Forum Activity for @brudar

Luthiers, Builder question on finishes

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

My buddy Lowell Hodel and I have built 2 mahogany body/Sitka spruce top dulcimers and used a variation on Dwain Wilder’s recipe ( https://www.bearmeadow.com/build/materials/finishes/html/shellac.html and https://www.bearmeadow.com/build/materials/finishes/html/varnish.html ) which we’re very happy with. 

2-3 light coats of 50-50 Zinsser sealcote (dewaxed shellac) and a specific denatured alcohol that has no water or unknown impurities in it (KleanStrip). 

6-9 light coats of semigloss Target Coatings emTech EM2000wvx Waterborne Alkyd Varnish. With this finish the dilution of the shellac is mandatory - at full strength the shellac beneath causes the varnish above to check; at half strength, it is a perfect sealer and causes no checking at all. 

Topped by TreWax paste wax - clear for the spruce top and mahogany colored for the body.

updated by @brudar: 06/08/26 11:25:43AM

Reasons NOT To Get a Chromatic

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

I am going to put in a gratuitous plug for one of my favorite dulcimer authorities (I almost said “elders”, but she’s only a few years ahead of me!) - Joellen Lapidus. In her encyclopedic book “Lapidus on Dulcimer 2”, she says

The advantage of a chromatic dulcimer is you can play any note or chord in any tuning. The disadvantage is that it’s more difficult to play and you lose some of the melodic slipping and sliding between notes. The solution: have several dulcimers.

available at lapidusmusic.com

If you don’t know of Joellen, she was an early West Coast culture dulcimer maker, composer and performer. In the 60s and 70s, she introduced Joni Mitchell to the dulcimer. You can see and hear Joni playing Joellen’s instruments on her album Blue if you search YouTube. Joellen’s still an active maker and performer, and you should go out of your way to find her original music album Dulcimer Music for the Pelican Ballet on a streaming service - I found it through my Tidal subscription.Or you can buy it along with her book on her website.

updated by @brudar: 06/29/25 02:15:42PM

Reasons NOT To Get a Chromatic

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

 

Alex, have you looked at the discussions for the Groups (not same as Forums)? In particular the Groups “Chromatic Dulcimers” and “I Have Extra Frets”?

If you are new to the Groups part of the site, be aware that you have to “join” a group to read the posts and replies.

updated by @brudar: 06/29/25 01:44:20PM

Reasons NOT To Get a Chromatic

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

 

Randy, that Spanish Fandango of yours on YouTube is sweet!  A lovely example of what can be done with a chromatic dulcimer. Thanks for posting.

Reasons NOT To Get a Chromatic

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

 

I bow before thee. 

Reasons NOT To Get a Chromatic

Instruments- discuss specific features, luthiers, instrument problems & questions

Wow, amazing this thread is still alive after 3 years! With all the discussion of what a “real” dulcimer is in the face of discontinuous fretboards and bridges, varieties of stringing patterns and varying number of frets, it seems the only characteristic that all share is that the melody string faces the player while the bass strings faces the audience. 

But then if your right-handed self puts a left-handed acoustic guitar in your lap, would that act make it a six-string chromatic dulcimer?