I just realized I missed a great pun opportunity:  ...way up there where the aire is thin.   

Aw, that's very kind of you, Lisa. I think I'm just a bit of an anomaly liking those high frets. Dale Foye just finished building my Aeolus Soprano!  It's so amazing. It's tuned a fifth above a standard, but it still has a 28" fretboard, so it still has great sustain.  Can't wait to play it!!

I often use the 1.5, and its octave higher 8.5....but truthfully I'd likely never use the third octave sister to the 1.5 which is the 15.5.    I do use the 6.5 and its higher sister the 13.5 though.  I find the tone and the hard feel above the 14th fret to be too problematic.  But that's just me....an incredible player like Guy could make it sound heavenly way up there where the air is thin.  

Beat me to it lol!

I'm odd that way I guess. I really enjoy those upper frets sometimes!

 John,

I appreciate your answer. I did cut a bunch of all types when I first set up my slotting jig a couple of years ago. I now have a whole bunch of fretboards labeled “All extra frets”. It was a production mistake to assume there would be a preference for that configuration. No big, as they can always become chromatic fretboards.

Ken,

Thanks for confirming what I thought might be true.

-rick

I do think players are not particularly concerned about the 'upper octave' frets, as a great many people don't regularly play above fret 14.

You need to figure out your intended clientele, I think.  Give the customer what s/he is looking for, whatever it is.  More frets, fewer frets.

There are so many configurations available now that it makes one's head spin.  Many times a dulcimer is no longer just a dulcimer.

How about cutting some of all types, and using the desired one on a particular build.

Thanks for the reply Ken. My understanding goes like this:

If you add the 6+ then you add the 13+ which is an active higher. With this same logic, if you add the 1+ it implies the 8+ again an active higher. Continuing the logic, the 1+ and 8+ would also have the 15+.

Do some players want the 1+, 6+ and 13+ without the additional frets that are an active higher, the 8+ and the 15+?

The reason I am trying to work this out is because I am going to slot a bunch of fingerboards on my slotting jig. I can always add slots later by hand but would like to cut as many slots as I can with the jig. Do I just jig cut slots for no extra frets?

-rick

As a regular item I would only build with the 6+ and 13+  frets, but make other frets available at $X per fret as part of a build-order.. 

Personally I don' even want the 6+ fret, as I'm a traditionalist.

I'd get the 1.5, the 6.5, AND their octave higher pair 8.5 and 13.5.   And yes I use them.  

Note to other readers here: we have a Group devoted entirely to info on 'extra frets' here on fotmd:

http://fotmd.com/strumelia/group/29/i-have-extra-frets

- so if anyone gets inspired to start discussing the whys and hows of extra frets in depth, please continue any full blown discussions there in the group .  Thanks!

A very general question.

If you were buying a new or used mountain dulcimer, which extra frets would you want, if any? This will help me decide which configuration of frets I should put on the new dulcimers that I build.

thanks

-rick