How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Dick, that's a great story, thanks!
Forum Activity for @strumelia
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Dick, that's a great story, thanks!
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
The most costly four bits I ever spent:(Initially, this is pasted in from the ED forum, where it was buried in a Scheitholt thread in the summer of 2007.)"I was a freshman at Vanderbilt in 1957. One of the first things I bought in the campus bookstore was Richard Chase's paperback, American Folk Tales and Songs, which was new in 1956. [My copy is the first printing, and the cover price was 50 cents.] In the back, it said, ask the old people in your family if they know anything like this... I did, they did, etc. When I sent one of the songs to him (Banner Elk, NC) he sent back a postcard telling me to share it with John Putnam, who was in grad school across the street at Peabody. John also wrote one of the early dulcimer history/method booklets (later), published at Berea College. And we were friends until he died, about 20 years ago."That's all I said on the other forum. But I should also mention that the song I sent to Mr. Chase was "Old maids, old maids, all ragged and dirty, You'd better get married before you are thirty," which my great-aunt Launa had told me she sang at the age of fourteen while playing the (hammered) dulcimer that my grandfather-to-be had made, and brought with him while courting her sixteen year old sister. This tale was told with a serious twinkle in her eye, since her sister (my grandmother) was also in the room, at the time. They were crocheting; I was interviewing my older relatives -- per Chase (1956), pp. 228-30, "Amateur Collector's Guide."So, that's when I heard about the hammered dulcimer; I eventually learned that my grandfather and two of his brothers had made these instruments in the 1890s and sold them in the lower Cumberland valley, mostly to the north and west of Nashville. I never found one of theirs, but I did get my first Cumberland valley hammered dulcimer in 1966 -- and many others after that. I think the most HDs I owned was 12, maybe 13 (not all at one time), by about 1970. I used to clean up an old one (they never cost more than $50), give it new strings, show someone the rudiments of how to play, and sell it for about $15 profit (and it was still well under $100). This hobby was more like salvage archaeology than a business.But this is a "Mountain Dulcimer" forum. I'm not sure whether anyone in my family even knew what that was, before I met John Putnam in the winter of 1957-58. He had a couple in his dormitory, and those were the first I ever saw. And played. I saw Tennessee Music Boxes in 1963 (the first was a "whatsit?" written up in the Elmer Hinton column of the Nashville Tennessean newspaper; I answered that query, and also tracked down the owner of the one illustrated). But I didn't find a TMB for sale until the summer of 1964. The first MD I owned was Homer Ledford's #738, bought at his home (after some correspondence with John Putnam, and then with Homer) with my Christmas money at the end of December, 1963.Getting back to my "four bits" topic: seeds sewn by the perfidious Richard Chase continued to grow. I dabbled in folklore for several years -- and also managed to stay in school, for most of them -- until one day I discovered, to my horror, that I had become an academic folklorist. This is not a wise career move. Luckily, I had married much more wisely. We had a nice little collection of American folk instruments -- which mostly went into storage, while our kids grew up. For a couple of years now (since I'm and old coot, and our kids are the ones who have to protect their instruments from little boys), I've been writing about our older mountain dulcimers on ED.And we do occasionally still play them.Dick
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
As a child I played cello in school, but never studied music seriously. Later as an adult I decided I wanted to play a stringed instrument again, and took up mandolin and attempted to play renaissance music. I played alone in my kitchen, was not very good at it, but it was enough to make me happy. After a while I had an urge to play music with other people, and began attending a local open folk music jam session with my mandolin. I had no particular direction in mind. At one session, a fellow pulled out a mountain dulcimer and began to play a folk song on it. I was floored. I had never seen or heard such a thing and fell instantly and completely in love with its sound. It was a life changing moment. When the jam was over he showed me how I could play a simple tune by just fretting the melody string and strumming with the other strings left open. WOW! I quickly got myself a dulcimer and some books, and began to teach myself to play. I think that was about 13 years ago.
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
We were on vacation in the Missouri Ozarks in the late 70's and saw several dulcimers.. loved the sound and playing ability.. so finally bought one... took it home to the Chicago suburbs area of course at that time there weren't any teacher or for that matter dulcimers in my area. So I just taught myself.. was playing guitar at the same time, then one day went to the music store a wow thay had a dulcimer... so I had to buy it..and that started the fun... when in college I had to take an art class, so I took a basic craft class, wound up that my project was to build a dulcimer..even got an A in the class..I continued playing dulcimer into the 80's, then I got married and the dulcimers went into the closet... but then one day several years later my duaghter found them in the closet, an out they came and have not been ignored since. I have now sold all my other stringed instruments, and just have dulcimers, dulcimers, and more dulcimers... currently in the house I think are 15 dulcimers, but one is my daughters...LOL...So now I teach and try to get others to keep their dulcimers out of the closet and off the wall....
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Me and my husband were in N. Fort Myers visiting friends and didn't know she had a dulcimer. She brought this instrument out and started playing and that was all it took for me to fall in love with it. Then she had her instructor come over and they had me playing Boil Dem Cabbage in 5 minutes. I got my 1st dulcimer 2 months after that. Now will shortly receive my 3rd dulcimer (traded my 1st one in on my TK O'Brien at Mike Clemmer's shop) made by Mary Matarainen of Laurel Mountain Dulcimers. I am keeping my TK as I really love it - it's just that the vsl is a little too long for me. We are visiting our son and their children and will stop by in Connecticut to see this new one she has made for me. Can't wait!!! I just love to play my dulcimer and listening to the cd's and also reading about everyone else's experiences with their dulcimers.
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Hi Luann - who did you inherit your dulcimer from?
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
First time I saw one was on TV in some footage of Joni Mitchell playing one. It must be a LONG time ago as I was young, married and broke and would not have even known where to start looking for one here in the UK.When I got into english traditional music and the folk revival of the 60s, I came across it on some recordings then and I was further enchanted by its sweet and lighter sound than the big old yamaha dreadnought style guitar I was generally thumping away on at that time.At that time I never saw one for real.....Then about 4 years ago when Richard bought me a 5 string banjo I started looking into US music more, not just bluegrass and gospel (though I like them and they suit my voice) but old time stuff and the traditional folk stuff. It was fascinating that the folk traditions from this side of the Atlantic had such clear descentants in the US. That was wneh I found Queen of the MD, Jean Ritchie and got some of her albums. But as I was kind of trying to get my head around the banjo at that time, Iwas not seriously thinking of another instrument too.By about 2007 I was starting to think I would like an MD and I know Richard my partner started to investigate the building of them (he has done other amateur luthiering projects). Then by chance in autumn of 2008 we found a couple of models with a vendor at a world music festival. Although his building project was well into the planning/purchasing stages by then, we decided to buy the cheaper, Romanian made one, just so that I could get started in learning. I was so taken with it I nearly spent the rest of the festival in the hotel room noodling around on it rather than actually catching any of the acts we had so wanted to see!In Jan 09 the dulcimer was finished in time for my birthday (I guess I can't call it Appalachian when it was made in Sheffield, S Yorkshire, in the north of England !!) . I have loaded some rather grainy pics of it on my profile page.SInce then we have purchased a Ledford 1972 MD via US Ebay, and Richard has completed a second, baritone MD.
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Like Sherry, I discovered the MD whilst staggering around Manitou Springs, CO back in the early-mid 70s. Heard this weird music and followed it to this half-underground shop. There was this cute hippy chick - paisley dress, long hair etc. and her equally hippy fella. The place smelled of patchouli and "other things". Place called Cripple Creek as in Bud & Donna Ford. Today she wears 3 piece suits and sits on the town council. He dresses a lot better and hangs around the shop while Bud Jr. runs things. Every time I see Bud & Donna I tell them it's all their fault that 30+ years later I'm still tryin' ta learn how ta play this thang!
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
When I was in fourth grade ('68-'69), a boy in my class brought a dulcimer to school that, I think, his dad had built. (If I remember correctly, the dad came that day, too, to show a muzzleloader that he'd also put together.) Kevin, my classmate, played with a noter to demonstrate the dulcimer for us.Fast-forward to 2005. I made a trip to Gary Sager's Prussia Valley Music Shop and, at the time, was primarily interested in the autoharp. Gary wasn't in the shop when I was there but I looked around; the idea of maybe getting a dulcimer/banjo hybrid got in my head. I started exploring on the internet, joined ED and read up on all things dulcimer and decided to buy a mountain dulcimer. Over time, I moved from liking mountain dulcimer to loving mountain dulcimer.
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
I found the dulcimer through our long standing participation in 4H. We would always go to the fair with the 4Hers and every year there would be dulcimer players in a booth promoting the dulcimer. I would always wonder off and when the family could not find me they would look for the dulcimer people and yup that is where I would be. After many years of watching and listening I took the leap and bought a dulcimer. After buying I found a local group to play with. They ended up disbanding and pointed me in the direction of a group I have been playing with for several years. Two of the dulcimer players in this group also taught dulcimer so I ended up taking a beginning dulcimer class with them. I have now advanced to local jams and festivals. I find the dulcimer very rewarding and I have now converted my wife who is also playing the dulcimer!
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Built one for my brother, came home built one for myself. Trying to learn, easily frustrated, hard to learn by self. Went to a class in North Carolina built one with John Huron. Now i have 2 and still not make much music with them. The Internet is nice, like someone said in my other post, [Sherry] i just have to make a commitment and do it.Bill
How did you first discover the mountain dulcimer?
General mountain dulcimer or music discussions
Tell us your story of how you stumbled upon the dulcimer and got started playing...
updated by @strumelia: 02/10/25 04:16:30AM
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
ff,I miss the Mize a tiny bit; the greatest part of me is happy about the dulcimer finding a new home.Robin
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
I'm glad it gone to someone who can enjoy it, wooden pegs and all. However, if it had been me and I loved the sound of the instrument, I would have changed the tuners. I know, I know, I'm a Philistine ;-) but unless an instrument has great historical value and belongs in a museum, I'd want to be able to play it.
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Shas,It is a beauty and those gorgeous pegs are a part of it. I'm glad Greg is the new owner and hope he gets to enjoy it for a loooooong time! :-)Robin
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Barbara,Greg R owns this beauty now and I think he likes it!Robin
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Greg, I wish you a long happy life and hope the Mize ages well right alongside you!Robin
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Here's hoping you two have a long and fruitful relationship!
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Greg Riggs said:
Are you planning on outliving the dulcimer? ;)I consider myself it's permanent owner as I do not plan on passing it on to another "custodian".
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thank you, Suzanne. The Mize is going to a good home!Robin
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Lisa,I've struggled over what to do with the instrument because the thing should be played and, this year, it's been played sparingly. (My hands are probably in as good a shape as they're going to be and, over time, won't be better than they are now. Doggone it.) The fiddle fine tuners were a good attempt to get the instrument to where I could handle tuning better-- it just didn't work out for me.I hope the dulcimer will give joy to its new 'custodian'.Robin
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Robin, I think it's great that your Mize will remain in its original condition when it goes to its next 'custodian'. You'll get another dulcimer that will be just right for you!
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thanks, Ken, for the chart.Alas, the Mize will have a new owner before long-- an owner who likes wooden pegs!Robin
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
So... I went to the Perfection website, and here's part of their table of diffeerent sizes of tuners they make"The diameter in mm is the size of the large holes.Item#..........mm dia....used forP1VN44..........7.8........4/4 violin, 14" and larger violaP1VN34..........7.8........3/4-1/2 violin, 12"-13" violaP1VC44........12.0.......4/4 celloP1VC34........12.0.......3/4-1/2 celloP1VN44OS.....8.3.......4/4 violin, 14" and larger violaP1VN44OS9...9.0.......4/4 violin, 14" and larger viola
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Smart man, that hubby of yours....The "final option" IMHO would be to have 'ordinary' planetary tuners installed - like the ones Nic Hambas uses. They would minimally impact the peghead, and we know they work fine.
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Thank you, Sherry. Although not pristine-- there are small dings here and there-- it is a beauty.Robin
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
That's a good idea, Bill. Thanks for the suggestion!RobinPS-My husband tells me not to sell my Mize!
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Robin,one other thing you could try is contact John Huron at noteworthy instruments and see if he can help you. He is located in Bristol Tenn, he worked under Bob Mize before he went out on his own.Bill
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Ken,When I took the instrument to Prussia Valley, Gary seemed to think that even the viola-sized pegs would be too small. (He only had the fiddle pegs in stock so he couldn't be sure about the sizing.) The holes on the Mize are pretty good-sized and the pegs are beefy.Some months back when I posted on the builder's forum on ED to get a luthier's perspective about what to do with my Mize, Ken Bloom posted, saying, in effect, that he knew Bob Mize and Mr Mize would've been in favor of matching the instrument to the needs of the player. So, that sent me to Prussia Valley to check out the Perfection Pegs. Since Pefections, Pegheads, etc., are being put onto valuable violins, that style of peg would've, I thought, have been suitable for the Mize. Doggone it that they didn't fit.By the way, any pictures of the old dulcimer you picked up for a song? :-)Robin
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Perfection makes both Violin sized Pegs and Viola sized pegs which are larger. You might want to get the shaft specification for the viola pegs... shame not to play it more...
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Ken,The holes in the peg head are too big for Perfection pegs; I took it to Prussia Valley back in the spring because I thought about doing that very thing.I've had thoughts knocking around over what to do with this dulcimer. The critter's too nice to not get played any more than it does!Robin
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Here's a full shot of the Mize:
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
I would spend $50-$60 on a set of Perfection tuning pegs. They look like and fit on a dulcimer just like violin pegs, except they have gears inside and tune like a geared tuner. Gary at Prussia Valley quoted me $52, I think, for the set of four. Make a pretty little doeskin bag to contain the original wooden tuners and hang it from the headstock. If you ever sell the instrument, swap out the Perfection pegs for the originals.I'm about ready to get a set for a vintage dulcimer I picked up for a song, so i can play lots of song easier....
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
The photo does not do justice to the wooden peg tuners-- the wood is exquisite. I'm considering selling the instrument because I'd prefer the wooden pegs to stay on the instrument and am imagining a person interested in buying a Mize would buy because it's a Mize.Y'all are right-- if mechanical pegs were to be put on this instrument, good planetary tuners would be the way to go.
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
I can see both sides of the value/playability issues. But to me, I do tend to want to keep a dulcimer the way the builder intended it to be, and if it's not what I want then I would sell that dulcimer to someone who wants those features, and buy a dulcimer that has what I want....especially if it means I would not lose money in the long run. ;)But I certainly agree with Rod in saying any geared tuners you might put on that dulcimer really ought to be good quality planetary tuners. The planets will function better, you won't need fine tuners anymore, and they will jut out from the peghead at the same angle as the old wooden pegs- an important part of your dulcimer's personality.If you look at my Keith Young dulcimer in the logo on the top of every page here, you'll see "5 Star" brand planetary tuners. Great tuners, not cheap, but...when new, the plastic buttons on the ends were a hideous pearly glaring white- very fake-o plastic looking. I could not bear looking at them so I immediately painted them a nice old ivory color with oil based paint, then varnished that. They looked like ivoroid buttons then, matched the bone nut and bridge, and in the years since they've aged nicely, with just the right amount of grubbiness to look good and compliment the rich wood. Sort of 'shabby chic'. ;DIf you did change, be sure to KEEP the original pegs (even if the holes get enlarged in the process), and make sure you get planetary tuners for dulcimers, not for banjos. Different size.
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Rod, every dulcimer I own is for playing!I'm glad there are folks who collect dulcimers and I'm glad not to be one of them :-) I see the collector as a person who honors the past and the future by taking care of dulcimers now, dulcimers that are historically significant for some reason.I got this Mize from Goodwill online-- came from the Goodwill in Albuquerque-- and was pleasantly surprised when I won the bid. With shipping & packing, the whole shebang cost just under $100. The instrument was in very good condition, especially considering it came with no case. I've added the fine tuners, got a case, and it's been re-strung a time or two. A collector would strip away the fine tuners, for sure ;-)
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
I bknow it's a rough choice... but is it a playing dulcimer or collecting dulcimer... I would think about putting planetary tunes on it if you want to keep playing it... they tend to look better than guitar style tuners... the big thing to me (just me) but playability is more important than vaule...
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
Seeing a picture might help me make better informed suggestions.One thing I 'would' say is that if you get rid of the original wooden tuning pegs it will make it worth substantially less than it's worth now. Whether you should switch the tuners to make it playable for you is a personal choice, but you should know that it will devalue the dulcimer somewhat.For what it's worth- a decent luthier or violin repairman should be able to get the pegs working pretty smoothly. For some people that's not enough though.I'd love to see a photo of the dulcimer in any case- can you post one here?
my Mize dulcimer
Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions
I love my Mize dulcimer. My hands-- got physical problems-- don't like the gorgeous wooden pegs it has. Do I sell it? Do I hang onto it because it's a Mize and the butternut top is so pretty? I don't want to hang it on a wall to look at-- a dulcimer, unless it's a Pritchard, Thomas, etc., is made for playing!I've got fiddle fine tuners on it just below the bridge and I don't like having them there for a few reasons-- I don't like the way they look, they score the wood some, they can only be used for sweetening the tuning on an almost in tune dulcimer. Although I've seen a photo where J Ritchie has got a fine tuner stuck on a dulcimer up near the peghead, I'm still not crazy about having them on my Mize. ;-)What would you do with the Mize?
updated by @robin-thompson: 06/08/16 09:24:05PM