Forum Activity for @diane-r

Oh my goodness!  That's hilarious!  I started about 14 years ago, self taught also, & picked it up pretty quick ( I was 40 ) I was learning a song called " In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree " for my Father.  He really loved that song...(think it's from the late 1800's maybe? ) Anyway, he fell ill with cancer & passed away before I could finish learning it because it was a bit difficult for me.  I sat my dulcimer down & never picked it up again until about 4 months ago.  I'm not back to the point of finger picking again yet but am determined to get there & to finish learning that song...now that I'm able to...but my dulcimer just isn't willing now since it's been neglected so long.  And it would be nice to have a quieter dulcimer along with my Yocky.  Don't get me wrong, I love my "Island" but would like to try out others.  I've never played any others except a cheap model I bought on Ebay.  Thanks for making me chuckle, I remember those days too & it seems like I'm repeatingit now!  Lol   

Too funny. I started playing at the age of about 56 -- not knowing what a "fret" was -- and I quickly broke strings because I tried to tune the bass string to a "D" about 2 (or 3!) octaves above where it was supposed to be. I got a book from the library with dulcimer tunes. I didn't know what "Aeolian" or "Dorian" or "Ionian" tuning meant so I ignored those words. Wow did some of those songs sound weird. "Stupid book is full of errors" I said. Thank goodness for the great kindness and expertise of dulcimer players on line and in person because things did get better!

Thank you so much Ellen for the video...very informative.  I seem to be showing my ignorance once again... I guess if I'm going to play an instrument I need to understand the mechanics of it also...I won't be needing a pick up either,  I plan on playing alone as I always have.  Thanks again :)

Thank you... I'll take some photos & post them.  It does look like there are grooves worn into some of the frets but I haven't had a chance to really examine it.  It may just be dirty from the strings.  These strings are a generic brand I guess called "Stay in Tune"  made in Akron Ohio.  They just seem to be very thick ( and painful ) compared to the ones I used to have that I had purchased from Tom.  

I agree both that it would be nice to have a comprehensive list and also that such an effort would be very difficult and take a lot of work on someone's part. On ED there used to be lists of festivals, teachers, and dulcimer groups, but they got very outdated very quickly.  To create a list for a single year would take a lot of work. To maintain that list year after year when dates change, new festivals emerge, old ones disappear, and so forth, would be a herculean task.

What we can do is encourage members here to use the "Events" feature more often and list festivals as soon as dates are known.  (Perhaps you've noticed that I already created a listing for the Berkeley Dulcimer Gathering in May 2019!) When the date for an event passes, the event is removed from our general listing, but it still exists under the original creator's Events page and can be easily updated with new dates and guest artists each year.

I agree with Stephen that it would be good to see a list of all dulcimer festivals in a given year. I thing, however, that it is an impossible task. We depend on volunteers to post notices of these events. Some get posted and reported to sites like FOTMD or the old ED. Some are not promoted outside of a specific region. One might be able to construct a list for given year doing some kind of internet search, but that probably will not get all of them. It also would require an awful lot of work. We can keep hoping.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I ended up doing Google searches for dulcimer and acoustic music festivals and newsletters to come up with some in my area.

Yep.  We're at the point where we need to see what's going on.

Ellen's right.  An Electric dulcimer is, like an electric guitar, a "solid-body_ -- a piece of fancy 2x6 or whatever with cavities cut into it to house the electronics.  

The vast majority of dulcimers are Acoustic instruments -- hollow bodies in which the air vibrates to make the sound.  Many makers (including Ron) offer an acoustic-electric option, which involves a pickup attached inside the body with a wire leading to a socket usually imbedded in the tailpiece.

I think there's some confusion here. There is a big difference between an electric guitar and an acoustic guitar. But Ron Gibson isn't making an "electric" dulcimer. His are acoustic instruments (ie., there is a back, a top and a hollow middle). He offers the option of having a "pick up" added. This is simply a wire that is inside the box that goes to a funky metal piece in the butt end of the dulcimer so it is easy to plug into a sound system (which one wants to do when playing an open mic or at a church). He also sells a mini-speaker that is easy to use too for a very affordable price.  Mine has the "pick up" but about 95% of the time I am playing without a speaker. You can order a dulcimer from Ron without a pick up. Here's a youTube by Larry Conger on the topic that clarifies much more:

Diane, if it were possible for you to add a few photos to this thread, it would definitely help those who are trying to figure out what's wrong with your dulcimer's setup.  A mountain dulcimer shouldn't sound 'awful' and shouldn't need lots of strength to fret the strings either. I'm thinking there's probably something else going on here that's causing problems for you.

Thank you Ken Longfield...my daughter took a look at it and tried to play it and said it was awful.  She noticed that the frets have grooves in them also and she said with her callouses she was also having trouble pushing the strings down to play.  So, I guess I'll have to learn how to "repair" the frets.  Sorry for the ignorance and thanks for all the advice...

It sounds like the tension on the bass string is greater than the tension on the other three strings. Once you remove all four string you should be able to push it back in place with your fingers. If the nut is very loose, you can use a drop of white glue to hold it in place, but don't use too much. You should be able to remove the nut if you need to make adjustments like lowering the action. When you restring the dulcimer, start with the middle strings first and bring them up to proper pitch. That should hold the nut in place while you add the melody and bass strings.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Dulcimers don't have a left or right.  They have a head, a tail, a near (player) side, a far side, a top and a bottom.  Did the nut shift towards the near side or far side?

If the nut has shifted that radically without being serious tapped with something or falling, your strings are far too loose, which would be a major factor in your "issues".  What are you using for a tuner?  It's possible you may be tuned to DAd but in the wrong octave (too low), which would explain floppy sour sounding strings...

String tension should hold the nut and bridge in place.  Bass string rubbing the headstock where it enters the slot to the tuning shafts isn't normally an issue, as it is outside of the nut-bridge VSL.

You "repair" the loose nut by pushing, or gently tapping the nut back to where it is supposed to be and then tightening the strings. If the nut won't simply push back into place, set the dulcimer on top of a towel, on the dining table or a counter, before doing any tapping. Use a short 'punch' -- a stick, dowel, or piece of chopstick -- and a hammer.  Put one end of the punch on the end of the nut and tap the other end.

Thank you Ellen :)  It looks beautiful!  I think I may get one, but not an electric & unfortunately it looks like there are quite a few on the site. 

I adore my Ron Gibson dulcimer. I get compliments on it all the time (The blonde dulcimer on the right in the thumbnail photo). Mine is maple and walnut. It has a nice deep box and a lovely sound. 

I'm in the market for my third dulcimer & was wondering if anyone owns a Ron Gibson & what's your opinion?  Thanks

Thanks for all the replies.  I'll have to get down to the music shop tomorrow & purchase a few to make sets & go from there...anyway while I was at work yesterday & practicing I noticed that the nut has shifted about 1/4 inch to the right & that the bass string is rubbing the wood of the head stock on the side!  Obviously it's loose & I hadn't noticed...could having a loose nut cause some of the issues I'm having?  And how does a person repair it?  And why do I have that much space in the slot for it to shift?  Sorry about the neediness but I'm not a builder...I can't even play that well...lol 

Bidding ended at $90.98

I still have the 1997 receipt Keith wrote for my teardrop, with all the specs... but unfortunately it does not mention finish.

However, I do recall talking on the phone with him about the finish he was going to use... and the only thing I remember was that it was a simple finish of some kind that required a very fine sanding or rubbing between maybe two coats of it.  Could have been lacquer, maybe wax, or maybe just linseed oil.  Not sure it that helps much, but i recall it being a very simple finish of perhaps a single ingredient, and I think two coats with buffing in between.

I dug through my file on Keith Young, but found nothing about the finish he used on his instruments. My suspicion is lacquer, but I am not 100% certain. Here is a link to a  Wood Magazine  article about how to identify finishes. I hope this helps you.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

(bumping this thread because I moved it to a better location)

@john-c-knopf It could happen!  

Looks like somebody's gonna get a great deal tomorrow!

Hi all -   Was browsing Goodwill auctions and saw this beauty listed on the Goodwill auction site. I shouldn't be looking as just received my McCafferty but it's fun to look. Label says built in 1973. Maybe someone else on this site is looking for one? Admin, please move this listing to the For Sale area if you deem appropriate. 

Capritaurus Dulcimer

Eventually, @Diane-R, you will need to experiment, develop your own preferences, and find the right strings for you.  Kusani has a preference for plain steel on the bass. I find plain steel does not have enough power for a bass string.  I also prefer heavier strings, so I use .026 wound on the bass, .016 on the middle and .014 on the melody. But I would not recommend that for others unless they've been playing for a while and specifically want to play in a flatpicking or other style that demands tighter strings and more volume.

My advice is to start with the kind of setup that was probably intended when the instrument was built, which was likely a wound .020, .022. or .024 on the bass, .012 or .014 on the middle, and .010 or .012 on the melody. 

Start there and then you can experiment with replacing the wound string or getting slightly heavier or slightly lighter strings or squeakless strings or whatever.

Plain steel 0.020 string should be available in a local music store. As Kusani said, "opinions vary." I use squeakless wound strings for chord/melody playing. I like the plain steel on my noter/drone dulcimers. Your dulcimer looks like a Tom Yocky instrument. If it is I would think Tom set it up to take a 0.020 - 0.024 bass string. If it is set for the 0.024, the slot may cause a 0.020 gauge string to vibrate in the slot causing a buzz. This can be corrected by any luthier or even yourself depending upon how handy and confident you are. I hope the new set of strings will work well for you.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Hey, @Nanners -- welcome and happy strumming on your new dulcimer! 

Opinions vary on the plain steel, many of us do not like the 'squeak' you get from the wound strings. I don't. There are 'squeakless' base strings that are some what better; but I still prefer plain strings. Try both and see which you prefer. There is no 'right' way on this one. 

Thank you Ken.  I will try down at the music shop where I bought the others and will let you know.  But I do NOT want the plain steel for the bass string correct?  Thanks again, I really do appreciate the help & advice. 

Enjoy playing mine: high D and Bb, a couple of each.  You may soon venture into the NAF realm as I have.

Isn't learning music on new instruments fun!!!!

Hi y'all! I'm Nanners, a newb from Austin. I just love the sweet, sweet sound of a dulcimer! I saw one for the first time in Mountainview, Arkansas when hubby and I were there for a bluegrass festival a couple of years ago. (We lead a bluegrass/folk jam on Tuesdays, him on guitar, me on fiddle). Time passed, and a couple of months ago I was in a local music store with a friend looking to upgrade her Mandolin... there were some dulcimers hanging on the wall! I picked one up and decided it was time to finally do this dulcimer thing. So here I am trying to learn a new instrument. Wish me luck!

Given that VSL I would try .010s on the melody strings, .014 on the middle, and a .020 for the bass. You could go up just a little if these are still floppy. If you can't find them locally as single strings, PM me and I can send you a set as I described.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Thanks for the replies...the length is a little over 27 1/2".  I'm tuned to Dad & have been playing with these strings for about 2 months now almost daily and no improvement.  And with the sloppy, choppy, it's also twangy...lol  Thanks again :)

Diane, the size of the strings you use is determined by the vibrating string length (VSL) of your dulcimer. That is the distance from inside the nut to the place where the strings contact the bridge. If we knew that length, we could make better suggestions. Just looking at the dulcimer in you avatar I would guess you should have the .012s on the melody strings, the .014 in the middle, and what Dusty suggested for the bass; .022 or .024 wound string.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Diane, standard sized dulcimers usually use a wound bass string that's somewhere around .022 or .024.  .014 is way too light for a bass sting.  Secondly, how are you tuned?  If you are tuned DAA, then it makes sense that your middle and melody strings would be the same gauge.  If you are tuned DAd, you might want to use a melody string that's a bit lighter than your middle strings.  If you use .012 on the middle, try .010 on the melody.  Or you might use .014 on the middle and .012 on the melody.

Also, remember that new strings stretch a lot.  Whenever I put on new strings I play for a while, retuning every few minutes and also literally pulling on the strings to stretch them.  I figure this gets the stretching out so they'll stay in tune better.

And if you haven't played in a while, you should sound "choppy and sloppy."  I find I lose technique if I just take a day off.  So taking off a few years might require a bit more time before you're back into the swing of things.

Hello, after not playing for quite a few years I finally pulled my Dulcimer out, cleaned it up, oiled it up, changed the strings ( was given .012, .012, .012, .014 plain steel ball ends) and I feel that now I sound terrible.  I sound so sloppy now and have tried to rack it up to older age but this seems ridiculous to me.  It's seems like I'm pushing down too hard and the sound is no longer smooth and flowing but choppy and sloppy!  I've even tried different picks but it still sounds awful...any advice?  Thanks