Hello Benjimer. Many thanks. I got your point so I will measure whati have now becouse i can see if its different with my cheap duclimer. And thank you for the clear aanswer
If you have relatively large hands, you will want to know the width of the fretboard and the Length from Nut to Bridge (Vibrating String Length).
Width of Fretboard - Both McSpadden and Folkcraft use a fretboard 1 3/8 inches wide, so the space between strings would be similar for both.
Length from Nut to Bridge - McSpadden has a standard VSL (Vibrating String Length) of 28 1/2 inches. Folkcraft offers several different VSL, ranging from 25 inches on up, so you can select one with a longer VSL to suit your needs.
If you have large hands you would probably be better off with a somewhat longer VSL. Longer dulcimers have the frets spaced a little farther apart, so they are more suited to large hands or long fingers.
McSpadden offers a shorter model called the "Ginger" model, which has a VSL of 25 inches, I believe. These are meant for people with small hands, so probably not what you are looking for.
Thank you all.
Did look at the shops and now it's making a choice. I did look at the Mc spadden Dulcimers but now I did see The Folkcraft Dulcimers. Can anyone tell me the difference about them. I mean how the playebillity is. Not so much the quality.
For example; I have big hands. And think it's nice if the strings are a bit wider. Due to my big hands it nicer to play if the strings are wider than narrower together.
Anne, it's heartwarming to hear of a perfect fit between homeless animal and a kindly person. 
Sounds like you and Bran are very happy together and appreciate each other totally.
The newer photo of Bran shows how sleek and glossy he is... like a minky otter! SO handsome. 
I've often wondered what it would be like to have a black cat... never actually had one of my own but who knows one day? Right now I have a deep red tabby and a solid grey... two boys... and I never thought I'd have boy cats OR a red tabby OR a solid grey cat. Just goes to show! All our cats come from animal humane shelters adoptions. Once you go there it breaks your heart and you wish you could help them all.
Thank you, Strumelia! He is as sleek and slinky as you could wish, and very, very shiny! It is very hard to take a decent photo of a black cat - unless they have their eyes open, it's like photographing a black lump! These are a couple of my favourites!
The lady from the animal rescue organisation said that black cats are hard to find homes for, and that people are more likely to drown or otherwise dispose of black kittens. They were very happy to find a suitable home for him, as he had been at the pound and in foster care for quite some time. It's a pity, but I would never foster, as I could never give them up to their new homes - I would know they were safe with me!
My sneaky former boss has two black boys, both domesticated ferals like Bran, and now another friend has 'acquired' a little black boy and a long haired mackerel & white boy to go with her two gingers. All four give her dog a hard time - he is very young still, so can learn his place a little more easily than an older dog.
I think cats and dogs that choose you work out better - mine have always been or have turned into the soppiest things on four paws, and they repay you many times over, wherever they come from. I have only ever had one, back in the mid 1970s, who never settled, having come off a farm way to young, and lived a more-or-less independent life for a couple of years!
Thank you, Richard! I had intended to pay for him myself, but my sneaky former boss beat me to it! Pug was missing Humbug something fierce, and as I had to leave him on his own for three weeks just three weeks after losing Humbug, he did suffer a bit. But, I just had to wait for the right cat! My cats and dogs have pretty much always been rescues, or 'saved', and they have repaid me with many, many years of companionship and purrs!
Anne, it's heartwarming to hear of a perfect fit between homeless animal and a kindly person.
Sounds like you and Bran are very happy together and appreciate each other totally.
The newer photo of Bran shows how sleek and glossy he is... like a minky otter! SO handsome.
I've often wondered what it would be like to have a black cat... never actually had one of my own but who knows one day? Right now I have a deep red tabby and a solid grey... two boys... and I never thought I'd have boy cats OR a red tabby OR a solid grey cat. Just goes to show! All our cats come from animal humane shelters adoptions. Once you go there it breaks your heart and you wish you could help them all.
What a gorgeous black cat. I know he is a wonderful companion for you. He is so fortunate to have such a good owner.
I don't know who remembers June 2016 when I had to have my beautiful blue boy cat Humbug put to sleep, which left me with Pug, my cream boy cat. Waited 6 months for just the right little needy cat to bring home. Found a lovely little black cat (which are apparently very hard to find homes for), about 15 months old, in December 2016 - a rescue cat who had had a very hard life, including being abandoned at the council pound, and spending some time in temporary foster care. He was underweight, and, because of an allergy to mosquito bites, a bit scabby and sore. I was allowed to take him early, being an experienced cat owner, so he came home on Dec 21st, as a (slightly) early Birthday and Christmas present. (my birthday is the 24th Dec) His bite sores were treated with PawPaw ointment containing Manuka honey, and he was fed up in little meals like a Christmas chicken!
His name is Bran, which is Irish for raven, as he is as black as one! My former boss, who is also my 'bestie', gave him to me. The best ever Birthday and Christmas present I have ever had!
Well, what a difference two years has made to the boy, who is 3 and a half in March! He is a different cat entirely! Hasn't bulked up much - I think he is always going to be one of those slinky black numbers, but the change in temperament has been amazing, and most gratifying. He is a sook! He also has some deformed toes on both his front feet - I don't know if they are genetic or something really horrible had been done to him in the past. With a tendency to bite if handled, (he did bite me once quite severely!) he was extremely timid with people - probably thought that everyone who came to the house was going to take him somewhere else new! Now he can be picked up and cuddled, handled, and loves nothing more than to snuggle up in bed on cold winter mornings. He has learned to purr, and plays with Pug - something I think Pug would like him not to do on occasion! The kitchen floor wrestling bouts are epic! Sitting on my desk with me, or lying between me and the computer are two of his favourite pastimes, and he spends most winter days with me in my office, curled up in a basket behind my shoulders while I try and work - bliss!
In one photo you can see how his nose was bitten to pieces, and his nose leather was all pink - it's rare that it grows back black, but it has done just that! He now has a lovely black nose, and I don't feel that I have to colour it in with a black texta pen! The other photo is as he is now, snuggled up to 'his' puppy toy, on 'his' chair!
I wanted to add that I contacted the person selling it on consignment, and asked if they could find anything else out. He responded that the dulcimer was purchased used, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, at some unknown date by the seller.
A PROCLOMATION!
From this day forward Butch Ross shall be known as Saint Butch Ross.
That is all.
Thank you Dusty for the lead.
Jimmy -- you're sorta writing that tuning 'backwards'. Most people today write a tuning starting with the Bass string, not the melody strings. That helps you know what key the tuning is in. Also, most folks today do not write the doubled melody strings as 2 letters unless the string are tuned to different notes. What you have is Aeolian Mode, DAC; the key of Dminor.
DAC is in the key of D minor. Your "home" or "tonic" is the first fret on the melody string, which is a D.
Jimmy, let me add that if you are playing in a drone style, the drones themselves tell you what the key is. Drones can only be the 1st and 5th notes of the scale, so DAA is D ionian. DAd is D mixolydian. DAC is D aeolian. And DAG is D Dorian.
I know it’s Aeolian mode, but what key is it?
I agree with Ken. Robin Clark should be able to help you, friend.
You might check this website: http://www.dulcimers.co.uk . Robin Clark is a member here. He sells several different brands of dulcimers including McSpadden.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Hi Bob,
I did check him out. Took a while, because there is no r in the name. :) Ian Duthie
Found him on this forum while surging.
thanks, but he build them private. Hope for another sugestion. Many thanks for this one.
You could also try contacting Butch and asking him if you could buy only his tab for Blackbird from him directly at some cost he determines. No harm in asking!
thanks lass i did that last night. we will see what happens. 
You could also try contacting Butch and asking him if you could buy only his tab for Blackbird from him directly at some cost he determines. No harm in asking!
Hi Rik,
Good to see your post and no need to be shy!
There is a fine Mountain Dulcimer builder in England named Ian Duthrie. He posts in Facebook by that name. Not much info about where exactly he is located or contact info like an email address, but if you use Facebook, look him up. His work looks very good.
Hello, not everybody know me. I was a little quiet and shy. But I am searching for a good mountain Dulcimer. I play for half a year now. And decided to buy a good build dulcimer. I have got a cheap student model and converted it a little so it sound quite reaseneble. My thoughts are about a Mc spadden or maybe something in the same quality.
But now the problem… I live in the Netherlands. And in my search I can't find a reseller nearby the Netherlands or in the Netherlands. So I searched in the USA but then the shipment is the next problem.
So does anyone know something to go on from where I am now?
With friendly regards,
Rik
Here's a link to Butch's available CDs and Tab Books. "Beatletudes" is located about 3/4 of the way down the page. The book is available in both ukelele tabs and dulcimer tabs, so if you plan to order a copy make sure you read the description and order the correct edition. The cost is listed as $20.00.
http://www.butchross.com/stuff.html
It is in there.................The Book is called Beatletudes by Butch Ross................Prussia Valley has it & you can get it direct from BR on his website.
Hey I just remembered that Butch Ross also has a book of Beatles tunes. Since I know he has played "Blackbird" on the MD, I bet that tune is there.
Hey I just remembered that Butch Ross also has a book of Beatles tunes. Since I know he has played "Blackbird" on the MD, I bet that tune is there.
JP, if you contacted someone privately, that would be OK. But if we make those kinds of connections on the public discussions at FOTMD, even if the actual exchange happens elsewhere, the site is still legally implicated.
It is also legal to tab out for your own purposes a copyrighted song. And you can even share it with a friend. That's all legal.
Yep that is pretty much what i was talking/asking about in my original post.
Soooo all the cover bands we go see at the local pubs are in violation of the copyright laws?
so if i learn this song on my own and tab it out am i in violation of CR law.... how about if i gave a
copy to a friend....
JP, performing and distribution are two different things. You can perform a cover at a formal venue because in all likelihood that venue has paid an annual fee to ASCAP. And even if they didn't, the legal burden is on the venue and not the performer to ensure they are in compliance with copyright tunes.
You can play at home and for your friends and family any copryighted music you want. That is legal. It is also legal to tab out for your own purposes a copyrighted song. And you can even share it with a friend. That's all legal.
But you cannot distribute that material without paying for a license to do so. And the Napster court case affirmed that online sharing constitutes illegal distribution. Because FOTMD is free and open to the public, we cannot exchange copyrighted materials.
hmmmm so those of you who are gigging musicians only play 'Public Domain" tunes? Soooo all the cover bands we go see at the local pubs are in violation of the copyright laws?
so if i learn this song on my own and tab it out am i in violation of CR law.... how about if i gave a copy to a friend?
Don't get me wrong i am for copyright laws....i have several tunes on my CD that where not public domain and i either wrote the composer personally or went through Harry Fox and paid for them.
i have the neil hellman book and no, Blackbird is not in there. as i said i am willing to pay but i would rather not because it will not be using it for performance or recording.
there is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.
PS... none of my statements are directed at FOTMD
Most of the stuff on those guitar tab sites is illegal. Plain and simple. There are also tons of YouTube videos of people playing covers of copyrighted tunes. That's all illegal, too.
Neal Hellman published a book of Beatles tunes arranged for the MD, but I don't think "Blackbird" is in there. The only dulcimer player I can think of who has played the tune is Butch Ross.
Interesting, very interesting.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Guitar Tab Universe uses an "after the fact" type of copyright situation. The site places the responsibility of the copyright owner to notify it that a particular piece of music is posted unlawfully. Once the notice and supporting evidence is supplied, the offending piece is removed. Most dulcimer sites prefer to proactive and ask that copyright material not be posted with out documented permission.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
You know what might work? A simple fretboard on a board with a cheap rod piezo pickup on the bridge like those from CBGitty. That's all 'strumsticks' and electric MDs are, basically, just add a small amp. Screw the fretboard to the board, no glue required.
A canjo would not be appreciably affected by the heat.... no glued wood joints, only one string (easily tuned if needed), etc. Go ahead and make a nice one out of a single piece of wood, a can, one tuner, a few frets, nut and bridge, and one string and have fun. :)
I neglected to state (along with my Corian idea) that I wouldn't put the Corian on a wooden instrument. A cardboard box or a tin for a soundbox?
It's not so much about the material the instrument is made from. Two things here:
1) Under high heat, GLUE is going to fail under the string tension in high heat. No matter what material you use for the parts, if any glue is used the dulcimer parts will come apart as though you had stuck it in the oven. Maybe you could investigate glue that does not fail under high heat.
2) The sudden and drastic temperature change might implode/explode a wooden instrument if you: Bring it from a freezing cold car into a heated house....OR... Bring it from a very hot car into an air conditioned house. Remember a dulcimer is a long narrow box that's under high string tension.
Personally I would NOT store a dulcimer in a hot car in a parking lot!! Corian would probably hold up, but would be almighty HEAVY! As Banjimer says, store your dulcimer alongside your desk in the office, then take it to the park, rather than storing it in the care. Everything expands and shrinks with heat and cold -- wood, metal, plastic, Corian. The trick is finding the material with the smallest expansion.
Nothing wrong with an all wood dulcimer; you just need the patience to spend a minute or two checking your tuning when you get to the park.
