Thank you all for your replies. I may need to go visit Dr Pen. "Santa Claus wearing flip flops," eh? Sounds like a long-lost cousin. Lexington is a little off the beaten track for me, nowhere close to Fuji Machi, Nishi Tokyo, but I've made similar journeys in the past.
And no matter what time of year you visit Ron, it will be like meeting Santa Claus wearing flip flops!
Never pass up an opportunity to jam with him--it's quite an experience!
Jan
The are in a familie with the Indian Bulbul Tarang, wich is in the same lay out.
The keys stop the strings on a fret board underneath the hood by levers like on an old typewriter. You can find video's on YouTube.
Since I wrote my post earlier this year, I made another couple trips across country. On one of those smaller airplanes, even my very small soft-sided carryon wouldn't fit in the overhead bin, so on the next trip, I selected a 14 x 14 "under the seat" soft-sided bag for my medications, electronics, etc.....all those things they say should NOT be checked. Well.....I ended up on a new airplane, and unbelievably to me, this brand new plane had downsized everything, and that tiny case (with no spinning wheels) would NOT fit in the overhead bin, nor would it fit under the seat in front of me. The attendant finally took it up to First Class and stowed it somewhere. I'm usually one of the first to board, so I have my pick of where to put it--but I was certainly surprised that my small bag didn't seem to fit anywhere! Actually, even I didn't seem to fit...not only were the seats narrower, but my seat belt wouldn't fasten! I had never encountered that problem before! The little old lady next to the window offered to change seats with me--which I thought would accomplish nothing, but we did and --lo and behold-- her seatbelt was at least 8 inches longer than mine, so I had no problem fastening it. I guess there must have been a "child's belt" or something in that first seat!
To date, I've only brought aboard a Ginger and a Ewing Dulcimette in their soft cases. The Ginger was my only allowable carry on other than my coat and purse. The Dulcimette I was able to mostly contain within the large tote I was using for a purse and was able to sneak it on that way, without it being counted as a separate carryon item. I've wondered if a bakery bag for long loaves might be helpful in certain cases! I have been on only one flight over the years where nothing was allowed to be under the seat in front of you--except for your feet. Luckily there was enough bin space on that trip (from Indy to Dallas). That was a case where the flight attendant was just making and enforcing her own rules...and I think she'd had a bad day or something. All I had was a very small purse, which I'd taken to a funeral service, but even that had to go in the overhead bin. You just never know what you're going to encounter when you fly......
Some dulcimer players use those hard travel cases made for golf bags and check them as luggage. I know Aaron O'Rourke does that. He packs his Banjammer and David Beede in a soft double case and then surrounds that with clothes and stuff in the golf case. Since airlines are used to handling those golf bags they don't present as much of a problem as odd-sized instrument cases. And once you get to your destination, you can leave the golf case in your hotel room or wherever and just travel around with the soft case.
I'll probably invest in a sturdy golf bag case when work and family allow me to travel more.
You could always plan a trip to University of Kentucky and visit Ron. He has many of the instruments there and a boat load of stories about JJ!
I wrote a review of a JJNiles reissue cd for the Oldtime Herald magazine a few years ago (they paid reviewers the princely sum of $20). I did a lot of reading before I wrote the review, because I wanted to be fair and not listen to his music out of context. It was an interesting adventure.
JJNiles is an acquired taste, I think. ;)
The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles only contains a single mention of both dulcimers and the Ritchie family, according to a quick check of the index.
I have long been something of a Niles fan, although I realize he is not to everyone's taste. I recently read "I Wonder As I Wander," a biography of him by Ron Pen and there was some interesting information about how he came to use dulcimer for accompaniment, including his encounter with the Richie family when Jean was a child. But there wasn't much specific about his instruments, technique, or tuning. Does anyone know of any articles or book chapters with details about these topics? Or have I found a new research project for myself?
Oh, come on, Kandee and David! You're suppose to add a few of your own!
How about:
You once again rearrange the cement block steps up to the door of your trailer into a bar-b-que pit for the monthly jam.
There are many possible reasons for buzzes, but there are some 'seasonal' buzzes that seem to arrive with the winter indoor heat and disappear in the more humid Spring.
I made a custom fit wooden box for my John Knopf Thomas replica and had not trouble flying Allegiant back in October. It fit in the overhead with no problems. Got lots of "What's in the box" from passengers. Told them, and Security, it was a mountain dulcimer, and had no problems. "If it fits, it flies..." as they say.
I flew with a travel dulcimer last winter--it was a few inches longer than the official carry-on size, but I just said "musical instrument" and no one batted an eyelid. It was obvious that it fit under the seat, so that may be why no one said anything. I had it sticking out of my backpack. This year, I'm taking a smaller carry-on item and carrying the travel dulcimer in it's own case (ukelele). I'm hoping that I will have the same experience as last year, even though, strictly speaking, I'm carrying an extra item.
Update--the buzzing is intermittent, not with every strum, so I guess that I can live with it enough to take it on vacation after all. It really does have a lovely tone, outside of the buzzing sound. I'll worry about getting it fixed after vacation.
A good buy! They go from about US$100 on up to about $300 here in Japan, depending on the quality and fancies. They are modestly popular among seniors and group lesson/players groups are fairly common. And that's just about everything I know about them.
Jim, on Amazon Honer Marine bands and Special 20s go for about 35-45$.
I was surprised when I went to buy a new harp a couple of months ago. They were about $70 for Marine Bands.
Tell me about it- happens to me regularly with various things I 'learn'...lol! Glad you sorted things out. 
I found these taisho kotos in a flea market in Georgetown, Ontario. The bottom one had a price tag of $65 and when I went back to buy it for my friend Steafan, the seller said that I could have two for $100, so I just couldn't say no. These are played by strumming the strings with a pick near the bridge and pressing keys to stop the strings on the fretboard below the cover.The white keys are se up like a dulcimer's frets and the black keys make it chromatic. There are 4 melody strings tuned with three in the upper octave and one in the lower. There is also a bass drone string.
It's sort of a cross between a dulcimer and a typewriter.
I found these taisho kotos in a flea market in Georgetown, Ontario. The bottom one had a price tag of $65 and when I went back to buy it for my friend Steafan, the seller said that I could have two for $100, so I just couldn't say no. These are played by strumming the strings with a pick near the bridge and pressing keys to stop the strings on the fretboard below the cover.The white keys are se up like a dulcimer's frets and the black keys make it chromatic. There are 4 melody strings tuned with three in the upper octave and one in the lower. There is also a bass drone string.
It's sort of a cross between a dulcimer and a typewriter.
Yes I did thanks. mission accomplished! Hopefully I won't forget what I did by the time I want to send another!
Wow, all of the responses to Unclekb were very wise and helpful.
I have nothing to add except this- It's always nice to have a cheaper instrument around for those times when you don't want to risk taking an expensive or custom instrument with you, but you would love something to play. Like when you travel or go camping, iffy weather conditions for playing outside, etc. It's handy to have a 'knockabout' on hand! 
Brian, you got me excited to hear the harp dulcimer, John Doan is a pleasure to hear. Thanks.
Thanks again all. Yes, I will try to post a video soon. :) Ken - yes, I figured it had to be John. I remember we had also corresponded via e-mail briefly when he was thinking of coming east for some shows. I don't believe he ever did make it here at that time. In any event, yes - he is a fantastic harp guitarist. For anyone who might be reading and may be curious, here is John Doan introducing the harp guitar and playing Wake (Waiting for the Dawn):
John Doan, harp guitar, Wake (Waiting for the Dawn)
Brian -- yes -- John Doan. Professor of music at Willamette Univ, and fabulous harp-guitarist. Writes a lot of neo-Celtic music for h-g. Here in Florida I've had th pleasure of jamming a couple of times with Andy Whalberg, John's local equivalent.
Brian, they are beautiful! I'm looking forward to hearing you play them especially the one with the harp 
I think Randy Adams tunes his dulcimers to banjo tunings minus the fifth string, but, then, Randy is a banjo player. He does some amazing things with a four equidistant string dulcimer in banjo tunings playing noter/drone style.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Brian, those are wonderful instruments and I'm sure a pleasure to play. Have fun with them, which I am sure you will.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Hi all! Thanks again for your comments. Yes, I'll eventually get around to making a video.
Ken, you are absolutely correct. Hey, would your friend in Oregon happen to be John Doan? He was friends with a good friend of mine who unfortunately was killed in a hit and run accident, so I don't find my way to Oregon all that often anymore, but I believe I met John once or twice (though I doubt he'd remember me).
Harp-dulcimer is a logical extension of the Harp-Guitar, which has been around at least 200 years. Essentially it's a conventional guitar with an expanded string set which includes a number of unfretted strings, often strung below the lowest string note, but sometimes divided into 'super' strings above the highest string note, and 'sub' strings.
Schepsis' translation of the concept to the dulcimer is very well conceived both visually and (I assume) acoustically.
I have friends both here in Florida and in Oregon, who are two of the reigning masters of the harp-guitar, and who will love to see this dulcimer adaptation.
Yes, I was in Oregon last year when I took it on vacation, but it has been in a drier locale, especially since the heat came on this fall. Does the buzzing tend to go away? I'm going to try it again tonight to see if it is as bad as I remember. If it is still buzzing I may not take it on vacation, which kind of kills the purpose of having a travel dulcimer.
I have not seen a harp/dulcimer, Brian perhaps you would demonstrate playing it sometime. Both are beautiful instruments.
Brian, very beautiful instruments. I bet they sound amazing!
Thanks all. I'm really enjoying both of them. Jan, do you have any photos or video of either of yours? I'd love to see them. Also, can you please message me if you have any current contact for Bob S.? I'd love to be able to ask him a couple questions. :)
KR,
Brian
I have one of Bob Schepis's standard dulcimers--it sings very sweetly! I have to say, though, that it's hard to beat the tone and ease of play of Gary Gallier's A-Frame. I have #4, built in 2006 and absolutely love it--and I feel very fortunate to have located a used one to buy, since most folks won't part with them for any reason!
Enjoy!
