Forum Activity for @overdrive

Whenever I take up a new instrument, it gives me a fresh perspective on the other instruments I play. Somehow, it took me a lifetime to realize that the A minor scale is the same as the C major scale, just starting in a different spot. And it's called "Aeolian Mode". Suddenly I'm a music theory genius!  (Many thanks to Strumelia!) The diatonic dulcimer locks in the pattern that opens up all the modes for you. I feel like the chromatic dulcimer promises more but delivers less as a creative tool.

My dulcimer hung on the wall for years and years because of how frustrated I would get with those "dreaded" friction banjo tuners.  I committed to replacing them with a set of 5-star planetary tuners as a present to myself last Christmas. They were spendy, and took some modification to install, but what a joy it is to be able to finally play and try different tunings. I don't miss the money at all!

I built my first three dulcimers under the tutelage of a violin maker, so I had good instruction on fitting pegs. While I can describe the process, watching it is probably better. There are some good videos on YouTube that deal with peg fitting. Anyone can check them out if they want to the job. For me the process was watch one, do one with my teacher watching over the process, and do another on my own.  Of course, like any task it gets easier with practice. You develop a feel for your tools and the process. It would have been easier for Curt if the original owner kept the original pegs. 

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Ken, if you're certain on giving Curt this advice on setting his own wooden pegs without professional help, please also include how to fine-fit the taper, and how dress the pegs for the proper fit and proper amount of sticking friction to ensure easy and sseure tuning.

You're way beyond me if you can describe that without giving a hands-on lesson.

Ken,

I am pretty sure that the existing holes have not been modified since they held the original pegs.  Would not some off-the-shelf pegs fit.  If so, what size?   

I am more than willing to take the dulcimer to a string shop, if that is needed.

Thanks,

Curt

Curt, you can buy the pegs and install them yourself. Bear in mind that the pegs are tapered and the hole into which they go must be tapered as well. A viola size hole reamer is the tool you will need to do this. Also, if the holes were enlarged for the banjo tuners, they will need to be plugged, drilled, and reamed. It depends upon how much time and money you want to spend. Pegs are inexpensive, reamers are not although since you are only doing this one job you can probably get away with an inexpensive one.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

That's great to know that the original pegs were rosewood viola pegs, Dwain. And you would have that first-hand knowledge, for sure!  

My own experience with Grover Stay-tite tuners is that they cannot hold a high tension very well, especially on a longer scale length dulcimer. My vote is for either wooden viola pegs (well fit by a violin repairperson), or the Wittner or Perfection pegs which are terrific though a bit expensive. Those two also have the benefit of 'looking' just like trad wood pegs, yet you can turn them smooth as butter and they fine-tune too.. 

Then again, you got that Sunhearth for a bargain price, so maybe you can justify investing in worthy pegs for it!

Thanks to everyone who responded.  It appears that the tuners were replacements.  I removed them and happily there was no damage done in their installation.  So, I will put the dulcimer back to the way it was originally.  It was mentioned that the original pegs were viola rosewood pegs, and from all of the illustrations that I have seen, they seem to have been mass produced pegs, although hand-carved pegs were offered as an upgrade.

Any chance that I could fit these myself?  It was mentioned that I should take the dulcimer to a string shop and have them fitted there.

Thanks to all,

Curt DeBaun III

I don't play autoharps, but i like to hear and watch others play them! Seems to me they are perfect for singing along with. Mike, who first taught you about autoharp when you were a kid?

My dogs love the snow, but not the rain.

Gonna make a big pot of 'whatever's in the kitchen' soup for dinner!

My cats don't care about torrential rain. They just sit all cozy by the window and watch the drops running down the panes. What a life.  

Hey, @motormike.  I have an autoharp as well, a diatonic G/D that my uncle made for me. I should play it more often. The autoharp is such a magical instrument.

Since I've joined this board, discussion has ensued regarding a dulcimer and a psaltery. True passion, however, is my Autoharp. Having been introduced to them age 10, about 20 years passed before I bought one in tobacco sunburst. The VERY first time I remember seeing anyone play autoharp professionally was on TV when John Sebastian and the Lovin' Spoonful appeared on Ed Sullivan show playing "Do You Believe in Magic". Fast forward to 2010, and I replaced the first with a stunning red finish harp. I play strictly for my own enjoyment, gospel, folk, rock, and whatever sings to me in the moment.

 autoharp.jpg - 93KB

Sorry, I didn't read the whole thread before responding. Somehow I got a private message and just responded to that. I didn't know Stay-Tites came in two sizes! Yes, they do appear to be the banjo size I see on dulcimers from time to time.

Hi, Nate, I'm the other Ken. Here is a link to an NPR segment on the Lego dulcimer made by Peter Alway: https://www.npr.org/2005/02/06/4487244/lego-my-dulcimer As far as I know Peter was the first person to build a mountain dulcimer out of Lego blocks.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song.:

The original pegs were rosewood viola pegs, by the way. If you prefer them, the pegs need to be hand-fitted to the peghead. A violin string shop could supply the pegs and fit them properly. If you do not have the fine tuners I can supply them.

Yep,  build and play psalteries of several kinds.

Sure, it promises to please, adorned with inlays of wood, pewter, and mother of pearl.

Hi Dwain, I didn't say that the tuners were mechanical. They are, as you noted, Grover Stay-Tites which are friction tuners. I think they came in banjo and ukulele sizes. Those on Curt's dulcimer appear to be banjo size.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

A slight correction, Ken, Backyard Instruments began selling cardboard dulcimers in 1980. I don't know if they were the first, but that's 44 years of cardboard dulcimers.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

We'd enjoy seeing a couple of pix!

Those are not banjo mechanical tuners at all. They are the dreaded Grover Stay-Tites. They weren't fitted them with the grace of  fitted small end peg hole plugs properly made cross-grain to make a good finish for such a fine instrument.

I would recommend having them replaced at a string shop (not a guitar repair shop!) with Pegheds or Witmer mechanical pegs. I prefer Pegheds for their adjustable holding friction.

Walt Martin occasionally-fitted Schaller banjo pegs. But they were customized, cut down to match the pegbox wall thickness. He also re-sculpted and crpss-drilled the stem's string-hole to match, so the strings weren't pulling on the pegs unsupported and destructive to the planetary gears.

Cardboard dulcimers have been around close to 20 years, I'd guess.  They sound remarkably good and are a great inexpensive choice as an entry level dulcimer for folks who aren't sure whether the dulcimer is right for them...  The important thing is that the frets are set true, the body material is of secondary consideration.  In fact the fretboards can be easily transferred to an 'after-market' wooden body which almost anyone can easily construct.   I've played plexiglass and Lego(tm) dulcimers that sound good as well.  

How do you play the dulcimer?   String side up.

I'll need to check my files on Sunhearth later today to be certain, but I don't think Walt Martin was offering those Grover banjo pegs as an upgrade in 1975.  If you send me a private message with your email address I will send you pdfs of the 1974 Sunhearth flyer. I also have two magazine articles on Walt Martin and Sunhearth that I can send as well if you are interested.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

That makes 3 of us.  A basic dulcimer but it might have a good sound.  I too have not encountered this maker.

Like my brother Ken, I have never heard of this maker. I agree with his assessment.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

The idea of spilling porter on a fiddle but not on a violin adds a charming and down-to-earth touch to the age-old debate.

Hello all...having just won an auction for a gorgeous psaltery,
I'm anxious for it to arrive. I'm not totally new at psaltery,
but didn't get a very long period to play mine before gifting it
to a grandaughter. If you play psaltery, I'd love to hear from you.
Pix to follow.

Thanks Ken...what you say sums up my thoughts as well.
I had no idea that cardboard dulcimers exist.
Don't think that would suit me at all.
What little I've played on this unit sounded good,
and after all, it has lasted 20+ years.
I'd hoped to return into the family of the maker.

Yep pretty basic instrument. Builder was probably one of the hundreds who were gonna make it big building dulcimers in the Dulcimer Revival... but didn't. No Internet footprint for Danmont Dulcimers.  Trapezoid shape was fairly popular 20+ years ago.  Nothing special.  Sort of a wooden version of today's cardboard dulcimer. No frills, no "modern" 6+ fret, plywood top has a  tear-outs on edges, straight stick fretboard/tuner head.  At least the action doesn't look too high!.  Nice beginner instrument for someone who wants to play Noter & drone style.  Twenty years ago it would have sold for maybe $100-$150.  If you can get $50 today that would be good, IMHO and buyer would have a wooden, not cardboard body dulcimer..

Took some snaps.

 dulcimer1.jpg - 149KB

You've got a beauty!  Regardless of what you do about the tuners, I hope you enjoy it.    

I have a nice chromatic but I seldom play it.It's too easy to make mistakes,laugh.

If you will excuse me for saying so, I think those pegs look like cheap banjo friction pegs, not worthy of such a fine instrument.  The previous owner probably had tuning problems with the original wooden pegs, and had somebody replace them with these.  There are nicer alternatives, including nice-fitting wooden replacements or quality mechanical tuners, such as Wittners or Perfection pegs.

That's a beautiful dulcimer and you got it for a very fair price.  If your buyer's remorse is strong enough, just send the dulcimer to me and ease your discomfort.

I can understand wanting the original tuners, if indeed it originally had tuning pegs.  But the problem is that you don't have those tuning pegs, so replacing the mechanical tuners would represent another modification. And mechanical tuners are indeed much easier to use.

Perhaps @Dwain-Wilder of Bear Meadow would know what kind of tuners the 1975 Sunhearth originally had.

Hello,

I'm glad to be a new member of the group.  Last week I saw a very nice Sunhearth dulcimer pop up on ebay, and I was able to grab it for $495.  I great deal!  It was #240, built 12/9/75.  I've had a bit of buyers remorse, as I was really wanting an unmodified one, but right after I paid for it, the reality set in that it had mechanical tuners on it.  I have since received it, and it is a beautiful instrument, but I have to wonder if it originally had wooden tuning pegs.  I would like to hear from someone who knows Sunhearth dulcimers as to the originality of it, and if they were pegs, should I try to replace them.  I must admit I would rather have the mechanical tuners, but I am a bit of a nut about keeping things original.

Thanks,

Curt DeBaun III

 IMG_6731s.jpg - 735KB