Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Ok. I'm at my inlaws now but as soon as I get home I'll swap strings around and probably order a couple of new sets, these look a bit rusty. Then I'll have questions about chord melody.
Forum Activity for @pondoro
Black Mountain vs Walnut Valley
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Howdy all,
I’m in the market for a new instrument ( because when are we not?) and I found a couple I like. One was made in the 90’s by a company named Walnut Valley. I find very little info on them, but it is a gorgeous instrument. And I’d love to know more about them.
The other is a Black Mountain model 58D, I can find plenty on them and it too is a beautiful Dulcimer...but it may be sold, will find out this weekend. So, if you could only buy one of these ....Which would it be and why? Thank you in advance for your expertise and Merry Christmas to all.
Dave
updated by @dulcimer-dave: 12/21/18 12:55:04PM
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Joy to the World is a good example showing the difference between DAA and DAd tuning.
The song 'sits' in a different place on the fret board with each of those two tunings.
In DAA (where the home/tonic note is on the 3rd fret) you would start those first 4 notes (Joy to the world) on these frets: 10, 9, 8, 7. The next 4 notes will be on frets : 6, 5, 4, 3. (the 10th fret is the highest note in the whole song) You will be able to play the entire song on the melody string alone, with accompanying open drone strings. You will be using the 6 fret but not the 6.5 fret.
In DAd tuning (the home tonic note is on the open melody string) you would start those first 4 notes (Joy to the world) on these frets: 7, 6.5, 5, 4. The next 4 notes will be on frets : 3, 2, 1, 0. (the 7th fret is the highest note in the whole song) You ALSO will be able to play the entire song on the melody string alone, with accompanying open drone strings. BUT if you want to make chords, you can fret all strings. You will be using the 6.5 fret but not the 6 fret.
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Ken, 158 and 155
@ Pondoro;
Playing on just the melody string is called noter drone or finger dancing. Playing across all three strings is chord/melody. Although the dulcimer is a stringed instrument it is, musically, more like the a standard harmonica [diatonic]. Because of this some things that apply to those other instruments don't work the same on the MD.
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Thanks! I've already learned that Joy to the World needs the 6-1/2 fret. So to drop below the bottom note on my melody strings I can jump to the middle string? (Once I switch the strings around to be right). Nice to know.
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
You can play by fretting the melody only on the melody string (or the double melody course) and leaving the other strings to sound open as DRONES.... OR you can fret all strings with your finger and make CHORDS that way, and maybe use flatpicking. That's called chord/melody style and it's the more modern style of playing. If playing on only the melody string, many folks find DAA tuning more useful. If chording, many folks find DAd more useful. However, either tuning can be used for both styles of playing. 
A good way to start out (after you reverse those strings! haha) is to just pick a very simple tune to play, and get your tuning right and try to play it... either on the melody string with open drones, or by making simple chords by fretting all strings. Dont' try to understand everything at first- it's too much to process mentally. Best way is to try a simple tune, maybe Jingle Bells, or I Saw Three Ships, or Good King Wencislas (did I spell that right?). Remember what Ken said- if you're in DAA tuning, the key note/home note will be on your third fret. If in DAd tuning, the home/key note will be on your Open melody string. (sometimes referred to as the "zero fret").
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Most folks today play in either DAAA or DAdd. Both work fine with American folk music. The advantage of using DAAA when beginning dulcimer is that the musical scale begins at the 3rd fret. In DAdd the scale starts on the open fret which means you need to play some of the melody on the middle string. Mountain dulcimers are usually strung with a melody string (often doubled), a middle string, and a bass string. It makes me think that the your bass string is not in the right place. From what you have told us so far you might be leaning toward chord/melody style playing which is more people play in DAdd also known as 1 - 5- 8 tuning or mixolydian mode. DAA is 1 -5-5 tuning or ionian mode. Old Joe Clark is a mixolydian tune which need the 6 1/2 fret to sound good. During the Christmas season I am playing many carols in DAA. When I play Silent Night, I go as high as the 13th fret. Today there seem to be more teaching resources available for DAd, but you can find some DAA books as well. Go to Folkcraft and click on the Books and Videos tab. You will find lots of resources there.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
updated by @ken-longfield: 12/21/18 09:10:59AM
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I will switch the strings. The story I heard is that an old man bought it, never played it, and died. My wife and sister-in-law bought it for far less than the internet price. The first owner apparently got the strings switched.
So you fret the bass and A strings? I always thought only the two melody strings got fretted.
Your blog looks like a great resource!
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Pondoro, 99.99 % of all mtn dulcimers do not have their fattest 'bass' string in the middle position. I advise you to switch your fat bass string to the position of being farthest away from you when holding the dulcimer in your lap, with the tuning peghead on your left. Then, you can tune it (from bass to melody) D3, A3, d4. OR you could tune it D3, A3, A3. (the D3 being the lowest/bass string).
If you don't switch those strings, you are going to have a very confusing time of it and you will not be able to follow any Tabs written for DAd or DAA. It's going to cause you a whole lot of headaches. Either intentionally or unintentionally, that dulcimer was strung in an 'experimental' manner that will prove to be incredibly frustrating.
Think of it as though someone reversed two strings randomly on a guitar... imagine what a terrible time some guitar student would have trying to learn to make chords and play guitar when all teaching material and all other players had their strings normally laid out. I strongly advise you to swap your middle and bass string so the bass/fattest string is the one furthest from your body when playing, and the medium thick string should be in the middle position.
Your dulcimer is not a tenor banjo, and my advise is to stop thinking in terms of your tenor banjo tuning. I mean, plenty of folks have experimentally tried tuning their dulcimers like guitars, or like banjos... but the problem with that is that they can't then use any of the wealth of dulcimer teaching material available, and they will have a hard time relating to anything dulcimer players are talking about with tunings, fingerings, chords, tab, etc. It all goes out the window because it can't apply to your dulcimer.
When you imitate the tuning of a different instrument, the immediate benefit of feeling you are already 'familiar' with how to play is pretty quickly outweighed by being 'stuck' in that tuning and string positioning that nobody else uses, and as a beginner dulcimer player you won't be able to get much help from others or from learning materials.
updated by @strumelia: 12/20/18 08:32:20PM
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Dulcimer is flat on my lap. Tuners to my left. The farthest string from me is not the bass string. It appears to be the same diameter as the two melody strings which are closest to me. The fat bass string is in between. I tuned it A3, D3 (lower than A3) and then, nearest me, d4. Fattest string is lowest .
Now my tenor banjo is tuned (to my memory, it is not with me) D3 G3 B3 E4. The fourth string is nearest my nose and is D3. So my melody strings are not exactly the same as my tenor banjo D, but they are never the less open D. So all my Irish tunes in the key of D pretty much come naturally.
But my point was American folk. So please feel free to convince me that Some other tuning is better.
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
A couple of things:
The usual way of writing/describing the tuning on a mtn dulcimer is to name the bass string first, melody string(s) last. Thus, DAd means the bass string is in the lower octave (thus it is capitalized)... the middle string is the A above that D.... and the melody string is the d an octave higher than the bass string (thus it's usually in lower case letter d). In DAA tuning, the bass string is low D, the middle string is the A above that note, and the melody string is the exact same A note as the middle string.
There are some links with actual tuning aids here: https://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2010/12/what-notes-do-i-tune-my-strings-to.html
As to your tenor banjo- do you mean your banjo lowest string when you say 4th string? If so, you may be tuning the dulcimer en entire octave too low. check the above tuning aids in the links.
When you say 'near to far'- do you mean your Bass string is tuned to a low A and middle string to the even LOWER D3 ? if so, then that tuning is not right. If you are going for DAA, the bass string will be low D. If you want DAd (or DAdd), the bass string is low D and the melody string(s) will be the d an octave higher. Most folks talk in terms of bass, middle, and melody strings, rather than near to far. And tunings are usually described in the sequence of from Bass to melody. That way we can all be on the same page and avoid broken strings! ;)
Are you holding your dulcimer flat on your lap? Just asking, since not everyone does.
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Whoa! I'm tuned DAd. Just realized that the melody strings are the same note (d) as the fourth string of my Chicago tuned tenor banjo. After playing Oh Susanna I entertained my wife with Raglan Road. Strings (far to near) are tuned A3, D3, D4, D4. Like I said the thick string is in the middle.
Using my index finger and a pick but I plan to make a noter from a dowel.
updated by @pondoro: 12/20/18 05:51:52PM
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Pondoro, that is terrific! Sounds like you and your dulcimer are going to have a grand adventure for sure.
Old time folk tunes and carols are a wonderful choice to start out playing- the dulcimer can play all kinds of music including classical, blues, jazz, etc... but its an old folk instrument that was originally mostly used in playing American folk/fiddle/dance music, ballads, and hymns, which includes many carols. Mountain dulcimers are like ducks in water when it comes to that particular playing repertoire.
You'll get lots of good advice here on FOTMD. I'm a little biased myself, but I'll go ahead and recommend that you start with DAA tuning and playing the melody only on the melody strings (or the double melody course). You can try out playing in the real old traditional style using a noter stick, or your finger. Once you get your bearings you can also try out chord playing and/or fingerpicking styles, and other cool tunings like chord-friendly DAd and lonesome-sounding DAC. There are different styles of playing and each one has its own special charm and sound.
For beginner melody-only style playing with open drone strings, may I suggest you explore my noter-drone BLOG for traditional ducimer playing style- it has many beginner tabs and videos to help with strumming patterns and other general playing tips for beginners: https://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/ Be sure to start reading from the oldest posts first, the ones from 2009.
If you find a local dulcimer club or jam to play with, you might find that they play in chord style in DAd tuning, and usually play only from TAB together. If you like what you observe there, you can join them in learning that way of playing, but you should know that you can also play along with them in DAA or with a noter... or in fingerpicking style. The point is, as long as you are all playing in the same key, there are ways that different playing styles can play together harmoniously. Never lose sight of having FUN and never get discouraged! The mountain dulcimer is an amazing and forgiving friend- it truly allows you to find great joy in playing music- no matter how simple or how complex your playing level or your chosen approach is, and no matter what your musical background and taste is. 
P.S. I think you needn't worry about anything beyond that 10th fret for a good while yet. You may very well encounter tunes you want to use second octave frets for, but... some folks never play up there, ever! lolol In other words, you don't 'have to know' how to play above the 10th fret... you could literally spend a lifetime exploring wonderful tunes that never go above it. If and when you're ready to play up there, you'll know it and it won't be a big deal.
updated by @strumelia: 12/20/18 05:26:50PM
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
By the way it has 19 frets, not counting the zero fret. 1-10 are labeled and there is an unlabeled 6-1/2 fret. After 10 you tell me. I'll figure them out with an electronic tuner.
The middle string is wound, the two coursed strings and the far string seem to be the same size. When I get home I can measure the diameters.
updated by @pondoro: 12/20/18 03:40:30PM
Got my dulcimer!
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
A few months ago I joined this site. My wife and her sister had bought me a dulcimer for Christmas. I just got it. It is a Cedar Creek, plywood top, looks undamaged and very serviceable. I'll state here that I play ukulele, tenor banjo, bodhrán, and harmonica. So I understand instruments but have never tried a dulcimer. I've built a few ukuleles, two cigar box and two with actual bodies from bent wood.
I plan to play old time folk tunes and Christmas carols. I'm pretty excited to finally have a real Appalachian instrument, since I love old time American music. Playing it on the uke is fun but a bit out of the proper era. I'd like to try it on the dulcimer!
I'm open to tuning suggestions- it has four strings, two are in a single course, the double course is near me when the tuners are to the left. One thing I've learned from years of ukulele - telling a newcomer that, "You can tune it any way you want" is theoretically true but not much help. I'd like suggestions for a tuning that fits American folk tunes and has plentiful teaching resources. I'm ok if I get conflicting advice! Hand in hand I'd love suggestions for learning resources- free is awesome but I'm not too cheap to buy a book.
Thanks!
McSpadden Friction peg replacement
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
If you have the "mechanical" friction pegs with the tension screws, and the screws won't tighten enough to hold the strings in tune, it means the plastic peg buttons are compressed. The screws can't go any farther.
You can take the peg apart and either add a small washer between the screw head and the top of the button, or make a washer out of leather or soft plastic and put it between the bottom of the button and the metal housing it sits on. This will allow the screw to be tightened a lttle more.
These screws shouldn't be any tighter than necessary to hold the string in tune, or the buttons will become compressed prematurely.
If you have wooden violin-style pegs, the various remedies already given work. Sometimes I use "peg dope" (jeweler's rouge) or blackboard chalk for the peg to have more grip in the holes.
McSpadden Friction peg replacement
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
What kind of pegs do you have?. Are they wood violin or metal type with screw in the end. The metal type can be replaced with new ones for under $30. Robert
McSpadden Friction peg replacement
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
It depends on the instrument. At least by the late 70's, when I got my first McSpadden, they had friction tuners that are different than wooden pegs, although they are still 1:1 straight-through tuners. Peg dope won't help with these, but if this dulcimer is even older, then maybe they did use pegs and it would. Basically, if it has a screw head on the end, it's not a peg and you can tighten the screw to keep it from slipping.
Currently, I own five dulcimers, and another one on the way. Only two have got my attention in the past couple of years.
If I could choose only one, it would be my 4 string McSpadden hourglass, that I purchased five years ago. I've bought and sold at least a dozen dulcimers in the last 6 years, but this McSpadden was never for sale
The built in pickup failed me after 2 years. McSpadden repaired it free of charge. I can tune it from aea to Dad and the string tension remains perfecr. Never tried going higher than dad.
McSpadden got it right with this dulcimer.
McSpadden Friction peg replacement
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
I've always found slipping wooden pegs to be nicely cured with a minor treatment of Peg Drops liquid. You can't lose anything by trying it out before opting to completely change to geared pegs.
Wood pegs tend to slip more in the Winter dry indoor weather. The Peg Drops liquid is made with rosin and provides a nice even very thin film of 'grip'- makes tuning/moving them smoother, and pegs then will hold. You need to unwind the string and remove each peg in turn, put 2 or 3 (no more than that!) drops and evenly turn the peg in place to spread where the peg touches against the wood. Then restring the string, tune up with a little less tension than usual, and let the drops 'cure' overnight before tuning up to normal.
McSpadden Friction peg replacement
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Just bear in mind that if you alter McSpadden's design and you want to sell the dulcimer later, the modification may affect the value of the dulcimer.
McSpadden Friction peg replacement
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Follow Steve's advice. A problem in the late Fall and winter is a lower humidity which causes the scroll walls (sides) to shrink a little. This causes the peg to slip. Tightening the screw in the peg button should take care of it. Should you choose to replace the friction pegs with geared tuners, that can be done. Depending upon the type of tuners you choose you may need to enlarge the holes for the tuners.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
McSpadden Friction peg replacement
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
If really want to replace the pegs not just tighten them, Gotoh, Five Star and Schaller are well known brands of tuning machine makers. Stewart-MacDonald (stewmac) has quite a variety for sale at a range of prices. Don't look just for Dulcimer tuning machines, individual guitar tuners (either open geared or closed) work just fine.
McSpadden Friction peg replacement
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Look at the end of the pegs, first. Theirs usually had a screw in the end which could tighten the grip. It worked well on those I had of theirs.
McSpadden Friction peg replacement
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
i own a McSpadden with friction pegs that continue to slip. The dulcimer has a scroll head. Any recommendations on replacement tuning pegs?
Using Metronome apps
Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs
People get nervous and distracted when recording themselves, and might speed up or slow down without realizing it. A metronome program can help during recording, especially if you can set it to light blinks only... so you don't wind up recording the sound of the metronome as well! 
Group sync
Playing and jamming difficulties...HELP ME!
Stephen Seifert:
...It's not the only way to strum but I think it's the best FIRST way to strum: ALTERNATE STRUMMING. The exceptions come next.
Stephen can you elaborate on this? I'm not sure exactly what you mean by 'alternate strumming' and 'exceptions'... sounds intriguing!
Myself, I tend to keep my strumming motions going even when not hitting the strings.. and I don't usually like it much when players slowly speed up tunes ...maybe I'm old fashioned or something, but it feels vaguely 'disturbing' to me somehow. 
Adrian, I can only compare my McCafferty with the other fine dulcimers I own: Blue Lion, Modern Mountain Dulcimers, and Probst, the latter of which I currently have strung as a baritone.
My 25" McCafferty has a superior balance, very warm tone, and exceptional volume. It is not as bass dominant as my Modern Mountain Dulcimer, but is better balanced. Compared to my Probst, the McCafferty does not have as much sustain, but don't get me wrong; the sustain is very good, just not quite as infinite as the Probst. And the sustain might be a function of the shorter VSL. I have a feeling that the sustain of a 28" McCafferty would be just as remarkable as the Probst.
The action is also wonderful. It takes very little pressure from your fingers to fret a string. I also find it equally beautiful flatpicked or fingerpicked. Prior to buying the McCafferty, I used my MMD for flatpicking and my Blue Lion for fingerpicking, but the McCafferty excels in both. However, I found the strings a bit too far apart for fast flatpicking and moved the melody and bass strings in a little bit so that they are about 1" apart.
I don't know much about electronics, but I love the pickup Terry uses. It is a Twin Spot pickup by K & K Sound. I plug right into my Fishman Loudbox mini with no pre-amp and no equalizer and the sound is just what you'd want: an amplified but warm, acoustic tone.
I bought my McCafferty before Terry started making radiused fretboards, so I can't speak to that feature.
In general, I cannot imagine a competent player looking for a high-end dulcimer with a big, round, warm sound being dissatisfied with a McCafferty instrument. There might be a detail or two (such as the distance between strings) that would have to be customized, but Terry knows what he's doing. His dulcimers are really nice. Two members of my local dulcimer group contacted him for their own the first time they heard mine. A few days after I received my dulcimer from Terry I played in a kind of round robin on a stage with three other dulcimer players. We took turns playing tunes. Afterwards, a professional player in the audience (he was actually the main act who followed us) told me that the tone of my dulcimer really stood out among the others. He didn't say my playing stood out, but was only talking about the tone of the dulcimer!
Using Metronome apps
Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs
I use something called Metronome Beats. It can be programmed in any number of ways. I particularly like the visual display options.
Adrian, there is no way to really answer that question. I have a McCafferty dulcimer and love it. Obviously, it was worth it to me. But I don't know how anyone can quantify the variables that add value to a dulcimer. Sound is one issue. So is comfort. And the visual appeal might be another factor.
My advice would be that if you have to ask if it's worth it, you should probably play for a while before making an investment in your dream dulcimer. With a McCafferty dulcimer you are paying for some variables that might not be important to you. Do you want an ebony overlay on the fretboard? That adds significant cost. Do you want an internal pickup? Do you want a radiused fretboard? Those options probably amount to a third or so of the cost of the instrument. If you don't want those, then you should not buy a dulcimer with them. If you don't know if you want those options, then wait.
It took me several years of playing to determine my own preferences. If you are a beginner or have only played a couple of dulcimers, I would suggest not even thinking about spending more than a few hundred dollars for a dulcimer until you have played long enough to know exactly what you want. (That is, unless you have loads of cash. If you have loads of cash, go ahead and buy a McCafferty. In fact, buy two, and send me one! And I'll take a David Beede dulcimer, too, while you're at it. 
)
Seriously, though, there is no rush. Attend some dulcimer festivals and pay attention to the dulcimers that sound good to you. Ask if you can try them. You will have the opportunity to try some nice dulcimers and you'll have a better sense of how they differ, what your personal preferences are, and what dulcimers might be best for you.
And don't forget to check the For Sale forum here. McCafferty has sold a lot of dulcimers over the past couple of years. I bet we start seeing a few used.
Capo for Radius Fretboard?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Haha, I just ordered one! Same measurements
Group sync
Playing and jamming difficulties...HELP ME!
If your strumming motions aren't moving to the beat and it's subdivisions when you're NOT hitting the strings, you can end up dragging or rushing. Must people that strum like this rush. It's not the only way to strum but I think it's the best FIRST way to strum: ALTERNATE STRUMMING. The exceptions come next.
Using Metronome apps
Dulcimer Resources:TABS/Books/websites/DVDs
I love TIME GURU. According to your settings, it can randomly mute some of the metronome clicks which trains you to maintain your own pulse.
Capo for Radius Fretboard?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Terry McCafferty is selling radius capos.
Show Us Your Pets!
OFF TOPIC discussions
She's cute! When I was just out of college, there was a tiny fawn that was in the same situation, right down the street from where we now live. They had the permits to take it in and care for it. So, I got to bottle feed her. Her name was Angel.
Marc Bolan Dulcimer?
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Here is the full story, as written for the UK Nonsuch News. As you say, I could certainly imagine Marc playing dulcimer.
Nick Odell Dulcimers
In July I bought yet another dulcimer on eBay. You would think I would know better by now, but no. It was hand made by one Nick Odell. When it arrived it was apparent that it had a very short scale length, just less than 23”. Had I known this I would not have bid for it. I contacted the vendor who said he was a guitarist and had received it as a birthday present a few years ago, and having never seen another dulcimer had no idea they normally had a longer scale length. I fully accepted this. It was tuned approximately to DAD but the strings were quite loose in that tuning so I retuned it to DDG which worked well. But it still felt too small for me. It was very well made, though the finish wasn’t great. I know some people like smaller dulcimers so I thought I would enquire if Geoff Black either knew anything about the maker or might be interested in finding it a home. Geoff replied that he knew nothing of the maker other than that he had been Marc Bolan’s guitar repair man in the early 1970s, a repair label signed by him in July 1972 being recently used as provenance for a Gibson Les Paul which was supposedly owned by Marc, and had come up for auction. It is well known that Marc’s house was ransacked immediately after his death and all his guitars were stolen, many of which have since re-appeared at auction. A germ of an idea began; could my dulcimer perhaps have been owned, built for, or even just been played by Bolan?
Enquiries to Bolan fan sites revealed nothing but a thread on Mudcat led to my being able to contact Nick himself. He explained the dulcimer had nothing whatsoever to do with Marc. “I was a senior repairman in Gibson's UK operation, Bolan was a Gibson endorsee, his Gibson guitars came back to the workshops for servicing as per the endorsement agreement and I was the chap who did them.” Oh well!
The dulcimers date from the mid-1980s. “I designed the instrument primarily as a kit which I manufactured and sold from my shop/workshop in Outwell, near Wisbech. Whilst I designed the dulcimer with the same attention I gave to my other instruments my primary motive was to produce a kit to put in my shop window. The village where I lived had narrowboat moorings and boaters as well as musicians used to call in. Some of the things in my shop were aimed at the boaters and the dulcimer kit was intended to be not too expensive for an impulse buy, not too much of a challenge for an amateur to build and to give finished results they could be proud of and enjoy playing. It came with a plan and instructions. I built a few of them myself and sold them as complete instruments. If yours is one of those it will have my label and the completion date was the serial number read backwards.”
My model does have a label but it is so far inside the sound-hole I haven’t been able to read the date. My model also has a brass nut and a brass bridge, plus downward-facing tuners which are obviously a mandolin four-on-a-plate set cut in half! Readers with an interest in electric guitars may remember the 80s fad for brass nuts and bridge fittings on electric and sometimes even acoustic guitars which was intended to increase sustain. I asked Nick why he chose the shorter scale length.
“Scale length was partly based on the standard-sized boxes I bought to ship them in (yes, really) and partly on preference for the tone banjo strings produced on an all-mahogany body strung at a lower tension. The original machine heads were individual one-on-a-plate with two screw holes which came from the wholesaler described as banjo tuners. If I built it you should find evidence of the original screw holes under the plate. And the original bridge and nut were - I think - plastic but could have been bone but definitely not brass.”
He kindly sent me a copy of the blueprint that came with the kit. It shows that the sides were pre-bent and also that the purchaser had to cut their own sound-holes. The suggested tuning was CC-G-C.
Nick latterly worked for the schools music service in Huddersfield, West Yorks. and built a few more of his own instruments during that period. He retired in 2017. He appears in an online video made by Fenland District Council intended to promote local industries. It is called “Small Firms in Fenland” and is found on Daily Motion. Nick is featured about nine minutes in and is shown in his workshop.
Grahame Hood