Forum Activity for @benjamin-w-barr-jr

How about a gaggle?

ahhhhh, this is the post to put it in.  A day before Christmas I got a DVD of our family playing and singing Christmas songs thirty years ago in Hawaii.  I got somethings wrong in my speaking, but you'll see 8 of our 14 children.  The older ones were gone....one in the Marines, some in school and some married.  Happy new year to you all.        &source=gmail&ust=1546298787918000&usg=AFQjCNFF3ALCH5AzPI6rFiLSv9DPO9DZPA">

Inventory????  

My friends always ask, Well just how many do You have ? I call them my Eye Candy they are like  a box of chocolates all different but wonderful in their own way. . 

 Don Pedi played Dulcimer the movie the Tune Catchers set in Appalachian Mountains  Not that good but remember it because of Don.playing dulcimer at a barn dance. 

An Embarrassment of Dulcimers?

Several episodes of the TV series Daniel Boone, where Fess Parker actually played (rather than just faking) a dulcimer for his wife.

Several music related TV programs where Cyndi Lauper plays her dulcimer.  Taught by David Schnauffer.  She composes all her tunes on dulcimer. 

On the TV show, "The Waltons", one episode featured the dulcimer. One episode (right word?) of the TV show, "Rainbow Quest", hosted by Pete Seeger, featured Jean Ritchie; another episode featured Richard and Mimi Farina (Richard played dulcimer). In the early '60's, I recall seeing John Jacob Niles once or twice on TV.

The other day I started reading The Urban Fantasy Anthology by Peter S. Beagle and Joe R. Lansdale. The very first story, set in 1970, was "A Bird that Whistles" by Emma Bull about a young banjo player who meets a charismatic, handsome and great musician. I was immediately greeted with a great opening sentence, "The dulcimer player sat on the back steps of Orpheus Coffeehouse." The musician, a fiddle and guitar player, was just trying out the dulcimer, but there were references to "Shady Grove," other folk songs and tuning the banjo to "mountain minor."

Where else have you encountered dulcimers in films or in books?

"Lincoln and Liberty"...made lots of goofs learning it...still make lots of goofs playing it now (after 30 years, go figure)!

"Too many" (7)...but I just ordered a new one, so I guess there are never too many dulcimers!

Oh my! I could just kiss you, @Maddie-Myers!   I've been looking for that book for years and I don't know why it never occurred to me to post a note here.  I'll send you a personal message right away. You're the best!

Hi, Dusty - I just checked into the FOMD site for the first time in a long time and came across your request for the Randy Wilkinson Elizabethan Music for Dulcimer book. I have a book by Wilkinson entitled "Randy Wilkinson Elizabethan Dulcimer." published in 1982 by Kicking Mule.  It says it goes with the album KM226. I would be happy to give it to you.  However, I live in Australia and would have to post it from there, so I will need your postal address, and perhaps you real name, unless you regularly get mail addressed to Dusty Turtle and your mailman doesn't get hostile about it.

Cheers, Maddie Myers in Western Australia

For several years I've been searching for the book of dulcimer tablature that accompanies Randy Wilkinson's album on Kicking Mule records called Elizabethan Music for Dulcimer.  The book came out in 1982, I believe.

Does anyone have a copy kicking around that they'd be willing to part with?

Muchas gracias!

Thanks Ken, these are useful!

Difficult to say. Homer made mistakes and you know the registry if far from complete. Those are "special" tuners, maybe you can find a matching description in the time line?

Somehow I ended up with quite a collection of Ledfords. Most are identifiable from the master list (which, naturally is not complete). I have several early ones including two before he started numbering. Recently, however I acquired one which did not have a number assigned. [There is one on the list unnumbered.]

It has staple frets (long 3rd), early style hearts, and an unusual construction for the fine tuners. It was made of yellow poplar (very dark brown) from 150-y.o. church pews, which locates it from 1969 to, perhaps, 1979. The label also has "Winchester, Kentucky" spelled out.

I'm trying to zero in on an approximate date; does anyone else have one with a dark poplar top and/or a "Kentucky" label and/or the tail plate with fine tuners.

 Ledford. no #. .jpg - 161KB

McSpadden is what I chose as my first and never regretted it.  It is now my loaner. 

McSpadden would be a great and reliable choice in your price range.  It's very well regarded, sounds wonderful, and you can resell it easily later on if you want.

A four string model gives you the option to play with three or four strings. Almost all modern dulcimers come with a 6 1/2 fret and its octave 13 1/2. If you plan to play in DAdd tuning those extra frets will come in handy. If you plan to play in DAAA all the time, the 6 1/2 can be a pain (only because it gives you a little extra bump sliding up to the seventh fret.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

McSpadden,not McFadden

Thanks for all your responses!

I live in Long Island NY. Does anyone have a contact in the New York City area?

Money is not the main concern.

My kids are giving it to me as a 65th birthday present so I can pick a quality instrument in the $400 to $550 range.

McFadden has a nice web page where you can hear the sounds of different instruments; I'm tempted to buy one of theirs or buy a used one. They were also recommended by Jessica Comeau with whom I've had a correspondence. She seems very helpful. I emailed McFadden and will also call them after Christmas.

From my research, for my first instrument, I should get a 4 string model with 61/2 frets set to D. Is that correct?

Mark -- first thing you'll learn in the dulcimer world is that there is not such thing as "best".  The 'best' anything is what works for you... not someone else.

With 40 years experience as a dulcimer builder and player, my advice is to start with a "Student" model dulcimer such as the one made by Dave "Harpmaker" at www.sweetwoodsinstruments.com His student model is an excellent starting place without being terribly expensive.  There are two or three other student models out there.  I own one of Dave's and use it as a loaner. 

If money is a real issue, start with one of the cardboard dulcimers for about $75.  The fretboard is the important part of the instrument, and those fretboards are spot on.  When you decide you like the dulcimer, you -- or someone you know -- can make you a nice wooden body, to which you transfer the fretboard from your cardboard starter.   I did that recently for one of my students...

Builders like Dave will play their instruments for you over the phone, but generally don't have other builder's instruments to compare.  Without much knowledge of dulcimers, listening to "the sound" isn't that useful because instruments in different tunings will sound different and you won't recognize the difference.

Where are you in "the Northeast"?  We might be able to point you to someone.  Chances are you'll not find dulcimers walking into music stores unless they specialize in acoustic music, and then you'll probably only find one "brand".  A dulcimer Festival is the best place to check out lots of different dulcimers, but it will be a couple months before 'festival season' kicks in.

There is a ton of information here at FOTMD; start reading. As Lisa suggests, join the Beginner Group and start looking there.

Mark, I don't know where you are in the Northeast, but there are some dulcimer festivals coming up. One is near Albany, NY (Latham) the first weekend in March. Another is in East Stroudsburg, PA the last weekend in April. There will be several vendors at both festivals where you can try different dulcimers. I would beware of dulcimers in the $100-$250 range unless they are well cared for used instruments. Also, look at some of the individual builders who do quality work and sell dulcimers for less than the prices you mentioned.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Mark, i'm encouraging you to join our site's Beginner Group (click on Groups link at top of page)- and read several discussions there about advice on buying a first dulcimer- lots of good info there!    Be aware to in order to read the actual discussions ib Groups, you have to JOIN that group.  You can unjoin the group eaisily at any time, btw.

Beware of that big site that has paid to come up on top when you do searches for 'best dulcimer'. I saw that site and it's really just a big paid links ad disguised as a helpful dulcimer site. it's content simply consists of stuff they've pulled from other sites, too... they have not created their own content.

I am interested in buying a new dulcimer. I have never played a string instrument. I originally wanted to buy a banjo but I understand that the dulcimer has fewer strings and easier learning curve.  The other option would be a ukelele. I then heard Jessica Comeau on You Tube and was hooked. 

Does this logic make sense? I love folk music so the dulcimer sounds very attractive.

Now the problem. I can't find a dulcimer vendor in the Northeast to compare instruments. I would like to compare sounds. Can one do that online?

New McSpadden and Folkcraft instruments are expensive ($475 and up). Online searches for best dulcimers show instruments in $100-250 range.

Please help!

Pondoro -- did I give you copies of my articles for newcomers? I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What?  is an illustrated glossary of dulcimer terms so we all speak the same jargon, plus andswers to many beginner questions about tuning, playing,care and feeding of your new instrument.  Here they are 

Get Noterized.pdf - 87KB

Pondoro, the way to describe your various notes in the different octaves would be:

D3 (bass string), A3 (middle string), d4/d4 for the double course of melody strings.  DAdd

My six string baritone had the name Blact(?) Richardson(2013) and my walnut four string is marked "Laurence Chapman"(2008). I couldn't figure out the first name on my six string, it could just be bad penmanship.

I'm not sure that any single person actually makes any one McSpad.  I understood that the group collectively makes the parts and performs the assemblies and at the appropriate time maker's labels with different names are applied to each instrument.   

Does anyone have a list of luthiers that have worked for McSpadden Dulcimers?  Of course, there is Lynn McSpadden, his brother, Larry McSpadden, and George Looney.  But who are the others?  Feel free to add to the list if you know the names of the others.

I've got a McSpadden made by a _________ Lang in 2016, but I can't make out his or her first name on the interior label.  Can anyone help me identify the McSpadden luthier who made this instrument?

So I ordered Terry's new capo and it works fine. The measurements were the same on the Bella, 10" radius FB, same width and heighth. It's easy to use and works fine. It was so nice to finally be able to play with the 4th fret capo'ed. I love this Bella Dulcimer so much that now I don't want to play anything else! 

Thank you both very much for your responses, now let’s see if th USPS can get it here in time for Christmas!

I purchased a Walnut Valley dulcimer in Early 1993 and kept it until 2017. I sold it to a lady in our club who wanted it. Then I found one nearly like it earlier this year that appeared to have been bought but left unplayed in its case. So I now have a Walnut Valley once again. I really like the Walnut Valley. It is quite versatile. I have played it noter drone and with 4 equidistant strings using the noter. It sounds good in multiple modes and tunings. I don't think you would be disappointed with a Walnut Valley.

Both are good instruments.  I have a Walnut Valley brochure. If you PM me your email address, I will send you a pdf of the brochure. I tried to do it here, but it didn't work.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Thanks Pondoro for catching my mistake. It should be 1-5-5 or 1-5-8. That's what happens when I watch football and try to respond to posts on FOTMD. I've corrected my posts.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."