Forum Activity for @ken-longfield

Wow, really nice figured rosewood. It is a beautiful instrument.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Thanks folks. I normally am asked by clients for walnut, maple, and/or cherry; sometimes cedar and others. The weight of this build was considerably heavier but it definately did not affect the sound in a negative manner what-so-ever. 

Those are some beautiful woods, Kusani...you built a sharp looking dulcimer there!

There are some pretty fancy carbon-fiber guitars that are made specifically for outdoor extreme temperatures.  And I've played those ukuleles like the Waterman by Kala that can be used as an oar if you get stuck in a boat.  But I don't think dulcimers built along those lines would be so simple or inexpensive.

My initial thought is similar to what @Greg-Gunner and @Ken-Hulme have suggested.  Get an octave dulcimer.  They are no more than 2 feet long and can easily be transported in a small padded case and left beside your desk while you work. Then you just sling it over your shoulder, grab your lunch pail, and have a musical lunch hour.  I work from home and still sometimes play one during lunchtime!  My wife sometimes takes a shoulder bag to work that could easily hold a purse, a lunch, and an octave dulcimer.  You could do the same.

I've ordered a piece of 6061 aluminum bar stock. I'm going to put together a prototype extreme dulcimer, (ED) this weekend.

You've built a lovely instrument, Kusani! 

They're like potato chips--nobody can have just one.

I need a cigar box uke or guitar.  Since they are often tuned in 5ths like mountain dulcimers, do you find it helps playing them?

I have several ukuleles.  My favorite is the Fluke.  Also have a Flea and Firefly (banjo uke) which are great.  Another favorite uke I bought for $30 on a beach in Italy.  It has a great sound.

I don’t have a tenor guitar, but I have tuned a Ruan, or Chinese Moon Guitar like one.  It was an ornament for years, but great fun to play.  Please check out the link and enjoy.

Leaned about a new instrument today.  Thanks for posting.

I have a Balalaika which I play occasionally.  I tune mine like a 3 string ukulele CEA and often play clawhammer style.  The high metal string rings and can give a good drone sound.  Great fun.

looks beautiful!

This commissioned piece was built of Rosewood, Bloodwood, and Satinwood; the wood was provided by the client. I found out, after the fact, that rosewood does not like polyurethane; should have googled it first.  However, was able to remove the poly and successfully replace with two coats of polish and all is well.

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Jeannie, I offer healing wishes for your health and all good wishes for the many things with what you must be dealing with.  Take care.  

Welcome back, Jeannie. It is wonderful to hear about your new dulcimers. David makes a really nice dulcimer which I'm sure you will enjoy. My best wishes are extended to you as you continue to recover from the fire and loss of your home and possessions.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Hi Bill!

There's a great discussion thread here on penny whistles, you might like to post there instead:

https://fotmd.com/forums/forum/adventures-with-other-instruments/3827/tinwhistle-penny-whistles

I recently purchased a Pennywhistle (Key of D) with hope of teaching myself to play it. I always like this instrument when I hear it along with Irish melodies.

Has anyone out there had experience with this device?

Thank you all!  I had no idea that so many folks would remember me!  I appreciate the kindness and healing wishes from you folks.  I'm recovering fairly well from the trauma of losing our house.  I can also use the healing wishes for a health issue that surfaced just a month before the fire.  I've been undergoing treatment, and so far things are looking very positive.

I have one of these too. It's hanging on the wall of my music room. My wife got it for me years ago. Probably mid 80's at the latest. Every now and again I get it down and strum on it a bit.

I ended up buying an old “Plickett” dulcimer shaped object to keep in the car.  It’s very quiet and sturdy.  It had a trial run last night, as I ended up doing an emergency overnight respite visit with a hospice client to give the family a break.  I spent most of the night in a recliner about fifteen feet away from the open bedroom door, and plucked on my Plickett softly, to keep myself awake and pass the time, along with watching Forensic Files at low volume. 

The strings were the original super thin, rusty wire, so I swapped two out with what I had on hand, and ended up tuning it to C, g, D, with the melody string being tuned lower than the middle, as is my personal presence.  This is my favorite tuning that I use on my cardboard box dulcimer that I play constantly, too.  The lower tunings made the Plickett sound less plinky, giving a more pleasing plunk.

It’s a fun little board, and I think would survive the trunk of my car wrapped in a towel in a duffle bag this summer.

For those who don’t know, a Plickett was a small novelty dulcimer sold in the 70’s for a while.  It’s two feet long, five inches wide at the bouts, and a 3/4 inch thick solid board, with a big circle cut beneath the bridge in the back, to give it a little volume and resonance.

It’s not perfect by any means, but it beats not having a dulcimer at all by a long shot.  I suspect my cardboard box dulcimer would survive a summer in the trunk if it were in some sort of bigger box or case, but I love it far too much to try that.  The Plickett is actually small enough that I just put it in my work bag and it stuck out just a little, so I could bring it into work or field work situations with me, and not leave in the trunk at all.  Yay!  I have something to use during work breaks!

Lisa

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Jeannie, I am so sorry for the trauma and heartache you have been thru!  I hope the road ahead gets easier.  I am so happy that you have 3 dulcimers again, and oh my!  That one is sure a beauty!  I have found music to be very healing....... 

Jeannie -- so happy to hear from you again after such a long time, an such trauma!  Heal with your music!

Wonderful to hear from you here again Jeannie, and to know that your love of music is inspiring you again in your new life journey. 

Jeannnie, I'm so glad you are starting to build your collection of dulcimers again.    And your story is more evidence of what a kind, giving community dulcimer players are.  Perhaps I'll see you at some dulcimer event in northern Cal one of these days.

I'm glad to hear your dulcimers have been replaced.  That Koa MMD certainly cries out to be picked up and played.  Knowing the well-earned reputation of David McKinney's work, I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks.  So glad to have you back and participating on FOTMD's discussion forum.

Jeannie, I'm happy for your being able to enjoy playing music again!  That MMD is gorgeous. 

Whatever difficulties are ahead, my wish is for you to have strength to meet them.  

So sorry for your losses Jeannie. Glad you are finding the heart to play again.

So sorry for your losses Jeannie. Your Modern Mountain is beautiful. I have several dulcimer books and sheet music I could pass on to you if you like when you are ready. What style music do you prefer playing? Understanding your situation I wouldn’t want to inundate you at this time but let me know if your interested in something. Getting back to playing will help your healing as well. It sure has helped me through some rough times. Happy to have you back.

Hello folks.  I haven't been active on here in a long, long time.  Partly, I just lost motivation for playing my three beautiful mountain dulcimers and got involved in other activities.  Then along came that horrendous Camp Fire which destroyed thousands of homes, including ours and all our instruments.

As I gradually recovered from the fire trauma, I realized I wanted to play mountain dulcimer again.  So I put the word out, and wow, Jim Woods from McSpadden made me a new walnut one.  David McKinney of Modern Mountain Dulcimers made me a new Koa one at a major price discount.  Someone else gave me a very old, beautiful dulcimer that needs work, but I'm back to three again!  <3

My very favorite is the one that David made for me, and I love the sound of it.  So far I've been focusing on just a couple tunes, as we're still dealing with lots of stuff regarding insurance and housing and health, but I'm feeling motivated again.

I want to show off the Modern Mountain, so here's a photo.

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Hi Barlow45, I suggest you go to our Beginners Group and read a few of the threads there that have great advice about buying a 'first dulcimer' that's within your price range.  You have to JOIN that group in order to fully read the discussions in it (you can UNjoin any time just as easily).  You'll probably find all the help you need by reading those threads, plus other great tips for your purchase!

p.s. loved your post about your cardboard dulcimer, Lisa!

I have the dulcimers pictured in my avatar.  The one I play daily, often for a couple of hours, is the cardboard one.  I’m not worried if my three small dogs knock it out of my lap while I sit my my recliner.  While I don’t want it to hit the floor, it’s happened a few times with no damage.  It’s always next to my chair, ready to play.  It sounds fantastic, and as Ken noted, the frets are placed accurately.  I love it so much as is, I no longer have no plans to upgrade the box to wood.  Don’t be put off by cardboard.    You can buy one all put together, or buy a kit and paint and decorate it just the way she likes, too.

There’s a saying about musical instruments ...  someone asks, What is the best make and model?  The answer should be, the one I play the most.

Lisa

Welcome Barlow45 to our happy little corner of Musical Paradise!  We'll gladly give you lots of advice on getting your wife started on this musical journey.  I might suggest that you start a new topic here in the General Mountain Dulcimer forum as more folks will see your query there than in this Introduction thread, and later folks will find our answers to your questions more readily.  

There are literally more than a hundred possibility solutions to your basic question.   In general we recommend avoiding "mass manufacturers" who in other countries, who sell "deals" on Ebay and such.  Brands like First Act come to mind.  

Most of us recommend you start with "Student" model -- dulcimers made specifically to play well and sound good, but which don't have some of the 'bells and whistles' of more expensive dulcimers.  You can find two or three builders of Student models who sell their works for $100 to $175. 

Another option is a cardboard dulcimer.  Yep -- cardboard.  The body anyway.  The critical part of any dulcimer is the fretboard and the accuracy with which the frets are spaced and installed.  Without a good fretboard all you have is what we call a Dulcimer Shaped Object -- suitable only for wall-hanging.  There are, I think, 3 makers of cardboard dulcimers, all of whom make really good fretboards, which can -- after she really loves the instrument -- be installed on a wooden body.  

We can, and will certainly help her learn to play as well.  There are thousands of written and video lessons, song books, audio files and much much more.

Several years ago I wrote an article for beginners called I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What? which is an illustrated glossary of dulcimer terms (so we all talk the same jargon) plus answers to many beginner questions about tuning, playing, care and feeding of their new instrument.  You can find an electronic copy here:

https://fotmd.com/strumelia/group_discuss/2316/ken-hulmes-i-just-got-a-dulcimer-now-what-article

Hi Colleen! This tip will help with volume. I understand about volume problems with banjo type instruments. I have a mandolin banjo that would drive both my husband and cat out of the room until I learned how to muzzle it! You have probably heard the phrase "Put a sock on it" and I have heard this came about due to uncontrollable banjos. Just take a sock, washcloth or something similar and put it between the rod and underside of the head. Presto, it is muted! This may give you a way to practice your strums without driving all those around you crazy. Gotta love the bratty little banjos!

Barb

So, I'm back, now up to 7 ukuleles and I still can't play any of them very well, but that's another story...  I've now got 3 concerts, (including the Fluke), a longneck soprano, a tenor, a baritone and a banjolele.  The banjolele is one of the Gold Tone Little Gem line and I love it to bits.  It is LOUD and I am still trying to figure out how to incorporate it into some of the songs that my dulcimer group plays.  Unfortunately, all of my mistakes are amplified for the world to hear and I throw my fellow players off so will need to work on that.  I will be sitting down with my dulcimer group leader and trying to work with her re strumming patterns for our songs.  I do ok at home and then get totally thrown when I try to play with the group.

Until I reread this thread, I had totally forgotten the tuning issue with the Fluke.  I haven't gotten back to trying to play it, but plan to someday.  I think that I enjoy the larger ukes (tenor, baritone, banjolele) the best at the moment.

Steven, that is similar to the 6 strings I am asked to build at times.  The only difference is a single vs. double middle string. 

Bill Berg makes 5-string dulcimers with an interesting set-up...doubled melody strings, single middle, doubled bass tuned an octave apart...makes for a fuller sound, not necessarily louder. I love mine; one of my favorites. I equally love my 3 and 4 string dulcimers. I can only speculate (which I won't do here) why a luthier would insist a beginner buy a 5-string, though.