Forum Activity for @strumelia

I would add that the 1.5 and 8.5 frets come in handy if you play a lot of very old music, such as medieval and renaissance music. I have found that those genres tend to have 'accidentals'... occasional notes that pop in or out of major/minor key creating an unexpected edginess to the tune. I have also used those two frets for unexpected minor/modal notes in older traditional American fiddle tunes which can be wonderfully quirky.
But if you don't think you'll be playing any of the types of music mentioned by Dusty or myself, I'd say you can be pretty safe just getting the 6.5 and 13.5 pair of frets... those two frets will give you lots of future-proof options.

The question of extra frets comes down to what kind of music you want to play. If you are going to play traditional tunes in a drone style, you don't need extra frets.  You will get used to re-tuning your melody string to get the mode needed for each song.

If you are going to play with others, especially those who play chords, if you are going to join workshops and jams and learn songs from other people's tablature, you will want the 6.5 fret.  The 6.5 fret has been standard now for several decades, and most tablature assumes you have that fret.  The 13.5 fret is just the octave version of the 6.5. I would suggest getting it so that you have the same fret pattern in both octaves.  However, if you are getting one of Ron's small dulcimettes, the frets may be too small up high for a usable 13.5 fret.  Follow his advice on that.

If you want to play blues, jazz, ragtime, pop, rock, and other modern music, you may want a 1.5 fret (and an 8.5 as well).  That is the configuration on my main dulcimers now.  However, remember that we celebrate how easy the dulcimer is to play, and the more frets we add, the more complicated it gets.

And remember that you can always have frets added later on.  My advice would be to get the 6.5 and 13.5 but hold off on the 1.5 and 8.5 until you know for sure what you are doing and why you would want those frets.

@salt-springs Such a lovely way to honor the life and legacy of David Schnaufer!  

I've read Pluck a couple times-- so much to learn about modern mountain dulcimer history!  Linda Paulus's work combined with Robert Force's autobiographical writings have taught me so much about how the mountain dulcimer traveled here in the U.S. and abroad.    

Worldwide Play Music On The Porch day 2025 edition is two weeks away-- 30 August 2025!  

If it's in your heart to go outdoors and make some music, I hope you'll have a lovely time!  

1.5, 6.5, 8.5, 13.5.  All or nothing.

You will occasionally encounter DAA TABs which have 6 1/2 fret notes. Don't avoid an instrument just because it has one.

Thanks again, Robin.  You're very kind.  I hope I'm making a contribution to the dulcimer world as well.  As you can probably tell, I make some different tone colors on the instrument and I'd love to have an opportunity to share them.  You can probably also tell that I use lots of different tunings and, on the album, four equidistant strings.  Four strings was a new thing for me (I have an album called Three Stings and the Truth), but I'm hooked, althougn there are virtues in three strings as well.

The album should be streaming in a few weeks.  I'll let you all know.

Thanks again and have a great weekend,

Alex, we were out in the car today and listened again.  

My knowledge of classical music is next-to-nothing and the poet & novelist Amy Levy was completely unfamiliar to me.  So, I am not equipped to give a proper review.  I know enough, though, to know I like your recording lots!  Your work on mountain dulcimer offers surprises and suits so well paired with Victoria Vargas.  Ms. Vargas's voice-- Brava!-- has a lovely timbre.

Y'all have made a wonderfully unique contribution to classical music!   

The most important impact of temperaments at the user level is they usually don't play well together. 

 A 6.5 is pretty much essential for Dad and other 1-5-8 tunings, but not needed for DAA tuning, and other 1-5-5 tunings.
In Dad tuning, the 6.5 fret corresponds to the note C#, which is an important part of the D major scale. If you're going to get a 6.5, I'd say a 13.5 is also good.
A 1.5 can also be nice, but anything more than that, I would recommend holding off until you actually have a reason to want them.

The question about temperament is pretty complicated, so this answer will be over simplified. The majority of dulcimers with a 6.5 fret are equal temperament, unless they specifically say otherwise. The goal of ET is to make compromises so that none of the intervals between notes are particularly dissonant in any key. It's basically just taking all the intervals and averaging them out to get tones that are generally inoffensive in any key. When a builder chooses a temperament other than ET, the goal is to give certain specific intervals extra harmony at the sacrifice of other intervals. Usually, this means placing the frets in such a way that is optimized for one specific key. This can lead to dissonance when chording and especially when using a capo. However, temperaments like just intonation and meantone sound GREAT in melody drone style.

Hi,

I hope you're all doing well.

I haven't noticed anyone mentioning being from Minnesota (like me) and I'm wondering if anyone else is.  I know there are at least a few other dulcimer players, not sure whether they're in this group.  I live in St. Paul, so I'm especially interested in Twin Cities folk.

Thanks and have a great weekend.

Oh,I'd go for a couple extra frets since you're already covered with the more traditional tunings.I have a chromatic that sat in the closet for years while I experimented and learned on the trad instruments.Just in the last year I dusted it off and started figuring it out.Glad I held on to it....nevertheless I'm glad I didn't start with a chromatic,I get such enjoyment out of different tunings,capo positions and string bending.

There is no waiting period for you before you can list a dulcimer for sale- you can do so right now, and posting an item for sale is free. HOWEVER there are certain site guidelines to follow-
Your for sale ad thread must only be located in our For Sale Forum . No sales promotions allowed in other parts of the site. At the top of the above linked page, please read the rules for posting an item for sale, and follow them. And if your item sells, we ask that you make a small donation to our site. If your item does not sell, no donation is asked. (though it's always appreciated)
Feel free to ask other questions if needed. Thanks for asking about this!   :)

I suggest that you go to the For Sale forum and read the information about selling on this site. Also read the FAQs about selling. I see no time placed on membership before selling something. Just follow the rules from the places I've noted and if you sell an item for $100 or more please make at least a $5.00 donation to FOTMD.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

I have a dulcimer I would like to list for sale. I believe it was only allowed after being a member for a specified time. Can someone offer some clarification?

Hi folks, I'm a relative beginner to the dulcimer. I am drawn to noter/drone playing and have a lovely Dan Cox dulcimore I generally keep in DAA and play solo. I also have a recent Warren May in poplar with (I think) a 6.5 fret but no other additional; I use this when playing with my group. I usually keep this in DAD and without a noter (although occasionally will use one). 

First question: I don't really know what the "temperament" of the May is, and if that makes a difference if I tune it to DAA or other configurations. I don't really understand temperament I guess.

Second question: Ron Ewing is building me a dulcimer right now, and I'd like it to be as versatile as possible- good with various tunings, good for noter-drone, finger style and maybe simple chording. Besides a 6.5 fret, should I get a 13.5? A 1.5? I'm somewhat a traditionalist but would like to not limit my options too much early on. I  am certain however that I'm never going to want to be playing tons of chords (having failed at guitar, banjo and ukulele!) but also it's prob easier to add frets in the future than take them away.

could be there's no "Goldilocks" but just wanting input from folks who know more than me! Ron, if you're reading this post, please be patient with my questions 😉

On August 23, 2006 David Schnaufer died after a long struggle with various health issues and a final battle with Cancer.  I think it is safe to say that many of us would have never heard of the Mountain Dulcimer had it not been for his remarkable genius.  He is greatly missed by many of us and was well known by some of the people who regularly contribute to this site.  I think I'll set some time aside Saturday the 23rd to play a tune or two in his honor.........how about you?

Thanks so very much!  You're the best, Robin.

I hope I'm humble enough to refrain from calling my work "groundbreaking," but I'm delighted that you did.  I would call it "different."  Possible reasons:

1) I'm a classically trained composer and have taught composition for almost 50 years.

2) I'm totally self-taught on dulcimer, which is now my main instrument.  I've been playing for about ten years, guitar, bass, ukulele, mandolin before.

3) I'm seriously left-handed, but have always played all my instruments right-handed.

4) I have pretty eclectic tastes, that include all manner of American, world, and classical music.

Streaming soon!  I so appreciate you, Robin, and this wonderful community.

Alex, truly, you have a groundbreaking work here!  I listen to cds in the car and, today, listened to this impeccable work.  

@Debi, you should know, first of all, that 26.5 is not considered a "longer" scale length.  I would say "longer" would only apply when you get to 28".  Second, your fingers will stretch.  That 1-2-4 A chord might be a challenge at first to play on a 26.5" scale length, but you will be able to do it, and over time your fingers will stretch and strengthen and it will get easier.  Third, there are always workarounds for chording if you really can't reach a chord. Instead of 1-2-4, you could play 1-0-4 or 4-4-4, assuming you need that 4th fret on the melody string for the melody.  If you are only strumming chords, then 1-0-1 will work as well, or 4-4-6+.

I only use the 1-2-4 chord as an example because it is the hardest stretch of all the "normal" chords on a dulcimer tuned 1-5-8 such as DAd.  But the same principle applies to other chords and chord shapes as well.  There are always alternatives.

Thank you, Strumelia. I think it is helpful for people to have a visual example. I remember years ago a Folkcraft catalog had a pull out section that showed the difference in various vibrating string lengths they offered. I can't remember whether that was under David's or Richard's ownership. I probably have it in a file somewhere. I guess I'll look for it when I get the time. I have an old Windows program, WFret, that prints out a fret board diagram for you. I've thought of printing out different vsl fret boards and pasting them on poster board so people can see the actual distances. It might be a good rainy or snow day project for this coming winter.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Wow @ken-longfield , that is amazing!  

Perhaps these calculations will be helpful to see the differences in distances between frets on a 24 vs. 26.5 vsl. I used the Stew-Mac fret calculator for this.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song.

Thx to everyone who responded.  Your suggestions were most helpful and encouraging!    I will look for those hand stretching exercises that were mentioned.   

Streaming soon on all your favorite platforms:

https://jazzweekly.com/2025/08/stories-not-for-the-faint-of-heartalex-lubet-amy-levy-songs-of-love-and-loss-professor-girlfriend-my-mother-in-love-the-summer-sessions/

The new website looks really nice John.

I'm in Frisco TX a little north of Dallas. Buyer pays shipping. 

John, the redo of the website looks good. It is easy to navigate and provides good descriptions and other information. You and your customers do a fine job of playing your instruments.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Your website is informative, not just a sales piece. I like the inclusion of the videos of most of your varieties letting viewers hear them.

Have a look at my website if you need a historic reproduction of a dulcimer (or "dulcimore") made for your enjoyment.  These are noter-drone dulcimers, made just like the ones you read and hear about from time to time. www.knopfdulcimers.com

what a bout your shipping arrangenments and cost? where are you located?

Here's a bunch of dulcimer books. $10 each or $50 for the whole set.

 chord book.jpg - 282KB

I've got some dulcimer building resources I'm selling for $50 as a set. Two are full blown construction books, one is an article from Fine Woodworking and two relate to its history and various designs. I also have full scale plans for an hourglass dulcimer, not pictured. 

 appliacian dulcimer.jpg - 316KB

Thanks all for your response.  I don't post a lot but I've learned much due to your posts.

Great advice from both Richard and Ken!

BTW lubricating the gears will not make the tuners less likely to hold tension when tuned. While that might be true of wooden tuning pegs, these geared ones don't function that way. So, no fears there.

You are on the right track. First see if it moves better after you loosen the screw. You might start with an 1/8th or 1/4th turn. If it turns well and doesn't slip after reaching the proper pitch. If that doesn't work, tighten the screw until the string holds under tension. Now try lubricating the tuner with either graphite or a dry silicone spray. I prefer the first as the silicone spray can get on the finish and harm it. You may need to turn the peg completely around many times. Oh, you could also clean the peg with either a commercial degreaser and/ or denatured alcohol. This best done with tuners off of the dulcimer. Hope this helps.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

The problem is likely related to the vintage of the dulcimer. That is a long time and things can dry out over time.

I have taken some similar tuners apart. On the one I had apart grease had dried over time behind the gear. And the gear was dragging a good bit on the screw going through it. I took it apart, cleaned everything up and reassembled with a very light coat of light sewing machine oil. The tightness of the screw through the gear plays a part in the tuner holding its place.

I helped a friend diagnosis his cheap foreign made dulcimer and in his case the worm threads on the shaft with knob were badly worn. That tuning machine needed to be replaced.

Replacements are available. I am not that familiar with  different brands. Some require different size holes through the wall of the peghead. Perhaps a local guitar center could help you  with parts if replacement is needed.

I play with a dulcimer club located in Fairhope, Al and today I was assisting a young lady in tuning her dulcimer.  She has a beautiful Folkcraft dulcimer which as an excellent voice.  The dulcimer is of the vintage when Folkcraft's company was located in Connecticut.  The issue is the instrument is hard to tune because the tuners are extremely hard to turn.  Attached please find a photo of the tuners for your reference.

I have no experience with these tuners so I thought I'd ask the experts before I screw them up.  My thoughts are I could loosen the screw going through the gear or possibly put graphite under the gear but my concern is doing something that would make the instrument unable to hold tune.  Your advice is appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Jim

 PXL_20250808_162122599.jpg - 146KB

Nate makes a great point- just because the entire lengthh of the vsl between nut and bridge is a substantial 2.5" longer, that doesn't mean the chord stretches for your fingers will be 2.5" longer. The distance between frets you are using in a chord will be a modest amount longer.

Do you know anyone with a regular length dulcimer you can try out? ('regular' usually meaning somewhere between 26 - 28.5" vsl)
I have found that very often beginner players are solidly convinced they will not be able to make stretches that later on they discover are actually do-able.

Something else to keep in mind...  assuming you wish to tune both dulcimers to the same key and the same notes on your strings, you may have to use slightly thinner gauge strings on a 26.5" vsl dulcimer than on a 24" dulcimer. (Not sure if you are currently using heavy-ish strings now on your 24" scale dulcimer, and you also haven't said what keys you usually play in on your shorter dulcimers).
OR, you could take the opportunity to designate the new longer dulcimer to be play tuned down to a lower key, like maybe to the key of C instead of in D.
All this depends on your personal music goals and needs.