Forum Activity for @sheryl-st-clare

It cost me a buck for five, so I’ll chalk it up to an experiment, and let you know how it works out for me.

Peacock quills sure are pretty, but they aren't particularly strong, and may not last long as a plectrum.  Let us know how they work.

I have two traditional dulcimers, and two "modern".

The Traditionals have narrow, thin bodies for that 'high silvery' sound I love:

a John Knopf Uncle Ed Thomas replica.  3 strings, wooden pegs, footed for playing on a possum board

a Bobby Ratliff Virginia Hogfiddle. 3 strings, autoharp tunning pegs

The two Moderns are:

Harpmaker Student, slighly customized -- higher fretboard for N&D playing, special short head with autoharp tuning pins, and 3 strings

Til Holloway -- made by my dulcimer building mentor.  Doubled melody strings, 6+ fret.  I have this one in memory of Til.

Would I sell any of them?  I dunno -- make me an outrageous offer!

A interesting post for us beginners world be where members posted photos of their favorites. Would give us an idea of how many are around and what it is that makes the dulcimer a favorite one. 

Love it' 'just one more' and yes there are more out there and beautiful. 

 ok so I need to look not just for another but the next one.

Oh boy, I think I will need not just a space but a room.

 Thanks

I once asked my brother what he wanted for his birthday.  He said "CDs and Music Scores."  I replied, "you already have tons of CDs and music scores."  and ye said "yes... but I don't have them all."  

Well, I'm probably not the best person to answer this, but I have between 25 - 30.  They range from knock about loaners for beginners to collectables.  Yes, I have some of the ones I play regularly tuned differently.  How many do I need?  Just one more, that's all.  Actually, I am looking for "just one more" to share stage duties with my Rockwell as I've been taking around one that developed a couple of small cracks.  On the table beside me is a small one tuned DAd and a larger one tuned DAA in case I need to try out a tune.  Space, budget and desire are all considerations.

    I have 3 dulcimers, 2 I play all the time and both tuned the same. The third, I lend out if someone is trying to decide if they are instreated. I am looking for another and that would make 4 but not thinking of selling any of the ones I have. I can't decide between a nice unique one for playing and having in a different key or a knock around one for practice, grandkids, travel or friends. I can see I will be looking for yet another soon after this next one. How many is too many where one would need to find a new home - Is it based on favorites or space and budget?

    What  is the advage number of dulcimers members have and once we reach the number that fits, if we would want another - would we than sell one or just have yet another dulcimer and a new favorite?

Cool, Sheryl!  A quill makes a really nice sound on strings. 

Picked up some peacock feathers at the flea market today . I plan to try them instead of a pick. I even got a pic of the "source" of the feathers, the lady's pet peacock.

You DO know that the federal government passed a ruling last year that says airlines must allow you to take your instrument onboard as long as it fits in the overhead.  I've spoken to several guitar traveling passengers in the last few months and even they are saying they're experiencing no problems -- their instruments are being stood in the corner of the flight attendant area. 

It's lovely, I'm happy for you

Thanks, sounds good. if banjo pegs or right-angle guitar pegs and these dulcimer pegs all the same size shuldn't be hard to take care of. Will see what they say tomorrow.

Thanks again

Tuner replacement is a pretty easy process, usually.  Especially this kind, where you're not dealing with a violin taper in the holes.  New tuners are inexpensive and quite simple to install if you're handy with tools.  You could go with straight banjo pegs or right-angle guitar tuning pegs.

I really like the sound of your "Dulci Friend" and it is very cool you can make the fret board to suit you. 

Here is a tune called West Fork Gals played on this dulcimer. If this dulcimer had legs it would follow me around where ever I go.  ...

Older tuner knobs like those were sometimes made from poor grades of bakelite and other early plastics, and often fall apart if stressed.  That happened to the on I owned, as well, and I was actually going to mention this to you and suggest searching for replacement knobs.  Rob is right.  Offer them less than the asking price to take it of their hands.  All they can say is no.  You can often get replacement knobs from Luthiers Merchantile or Stew Mac or similar places for a couple bucks each. 

Tell 'em you'll take it for $20 less than their asking price.  Those tuners shouldn't be hard to come by!

Well I didn't get to play the dulcimer or have it follow me home. When I went to the shop, they told me as they were loosening the strings to work on the action, one of the tunners broke. It may take awhile to find one like the others (tension type). So now that I was ready to get it, can't.

Dalton, it's Craig from Blountsville.  I do a little noter playing, and I should be at the next jam (will try to.come early).  I can walk you through what these folks are explaining.  

This might be good to post in the general forum or the Beginners Group, so people can find it in the future!    :)

The link Lisa points us to looks good to me.

Let me also suggest that you can alwasy download the free trial version of Tabledit, which lets you do digital tab up to 16 or 24 measures, I think.  You have to pay if you want more than that. But you can always just print out a blank page from that software.

No, my first dulcimer I purchased quickly. I was going to take a dulcimer class at the local college and didn't have one. 

Asking price is ballpart $50, so no way is it much out of pocket.

I don't play noter but could bring one to try with it and if the action is high, could have it as one for noter playing. 

Yes, you are right, over thinking it all

OK, will go play a tune or two and see if it follows me home.

Thank you so much, will keep you posted.

I surfed and saw recent prices from about $50 to about $150.  Bottom line is that used dulcimers are worth what someone is willing to pay for them. 

I play Noter & Drone and didn't really notice the action being overly high.  This was 7 or 8 years ago, when I was out in the Pacific.

As far as other things to check.  Unless you've got perfect pitch I would just play the DAd and DAA scales and see how they sound to your ear.  The fretboard should be good in that respect, Hondo were good 'true' instruments, not like some of the First Act and other eastern European trash dulcimers that showed up here a decade ago.  Play a couple tunes.  Do they sound right?  No it does not sound like your dulcimer.  No two instruments do sound alike.  But do the notes in a tune sound 'right'.  Do the scales sound true, not sour. 

If the price is under $150, I think you're over-thinking the whole 'get a new dulcimer' process.  If there are no obvious cracks or major dings, and the scale sounds true, just buy it.  Frets can be leveled, actions adjusted, other tweaks made once you've got it home. 

Personally I wouldn't worry at this point about fret level, but yes, you use a steel straight edge/rule about 6" long and stand the edge along the frets and see if the straight edge rocks or not.  If you sight down the fretboard, dulcimer fretboards are often in a very gently curve with the middle around teh 7th fret being slightly shallower than the ends, but that's OK as long as the notes sound true.

Lots of dulcimers (even expensive ones) get bought on a whim, and shoved in a closet for a decade or more; unfortunately.  I've seen it with $50 cardboard dulcimers and several hundred dollar Warren May and Homer Ledford instruments.  Many players baby their instruments and so there aren't any 'honorable scars'. 

I suspect your unsureness is simply lack of experience.  Did you agonize like this over your first dulcimer?

    If we are thinking this dulcimer is from the 70s-80s, it couldn't have been played very much. That's 35 + years and there is no unusual wear, hardly any wear at all and no damage that I can see. Hard to believe it coud be that old. Question than, why wasn't it played?

    The action does seem high but that can be address. I still need to make sure the frets are level, how? By placing something on top and see if they rock or not? I didn't hear any buzz, so frets should be ok. I didn't fall in love with the sound. Could it be from new strings and they need time to set some or the wrong strings for this instrument or I am just use to my dulcimer? 

    The price is lower than a few groceries, not sure why I haven't just gotten it and started making it mine. I wasn't looking for a dulcimer and if I would be, it would be something creatative. What I find interesting with this dulcimer is the age and the red stain but not sure of the dulcimer, since I didn't love the sound. 

    I don't like feeling so unsure, is it because I am still very new and don't know enough? It's great all of you are so helpful, I just wish there was someone here I could take with me to check it out.

Ken

You mention you had one of these for a few years than sold, the price the shop is asking seems very resonable - what should one of these dulcimers sell for - if is an unkown as far as if it's a good one or not?

I do not know the VSL but could go back to the shop and measure. Mostly I play DAD

Since I will go back to check the VSL, what else should I check. I have an app on my phone, should I check the tunning up the fret board, or just make sure there isn't a buzz?

I'm not sure if I am interested for my self as a loaner or to recomment it to someone looking for one.

The think what I find interesting is the age and possibility from Sears. Hard to beleive but I did work for Sears for a period in the late 60s to early 70s.

To check the sound is it best to play a song or just strum, pluck or slide the strings?

Stain has nothing to do with ply versus 'good quality wood'.  Stains were used on the finest Stadivarius violins and the cheapest cigarbox instruments.  It's a way to color wood that allows the grain to show through, unlike paint.  Stain does not imply "lower end" or less quality. Neither does ply versus 'good quality wood' wood.  Frankly, ordinary ply from 30-50 years ago is better quality than most of the high end ply we see today.   And ply is not necessarily lower quality.  McSpadden uses ply.  So does Folkcraft.  So do many of the custom builders you read about here.

We can't tell you what string gauges are appropriate until you tell us two things:  The VSL and the tuning(s) you intend to use.

Does anyone know how long Sears sold the dulcimers, or when they stopped or any other info. Ken, were you able to lower the action to have it play easy?  

Thanks to all, one more question - since it has a stain it's probably ply and not good quility wood. So, it would most likly be the lower end of the Korean Hondos - would this mean it's one of the ones that maybe is not be as good as some others? Is there a string size that would be better than others - 12's vs 10's?

Robert, That is a great looking dulcimer, and I am sure it sounds great too. I haven't fretted a dulcimer in anything but JI since I did the first. They just seem to be what I want to here.

Here are some PDF files:

http://dulcimermusic.org/music/blank/

Dan, could you send me that too? I've used a web site that prints out blank pages for tab but I would like to see what you have. I would prefer to type in the tab on the computer. Notes are another subject 

A facelift or should I say fretboard lift for an old friend? It's gorgeous. I agree with Cynthia. That rope treatment on the edges is pretty.

There's just something about an old friend that's extra nice.  Lovely work! 

I made my own in Word. It takes a little while but it's free! Email me and I'll send you the .doc I came up with if you like ....

dulcimore@twc.com

Neat! thank you for sharing that Robert.

I am looking for a site where I can obtaib free blank tab paper.

Thanks

Robert you're driving me wild with your dulcimers - I've always been a sucker for rope bindings, think they are so elegant, with with JI too? Eh...if that one is ever missing, I may have borrowed it for a 3 am dulcimer fix... congrats.