the chords stay in the same place as long as you do not re-tune. 

Beginning dulcimer players are often told to re-tune every time they want to play in a different key.  But this is not necessary and it's simply not practical if you're spending an evening playing with chromatic instruments like ukes.  The better answer is to pick ONE tuning and stay there.

Most chord players choose DAD tuning and this is good for the keys of D and G, but less convenient for the uke-friendly keys of C and G.  If you intend to play with ukes often, you might consider abandoning DAD and concentrate on learning the chords for CGC or GDG instead.

Or... stay in DAD and add a 1-1/2 fret, which makes it feasible to play chords for the keys of D, G, C, F and their relative minor keys.  

As for the capo, it actually does not change where notes are located.  If you play a G chord at 3-3-5, you still play a G chord on those same frets even when there's a capo on the first fret. 

Dusty, thanks for the more complete reply. I was just heading out this morning when I saw this post and offered a quick reply. I put new strings on my uke and use a D tuning. It is much easier to play to with the dulcimers that way.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Katie, there is one correction I have to make to a comment below.  In a DAd or DAA tuning on a diatonic dulcimer, you cannot play an F chord.  There is no F natural on the fretboard.  (You can get an F chord if you tune to C (CGG or CGc) and then using the same fingering you are used to for a G chord. More on that below.)  Perhaps this transposition chart will help.

So how to use that chart?  The key issue is the relationship of a note or a chord to the other notes and chords of the same key. In the key of D, D is I chord, G is the IV chord, and A is the V chord.  If you want to play that same song in the key of G, you use the same numbered chords, so whenever you had used a D chord, you now use a G chord, whenever you had used a G chord, you now use a C chord, and whenever you had used an A chord, you use a D chord.  You can also refer to chords by their names as indicated, but I find that unnecessarily confusing.  I put that information on the chart because you will sometimes hear people refer to some of those names.

That chart can also tell you how to use a capo.  If you are tuned DAd, you know that 002 is a D chord, 013 is a G chord, and 101 is an A chord.  If you put the capo at the 3rd fret, you are now in G, but you can use that same fingering, pretending the capo is the nut, and 002 (really 335) is a G chord, 013 (really 346) is a C chord, and 101 (really 434) is an D chord.

I would suggest playing around with a capo by playing a song you know, then putting the capo on the 3rd fret and playing the same song the same way you did before. You will see that everything works the same way but you are now in a higher register and a different key. You can also put the capo at 4 to play in A, though you have to watch out for that 6+ fret.

So with a capo, you can play in the keys of D, G, and A.  To get the key of C, I would suggest tuning down a note to CGc.  Then the same thing applies. If you play 002, you are playing the I chord, meaning C chord, if you play 013 your are playing the IV chord, meaning an F chord, and if you play 101 you are playing the V chord, meaning a G chord.

That's how I would approach playing in the main keys of C, D, G, and A in a multi-instrument jam.

And these same principles can get you funkier keys.  What if a singer comes in and wants to play in F?  You don't have an F on the dulcimer in DAD or DAA, but F is the IV in the key of C, just as G is the IV in the key of D.  When we tuned DAd, we got the key of G by using the capo at the 3rd fret, so we can just tune CGc, put the capo a the 3rd fret, and we are now in the key of F.  In other words, whatever key you are tuned to, you get the IV by capoing at 3 and the V by capoing at 4.

If all of this makes you dizzy, just know that if you know the alphabet from A to G, and you can count to 8, you can figure all of this out yourself.  

Contact the club and ask if they welcome other instruments.  A few clubs are doctrinaire about ukes-only; you wouldn't want to join them anyway, they're no fun!  Then ask for a copy of the songbook.  Like Dusty says, you'll want to study up in advance.  Look at the chords you'll need... and DO NOT PANIC.  You don't have to play on every song.  And you don't have to play every chord; you can mute the strings when there's a chord you don't know.

A beginner-friendly club in the US (where ukes are generally tuned GCEA) will mostly play in the keys of C and G.  If you show up ready to play these six chords you should be in good shape:

C major
G major
F major
D major
A minor
E minor

It's nice to add the 7th chords (C7, G7, Em7 and so on) but really they are optional.  The uke players will be adding a 7th note to some of their chords and it won't matter if you do; the notes you're playing are compatible.  You could learn the theory behind this or just take my word for it.

I play all of these chords on an MD tuned DAd with a 1-1/2 fret and 6-1/2 fret.  If you don't have a 1-1/2 fret, you can tune to CGC as Ken suggests.  Another option is to tune a short-scale dulcimer(or a baritone) to GDG which puts you in the key of G; capo at the 3rd fret for the key of C.    

We're all assuming you play chords.  When in Rome... strum chords and sing like the uke players.  It would be difficult (not impossible) to fit noter/drone into a uke club.  If you ever try it and the drones aren't working -- which they probably aren't -- you can stop playing the drone strings and play single-note melody or harmony.

If this all seems too overwhelming at first, go visit a uke club just to listen and sing along.  Talk to people and you may find others who play dulcimer (or would like to learn).  Even if you decide the club isn't a good fit for you, it can still be a good place to meet other musicians. 

CAUTION:  No matter how much you protest, they will force a uke into your hands and show you how to play a C-major chord.  My local club has two loaner ukes and we force them on restaurant customers, passersby, wait staff and children.  I swear there are neighborhood dogs who know how to play a C-major.  Ukulele Acquisition Syndrome (UAS) is a dangerous malady made even worse in conjunction with DAD/DAA.  Do not ask me how I know this.  Save yourself.

Katie, you've gotten some excellent advice.  Don't be overwhelmed by chords.  There are a limited number of chords that are used with any frequency.  And keep in mind, the same chords are used in many different keys.  The D chord for instance occurs in the Key of D Major, the Key of G Major, and the Key of A Major.  In each instance, the notes that form the D chord are the same.  Their position on the fretboard only changes if you have changed the tuning of the strings.

If you can play a C chord, a D chord, an E chord, an F chord, a G chord, and an A chord, you will be well on your way.  As others have suggested start with a single key and learn the three primary chords for that key.  Notice that some chords occur over and over again.

Key of C = C, F, G Chords

Key of D = D, G, A chords

Key of A =  A, D, E chords

Key of G = G, C, D chords

Fresh peas . . .

I love sardines, I'm picking asparagus, sells so fast never have any for myself. The frozen food company down road is cutting spinach, fresh pea harvesting starts soon. Looking forward to enjoying garden fresh food again. 

@katiemac225, Ken has explained the central issue here.  The ukulele is a chromatic instrument, so it can play in any of the 12 keys.  The dulcimer is a diatonic instrument, so if you are tuned DAA or DAd, it will be very easy to play in D (or Bm), somewhat less easy to play in G or A, and very difficult or even impossible to play in other keys.

What does this mean in practice? I would suggest two approaches for you.

First, you might find out ahead of time what tunes the ukulele group plays.  Most groups use a songbook.  Get a copy of that book and look through it.  Find the tunes in the key of D and expect to play along with those, skipping the rest (for now).  [You can play in C if you retune to CGc or CGG, and out of your D tuning you can use a capo at 3 to play in G or at 4 to play in A.  So you can start to add the tunes in those keys as you get comfortable.]

Second, you might approach one or two of the friendlier, patient people from the ukulele group and ask if they would play with you.  It will be easier to ask one or two people to play only in D than it would be to get the whole group to change their routine.  As you get comfortable playing with those one or two people, you might then be able to join the group.

In anticipation of playing in either of those scenarios, you can practice by getting used to strumming chords and singing songs, for that's what people do in uke groups.  They either use a songbook or lyrics with chords are projected on a big screen (sometimes with a strumming pattern indicated as well) and they all strum chords and sing together.  Try that for yourself.  You might start with two-chord songs like "Jambalaya" and then move on to three-chords songs like "Jamaica Farewell" and then four-chord songs like "Let it Be" and so forth.

It depends. Are you willing to retune your dulcimer to play with the ukuleles? Most ukulele groups today tune their instruments to the key of C rather than D, so you would need to tune down to CGc or CGG. Of course if the songs the group plays use only the D, G, and A chords you can play along without any problems. It's all about the music.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Well I know most folks here live in garden zones that ahead of me here in new york. 

But yesterday I was able to pick enough lettuce leaves for us to have a nice salad for dinner.  I also put on a generous handful of fresh alfalfa sprouts that I grow in jars in our kitchen all winter. Then added grated carrot and zucchini, sliced radishes, and a few little sardines on the side (yeah I know some of you would hate that, but hey it's healthy and we like it!)  We think of canned whole sardines as our own cheap version of English kippers or Norwegian or Danish herring side dishes.   

Anyway, it was a good fresh salad!

I believe he made about 7 of them, no not a passion....

I did some quick genealogical research and discovered that Ernest Combs was the son of Fred Combs and Vera Alice Johnson.  He is listed in the 1940 Federal Census for Beaverdam Township in Watauga County, North Carolina.  The families of Frank Proffitt and his father, Wiley Proffitt, were both living in Beaverdam Township in 1940.  However, my preliminary search didn't turn up any connections between Ernest Combs and the Proffitts.  In the bio to which David Bennett provides a link, Combs credits Albert Hash with getting him started with instrument making.  But as David pointed out, he doesn't seem to have been very prolific in building dulcimers. 

The first link says the exhibit features dulcimers made by Ernest Combs. I'm not familiar with this luthier. I could be wrong but from this bio he didn't seem very passionate about dulcimers

https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/artist/ernest-combs/

Still there is probably more to the exhibit and either way I am glad they are even doing a dulcimer exhibit.

Dulcimer Exhibit at the Jonesborough Washington County History Museum

Jonesborough, TN  04-29-2019 thru  06-09-2019

http://www.heritageall.org/2019/04/dulcimer-exhibit-at-the-jonesborough-washington-county-history-museum/

https://www.jonesboroughtn.org/index.php/full-calendardp/g-16-604gmasds7k6era99soidi034m_201904291400

I can't wait to see this dulcimer!  And if you need someone to test drive it for you I'd be glad to volunteer.

I think using those pegs would be very nice looking.  I think they are a "pretty penny" though per each one.  maybe I'll switch to making only THREE STRINGS and then I can look at using those geared pegs.  beautiful dulcimer....I need to get to a specialty wood shop.  yep yep.  aloha, irene

You will like those pegs. I've replaced the violin pegs on a couple of the first dulcimers I built with the geared pegs. They work really well and make tuning easier. The back looks really nice. I like using wood bindings.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

As with any instrument, everyone will have their personal preferences. Assuming you are playing a standard dulcimer and not a baritone or bass dulcimer, the bass strings tend to fall into a range of .020-.024.  Middle strings are usually in the .012-.016 range.  Melody strings range from .010-.014.

A lot will depend upon your preferred tuning and the amount of tension you favor.  My preferred tuning is D-A-A and I use a wound bass string of about .022 and unwound middle and melody strings of .012.  This usually gives me the degree of flexibility that I prefer.  Others prefer less flexibility and use heavier gauge strings on their dulcimers.

Someone playing in D-A-d with a preference for more tension may prefer a bass string of .024, a middle string of .014, and a melody string of .012.  Some prefer a heavier melody string.  

Try one of the suggestions given by myself and others.  If the strings are too floppy when tuned to your preferred tuning, then replace the strings with a heavier gauge.  If the strings feel too tight then replace the strings with a lighter gauge.  Eventually you will find string gauges that feel right to you.

Ken, I sure will. Susie, it's being made by Richard Beard.  He offered a lot of custom options for much less than some of the other  larger companies.

Here's some of my choices:    All Santos rosewood, with tight grained spruce top, and ebony fret board. +1 and +6 frets. flamed maple edge binding, and ebony edge purfling on the top. Nitro lacquer polished finish. The tuners will look like ebony pegs, but are really planetary mechanical look alikes.

Here's the back board glued up with a maple center stripe.

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Checking on the Folkcraft website, the Folkroots dulcimers that have a 29" vsl the string gauges are:  .012, .015, .024RW. Howard Rugg may see this and comment on what he initially put on the dulcimer.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Over the years I've had several custom dulcimers built for me.  And build several other custom dulcimers for myself.  Either way a new made-for-you dulcimer is always fun to plan and anticipate, and finally learn to appreciate.  Enjoy!

Hi Mark -- the overall length and fretboard length don't matter when it comes to strings.  You need to know the distance between the nut and the bridge.  As KenWL says, then you plug that into the Strother's calculator  along with the desired open notes for your base tuning:  DAA, DAd, CGG, CGc or whatever.

A starting place for you. The Strothers calculator is on the light side, you can usually go heavier a couple of gauges with no problems.

http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.html

www.stringsbymail.com

https://www.juststrings.com

Or get individual strings from your local shop. Get 2 of each.

Hello, Mark. Others with more dulcimer experience than I have will probably pipe in. But a good place to start might be a packaged set, or at least those gauges. The D'Addario set is .012, .012, .014, .022w. You may vary from this set as you settle into preferred pitches and tunings. But this seems like a reasonable set.

There is little difference among string makers, except perhaps with the one wound string.

You can use the Strothers' string calculator to get a good approximation of the strings to use. I think it tends toward the light side. http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.html  Just follow the directions.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Looks like nice wood. I trust that when it is finished you will share that with us as well.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

That is beautiful! Two of my current dulcimers are custom.....one by Doug Berch (sassafras/walnut) and one by Folkcraft (butternut/walnut). The wait is agonizing, but well worth it! Looking forward to seeing yours completed. Who is building it?

I have recently commissioned a custom dulcimer build. Has anyone else? I'm very excited. Here's the wood we have decided the back, sides, scroll head, finger board, and end block will be made from.

Santos Rosewood

 100_5555(1).JPG - 305KB