Forum Activity for @marg

In having a collection of dulcimers if they are not all the same size, how much of a problem is it for your fingers to land on the desire fret?

Thanks Jan, I couldn't have put it any better myself and yes I too have experienced this very thing myslef.  To quote you:.....

"Now, with dulcimers--after a bumpy start-- I finally have a better focus on what I want (and why)--and that focus is narrowing all the time!"

My collection of 25 did nothing but tell me what it is I'm happy with and what it'd take to produce a viable instrument for self entertainment and for accompanyment with my wife or other instruments.  Woods again not so important, but durability and play is most important to me.  I've entrenched myself to the desire to own and play six string instruments (dulcimer that is) and have them tuned to the key of G or baritone in the dulcimer family even though I'll be as apt to play the melody line with harmonies along with it.  This is what made it so easy to select the features of my next Probst instrument and know what would be important to me in the purchase.  It's still hard to shake some of the interests of that collection namely the beautiful woods and laminations of woods found in a Nic Hambas dulcimer or the haunting sounds produced by His bowed dulcimer as well.  It just happens to be a truth that I do not exceptionally play a bowed instrument and that of a bowed dulcimer so I know to stay away from them as they are only an expense to an otherwise overburdened budjet of dulcimer collecting.

I'm still a fan of the unique and different and that produced many of the dulcimer examples in my former collection and is something I have to constantly guard against lest it happen all over again.  That and there are entirely too many dulcimers out there to collect (I'm talking types of dulcimers here) and if you only had one of each (doable unlike every mineral in the world) it would still be way to many different instruments to try and master.  A slide dulcimer, walking dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, bowed dulcimer, may all have the name dulcimer in common and may also have a diatonic scale in common, but that is where the similarities end and then you realize that you have several entirely different instruments each of which have a learning curve that will not transfer to any of the other instruments listed here.  It would be like picking an instrument from each of every division in a modern orchastra and thinking that you'd be albe to play and excell at each and every one of thim.  As I've posted prior to this, my brother and I have had the oportunity to learn a number of different instruments, but that doesn't mean that we were good at any one of them.  No rather it meant that we were lackluster on every one of them and it distracted us from excelling on any specific one of them.  Now that I know this, I will keep my collection to one type "The Mountain Dulcimer" and one mode and tuning G of mixilydian mode and stick there for the next forseeable future until I get to where I actually can play a few tunes and play by ear songs that I've never attempted before.  Kevin.

(replacent knobs (pearlescent plastic) from Stew Mac for 88cents each. )

Thinking all of the others on the site are nicer looking, I'm going with Ken on this. Thinking since he had a dulcimer like mine and had knobs that needed to be replace, I would go with his choice. I only wish one of the music stores I visited today would have had a draw full of old banjo knobs.

 Jan, that's a scary thought. 

Sheryl, that Boston Terrier "guard dog" is very necessary, since there are other dogs around as well as a wildcat that terrorizes everyone and everything!  One of these days Dana will look up at one of the highest dulcimers on the wall and see that cat's head sticking out of a soundhole!

Colleen said, "I'm not sure what people with 10+ dulcimers do."

Here's one of Dana McCall's solutions:

http://fotmd.com/dana-r-mccall/gallery/3974/dulcimer-wall

Bob, I used to collect rocks and minerals.  I would attend shows and buy lots of specimens of ones I didn't have.  Then one day it dawned on me that I could NEVER own a specimen of EVERY kind of rock and mineral in the world.....and that's the day my R&MAD was healed.

Now, with dulcimers--after a bumpy start-- I finally have a better focus on what I want (and why)--and that focus is narrowing all the time! 

Ken, I like to hang mine from our Crape Myrtle trees. The Carolina wrens and chickadees love those little soundholes. 

Jan, yep, that's the photo I remember seeing. Thanks for your input. Love the Boston Terrier at bottom right, gaurding the dulcimer. 

Has anyone thought to make pvc dulimer stands, I am going to work this out maybe. Just a thought.

[quote="Sheryl St. Clare"]
I really like the old doorknob idea that someone posted photos of on FOTMD, and I am on the lookout for some at the Raleigh Flea Market.

I believe this was a reference to one of the walls at Dana McCall's home that uses antique glass doorknobs to hang part of her collection.  Since the room's decor incorporates other antiques, this is a great way to show these instruments.

http://fotmd.com/dana-r-mccall/gallery/3974/dulcimer-wall

Aboard my home-boat I hang my dulcimers on the cabin side above the high water mark -- it keeps the catfish from playing Moody River....

I'll second or third (whatever) the recommendation of the stands from the Dulcimer Bag Lady. It is the sturdiest dulcimer stand I have ever seen. My understanding is that they are still being made by Doug's son and are available. If you have a large do, it is not a good idea to store your dulcimer where the dog's tail can hit the stand. I have repaired several dulcimers which were knocked off stands by a dog's tail. Dulcimers on stands also should be kept out the reach of small children. 

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

 D, if you decide to go with a stand, you might think about teaching your lab to play "Police Dog Blues" purely for the entertainment of your other pets. 

You got a great dulci Marg and a good deal. You'll have it singing and I hope we will hear it.

D, Here is  what I have done, but you can see a number of examples on FOTMD of what others have done. I really like the old doorknob idea that someone posted photos of on FOTMD, and I am on the lookout for some at the Raleigh Flea Market. The key is to hang where it is convenient for you to grab, play, and return to the hoook, like a kitchen herb garden right outside your kitchen door. Once I hang Birdie up, I walk away with no worries of an 85 lb. family member hitting her to center field.

oh my GOSH Sheryl, you make an excellent point! That tail is like a billy club! She has indeed hit the dulcimer and played a bit of a song and the other animals are forever squinting their eyes when they see it coming in. I hadn't thought of that!

D, You mentioned you have a lab. I have one too, with a tail like a Louisville Slugger. I considered a stand, but decided for the safety of my instruments,to go vertical instead, and hang them from hooks. Sheryl

Looks pretty Marg. Can't wait to hear how she sounds.

From the sounds of the number of dulcimers people own, I'm guessing too much for some, not enough for others. 

Oh, your dulcimer looks lovely, marg. Glad that it had a problem that could be easily fixed. My eBay dulcimer was new, so nothing structurally wrong with it (though oddly, it only has 11 frets). All of my dulcimers are out on their own little stands. I was very happy that one of my older stands fit the new acquisition. I'm much less likely to play if the dulcimer isn't out of its case. I'm not sure what folks with 10+ dulcimers do.

If you don't want a stand made of wood...

http://www.amazon.com/Musicians-Gear-Tubular-Guitar-Stand/dp/B0018TIADQ

For a hour glass type you have to bend the metal here and there, but it is easy to transport and it is cheap. K&M produce a nice add on tray to put down capo and picks etc. http://produkte.k-m.de/en/Music-stands/Accessories/12218-Tray-black which is much more expensive than the stand.

I've used the one Angela mentions http://www.blanksheetmusic.net/

I usually write the numbers on by hand and prefer to write them in the spaces instead of on the lines, as many computer tabulature programs do.  So I'll often select  "4 string", "bass", or "mandolin" from the choices.  I've been able to create a sheet that only has the word "TAB" on the first staff, but can't seem to get rid of it altogether--I would prefer to use the tuning in that space.  With that site, once you've tweaked it just the way you want it, you can save it.

I made a u bar (padded)  to hold the head of the dulcimer, the bottom sits on a small ledge, you can see the strap I have going around the instrument to secure it. Sort-a like a coat rack, it's different from most dulcimer stands but works very well and there are many painting hanging in my house so it seems fitting for an easel to hold the dulcimer. 

I think when you are trying to decide what will work, best to just try some out and think of how you want you area. Will it just hold it as in storage or will it also hold your music for practice. Do you want to take with you or leave in it's spot. Maybe google it for some ideas. 

The dulciborn i keep in it's case, usually laying across a chair so I can get to it easy unless it needs to be picked up. I also have a child's uke and a uke/banjo that is leaning up againts the wall by the art easel/music - dulcimer stand

I have an old wooden art easel that holds both my dulcimers, both bags, a drum, hat and not sure what else. I also have a shelf on the front of it to hold my music. Maybe you can see in the photo, problem I just picked up another dulcimer today and was wondering how it would fit or would it?

  colleen-hailey ,

I'm not far behind you. I picked up a dulcimer today I had been debating on. It's listed under the discussion 'Old Red Stain' I was able to get it for pocket $ because it has it's tuner pegs knobs needing to be replaced. Not a big deal but I have to order them, no one around here has any stocked.

I usually play DAD but since I was down to 3 strings and didn't want to wind the last to tight, ended up tuned DAA. It has a very nice sound and can't wait to get it all taken care of, just a few simple knobs between workable and not. The members guessed it was maybe from the 70's but it looks brand new, the tuners knobs breaking I think is more from old age. 

Next question, each time we add a dulcimer to our collection, how do we rearrange to make it fit, that it is out and can be played and enjoyed.

 IMG_20150731_131144174.jpg - 123KB

I also have a wooden instrument stand (for dulcimer) made by Lee, the Bag Lady's husband, Doug Felts, who died not too long ago...so I'm not sure if anyone is making them to his specifications at this time.

The one I use the most, however is a dual stand that holds both your music and (when you get up for a break) your instrument in vertical position.  I usually don't use the part for the music, however.  I don't know why these people don't use the same sturdy design on their stands without the music rack, which are much less expensive.  And I can't seem to locate the info on them, either!  I bought one that they were selling on eBay a while back.

I also have instruments stands by Hamilton and by Hercules and I've been happy with them.  With metal stands, however, it seems that the more sturdy they are, the heavier they are!

If you can, try the stands out first before you buy, since measurements don't always give you a true picture of how that stand is going to work with your dulcimer.

Hope this helps!       ***ps  Can you edit your title to say "dulcimer display stands" instead of just "stands", since most people think of music stands.  There are also instrument stands to use while playing the dulcimer, that hold it for you so you can stand up and play.  You don't mean those, either.   This may weed out comments on music stands, at least.

my cats look at me and say " put down that piece of wood and pet me "

Lookig at the knobs on  http://www.stewmac.com  and they do look right. Ha, I like all but the cheapest one. There is amber ones on the dulcimer now, do I go with that or the ebony?

I have stands from the Dulcimer Bag Lady. Simple sturdy style. I'm happy iwht them.

The older cat, Tyrie, just ignores it. Maggie (she's in my icon) rubs up against the tuning pegs and generally gets in the way.

I see  GROVER STA-TITE BANJO PEGS on Elderly site. They look like what I have. I'm going to a music/guitar store tomorrow with the info for both pegs and knobs and will see if they can rig up something if not will have them order one or both of these for the dulcimer.  I will also see if they have right-angle guitar pegs and if that will work.

Can't wait for tomorrow now to try and take care of the dulcimer's pegs or knobs/buttons if I can find them.

Thanks everyone, I'll keep you posted

replacent knobs,  I think is the way to go. They will fit???

d-chitwood, I have a dog that is afraid of her water dish! She approaches it like a gazelle drinking at a water hole with a croc waiting in it . 

I sure would love to have a way to stand up my dulcimer in the den but I'm not seeing what kind to get. There's a wooden one that looks nice but the reviews aren't too keen. Several guitar style stands, well, I'm just not too sure which to get. What do yall use and what would you recommend? Thank you!

Too much?

I've have one of the wonder wheels carts. I used it for several years. I just figured out how to use it as a stand up playing station with a homemade music/tablet holder and it carries a small amp also. Ya gottaa be a bit on the taller side though [I'm ~ 5'11"]. :)

Try your local acoustic music shop. They just might have some on hand; you never know.

I've been thinking in investing in another harmonica. I have a Hohner Special 20 (D) and a Hohner Pro Harp (A). Any Thoughts on other Hohner types or other brands? Also what key? I play mostly bluesy stuff, but I'll try to play along with anything.