PM me your email address and I will send a pdf of the article which is unpublished and a few photos of David and his dulcimers. Just click on my name to the left of this message and the find the private message link.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
All of my work on building musical instruments goes on in my basement workshop. Last year after my wife's hip replacement surgery and a fall that sent her to the regional trauma center, three weeks at a residential physical therapy facility, plus cataract surgery, I didn't spend a lot of time in the shop. I did build a couple of instruments and had eight or so dulcimers and two guitars come in for repairs. I didn't take much time clean up after working and had tools and supplies all over the place. I am slowly getting things cleaned up and reorganized. I hope to get a guitar finished before the end of October and complete the building of a machinists chest to hold my luthier tools. If I get those done I have a few mountain dulcimers builds I want to tackle.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
That looks like a really fun project. Very creative. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
While I don't play in the key of often, there are few tunes that do play in A. When I do I use a reverse capo to raise the D string to E. I've attached a photo of the capo. The shadow distorts the image, but you may recognize it as a BIC pen cap. I cut the stem of the cap so that it only goes under the D string. I just slip it over the first fret and under the D string. Instant EAA tuning out of DAA.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I'm in central Pennsylvania and can't say that it has been a difficult summer. We had a few days of heat in the upper 90s and low 100s. The wildfire smoke from Minnesota and Canada lasted only a couple of days, not like the wildfire smoke from the western states a few years ago. Right now it is 71° and probably won't reach 80° today as it is raining. The weather is what it is and you learn to live with it.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
While I don't have one of his dulcimers, I did write an article on him for Dulcimer Players News which was never published. I had a good conversation with David's daughter and one with Kevin Roth about him. I would like to find one of his instruments at a reasonable price.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Great sounding dulcimore, John. Glad you finally figured out how to post a video of you playing it. Thanks for your hard work in posting the video.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
As usual I have a few projects I'm working on. My New Year's resolution for this year is to finish a guitar I started building in 2016. It is a 00 size guitar which some may call a parlor guitar. I spent time today preparing the body of the guitar to be sprayed with lacquer. I also plan to spend some time putting strings on the two antique zitters I own. I'm hoping to do so without having to drill wholes in the tuning pegs. There is another wood working project for me to finish and then I have plans to make a few more instruments.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
You're welcome, Robin. I'll post more information when I get it from Doug. He told me he's taken out a full page ad in DPN. I don't know which issue. If it doesn't make the August issue, it seems rather pointless to have it in the November issue. We'll see what happens. I plan to attend in person if that is available again this year. I want to take my Thomas dulcimer for everyone to play and the reproduction I made of the Praetorius scheitholt.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I am delighted to share with everyone that the 2026 Hindman Dulcimer Homecoming will take place in Hindman, KY at the Troublesome Creek Musical Instruments facility November 19 - 21. Workshop leaders will be Don Pedi, Dr. Ron Pen, Lorinda Jones, Sarah Kate Morgan, and Randy Wilson. It will be in person and online. More information will be forthcoming as to registration, housing, etc. Put it on your calendars now!
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
That's a nice looking dulcimer. Someone is getting a delightful instrument.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I haven't talked with Doug recently. I'll contact him and see how things are going. I have no idea what the budget is for this event. In the past the cost to participate was free. Participants paid for room and board. I think the funding covered workshop leaders and administrative expenses. Thank you for your interest.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
On a positive note we had our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren here for the first three days of July. It was fun for all of us to be together. Before they arrived I was able to get some of the backlog out of my workshop. I replaced the bridge on a Sigma DM4, put strings on it, and set it up. There was an Alvarez RD8C that I refurbished and set up for one of our grandsons. One of our dulcimer group members has a Jack Ferguson dulcimer. She obtained a new saddle, nut, and strings from Jack to turn it in to a baritone dulcimer. I did that work before the family arrived. Now I have the time and space to work on a few projects I want to do.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
And just in case we are posting photos of Uncle Eddie, here are two. One is of Uncle Eddie before John clothed him in black paint. The other is of John showing Uncle Eddie in front of the luthiery in Hindman, KY.
Enjoy.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I found the photo on Doug Berch's website and in a video of langeleik music played by Gunvor Hegge. She recorded that album in Paris in 1999. I might email Doug and see if he can provide me with the source of the photo. I am sure that the instrument is a langeleik.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Shopdad, I think the instrument in your photo is a langeleik from Norway. Later today I'll research the source of the photo and give a better answer. I'm off to worship in a couple of minutes. More later.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I've purchased rolls of music wire from Howard Piano Supply and Mapes. I also found a company out west (Washington or Oregon?) that supplies harpsichord wire for my restoration projects on zitters.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Most of the time I don't worry about humidity. It does get humid here in the central Pennsylvania ridge and valley system. We live in a valley about 40 feet from Honey Creek. I keep all my instruments in cases. We do have air conditioning but we don't run it all the time. I have more problems with low humidity than high humidity.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Thanks for sharing that video, Alex. It is much more thorough than some other psalmodikon videos I've seen. Are you familiar with this website ?
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Lucky made very nice traditional sounding dulcimers. I think the six string model has a 29 inch VSL which is great for noter style playing. I had one in my shop for repair that been knocked over and the peg head broke off. I reattached it for the owner who was pleased to be able to play it again. Whoever buys it will get a nice instrument.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I didn't know Wayne, but knew of his influence in the dulcimer community. This is very sad news. My prayer goes out for those who grieve his death and for his wife's recovery.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Hey, Dusty, no problem. I realize that most people don't sit around looking at dulcimer sites all day, but that is one of the advantages of being retired.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Thanks, Dusty. You know you could have saved me a lot of time if you had responded sooner.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Well, I've achieved some success. I found sheet music for The Goddesses by Playford at MuseScore. There is a piano arrangement in Gm and a violin arrangement in Dm. Here is a link where you can click on whichever version you want: piano, guitar, flute, or oboe. I have a busy schedule for the next two weeks so I won't have time to tab it out until the second week of July. Someone else may be able to get to it before that.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
The Dancing Master is a book of dance tunes by John Playford's published in1651. The book went through 18 editions if I recall correctly. Here is a link to an index of all the tunes in the first edition. One of the titles in this edition is The Godesses #1 . The image of the music isn't very clear so it is hard for me try to play it or tab it out. I'll continue searching to see if I can find a clearer image. Perhaps you can check with English Folk Dance and Song Society to see if a contemporary version of sheet music is available for the tune which can be used to make a dulcimer arrangement. Hope this helps in your search.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Alex, you can learn a great deal about the Strumstick by going to this website . Bob McNally is the originator of this instrument. Note that he does not call it a "stick" dulcimer and it is not a dulcimer but a member of the lute family. It is diatonically fret like a dulcimer, has three strings, and tuning machines like dulcimers, but I think the similarities end there.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I've only been in Minneapolis once to visit with a friend from my college days. That was about 13 years ago. It is good to know about Hoffman Guitars. You never know when some will ask about a good repair facility in your area. It is nice to have a ready answer. You would think there would be more dulcimer players in Minnesota as it is a great indoor activity to keep people away from the winter cold and with dulcimers being made over in Stillwater.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I'm glad to hear that your problem is finally resolved Alex. Now have fun playing that dulcimer.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I agree with Robin and thank you for finding it Dusty. It was published not as long ago as I thought. I enjoyed reading it again.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Here is a Facebook page I found with one of his dulcimers: Heritage Model - Back Woods
Well, so much for memory. So it was Vincent after all. You did well in remembering the name Robin. I see the date on the dulcimer is 2005.
Ken Longfield
(The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Vince doesn't sound familiar to me, but that doesn't mean it can't be Vince. Homer, it definitely wasn't carbon fiber. It was molded much like the Ovation guitar. I remember we had a discussion about it on the old Everything Dulcimer discussion site.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I've been going through some back issues of DPN, but haven't found the article yet. At least I think there was an article in DPN. I think it was in color, so that would be after Dan Landrum took over the magazine. I'll let you know if I find it.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I do remember that. What I don't remember is the name of the builder. You might be interested in the work being done by Stephens Luthiere using 3D printed components for making a mountain dulcimer: https://www.stephenslutherie.com/post/hybrid-3d-printed-and-wood-dulcimer
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Thanks, Dusty. I have seen European spruce; especially on my tours of the Martin guitar factory. I didn't know it was Norway spruce. Thanks for that information.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I've never seen Norway spruce (at least designated as such) for sale in all of my visits to lumber suppliers. Our neighbors had three Norway spruce taken down in their yard perhaps 30 years ago. Had I known about making a sound board out of it I might have asked for a log. However, I doubt that a tree grown in central Pennsylvania at an elevation of 600 feet would produce a good growth ring pattern. It is an interesting article. Norway spruce is acceptable as a building material. Evidently 2 x 4s and other sizes of construction lumber are made from Norway Spruce. It is knotty. It would probably be easy enough to find a section clear enough for a violin top, but there would be a lot of waste in any log.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Alex, you said the McSpadden you have is the 4FHWR. That model has a flat head (guitar style) peg head. The tuning pegs are guitar style tuners. The nut goes on the face of the head. There is a small screw or two that secures the tuner to the back of the peg head. You remove the old tuner by taking off the string, loosening the nut and taking it off, and unscrewing the small screw. To install the peg you reverse the process. There may be a bushing as well. It pushes in to the top of the hole and the shaft of the tuning peg goes through it. I hope this helps.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I like that idea Strumelia. Thanks for suggesting it.
Paul, I'm going to copy our discussion so far and paste it in that discussion "Has anyone made a scheitholt" in the Builders' Group.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I've never met anyone who has one of his dulcimers, so I can't comment on them. The other stuff is what I have in my files on dulcimer makers. I don't even have a guess as to how many dulcimers he made. Maybe there is someone on here from around Louisville who will be able to enlighten us. Sorry I couldn't be of help, Calvin.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Other than knowing that he was a Methodist pastor and made furniture and dulcimers as a hobby, I can't help with knowledge about his dulcimers. He lived around Louisville so folks from that area may know more them. He died in 2014 at the age of 85.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Thank you Strumelia and canard.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
