Do You Have A 'Go To' or Favorite Dulcimer

marg
@marg
8 years ago
615 posts

Great posts, love all the responses.

    I love each of my dulcimers but only have 2 hands so some need to wait their turn to play.  I also have a McSpadden FM 12-W, a small Warren May - a ground hog more for travel, a new TK O'Brien I just picked up in the NC mountains, my first dulcimer, a John Naylor and the 'red stain' one - more for the kids to strum on or travel (a good dulcimer to learn all about fixing a dulcimer with). Since I have only been home less than a week, I am spending a good bit of time with the new O'Brien but will be playing at a nursing home in a week with the McSpadden. I did have them all down last night trying out their sound on a possum board, not sure that counts. Interesting discussion since if I was to answer a week ago or next week it may be different. 

    Every dulcimer comes with great stories and their own sweet sounds.

Stephanie Stuckwisch
Stephanie Stuckwisch
@stephanie-stuckwisch
9 years ago
45 posts

My Blue Lion rosewood hour glass. Beautiful sound and action. 

Ken Backer
Ken Backer
@ken-backer
9 years ago
31 posts

My dulcimer life is very simple... I only own two (not counting "Stubby").  I do all performing on my Homer Ledford, and play my Warren May around the house.   If I had more dulcimers I would only confuse myself.shocked

Sheryl St. Clare
Sheryl St. Clare
@sheryl-st-clare
9 years ago
259 posts

Like an herb garden right outside your kitchen door, an istrument hung on the wall near where you hang out is often used. fiddle  

Bob Reinsel
Bob Reinsel
@bob-reinsel
9 years ago
80 posts

Thanks Sam. I appreciate that. 




--
Bob
Site Moderator

The greatest music is made for love, not for money -- Greg Lake
Sam
Sam
@sam
9 years ago
169 posts

Whew Bob! that rascal is some kind of purrrrrty!




--
The Dulcimer. If you want to preserve it, jam it!
Bob Reinsel
Bob Reinsel
@bob-reinsel
9 years ago
80 posts

This is my current "go to" instrument.  Mostly because it is sitting conveniently close to the sofa.  It is all walnut with a Sassafras top.




--
Bob
Site Moderator

The greatest music is made for love, not for money -- Greg Lake
Rob N Lackey
Rob N Lackey
@rob-n-lackey
9 years ago
422 posts

For stage work my Jerry Rockwell large hourglass, if I want to get jazzy, and old Jim Good set up like Alan Freeman's in Jim's weird G tuning, and for learning new tunes (in DAd) or jamming, a (supposedly) WV made small hourglass.

Richard Wojtulewicz
Richard Wojtulewicz
@richard-wojtulewicz
9 years ago
3 posts

My Messenger/Tignor repro; just intonation, looks good and sounds better. Proud to own number 2 from the 'production line'. 


updated by @richard-wojtulewicz: 07/15/15 09:18:49PM
John Keane
John Keane
@john-keane
9 years ago
182 posts

James, it was made by Folkcraft.

William Mann
William Mann
@william-mann
9 years ago
22 posts

Goes to every concert and jam:  the 2013 Berg cherry 5-string that appears in most of my videos, acquired in part through the generosity of a dear friend and fellow dulcimerist.

But...

Will be buried with me:  my very first dulcimer, a McSpadden FM12s that was purchased brand new in 1998 for $180, with an apology from the salesman for having to charge so much!

Seems all of my favorite instruments, dulcimer or otherwise, have stories.

James Phillips
James Phillips
@james-phillips
9 years ago
87 posts

John, who made that dulcimer in your picture?

Colleen Hailey
Colleen Hailey
@colleen-hailey
9 years ago
67 posts

My favorite is the Ron Gibson Jenny Lind that I got last February. I enjoy playing it so much that it greatly dampened my raging case of DAD. (Note that I said "dampened", not "got rid of". It's a beautiful instrument.

BTW, I adore the Sasquatch design, complete with little footprints, shown above.

John Keane
John Keane
@john-keane
9 years ago
182 posts

My favorite...

john p
john p
@john-p
9 years ago
173 posts

Same old mongrel I've always played. I've built up a bit of a collection over the years, but nothing else comes quite close to the old '4 of Hearts'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe the John Pearse should get an honourable mention - small, light and always a delight to play. Use it a lot to work tunes out on.

James Phillips
James Phillips
@james-phillips
9 years ago
87 posts

This is a doozie of a question for me as it just depends on what songs I want to practice.  Some songs sound better in certain keys, so I let that by my guide.

Lisa Golladay
Lisa Golladay
@lisa-golladay
9 years ago
108 posts

I am a lazy person.  My go-to dulcimer is the one that's most convenient to get to.  Usually that's the dulcimette hanging on the living room wall.  Unless I'm in the kitchen, where the cigar box dulcimer is hanging on the wall.

When I leave the house, I take the McS Ginger because it has the nicest gig bag.

I need a dulcimer that comes when called.  And I want to hire a guy to tune it. Laugh

John Henry
John Henry
@john-henry
9 years ago
258 posts

Well there you go then Charles-Thomas, I've learnt something new today, I've always made a new one when I thought an instrument sounded a bit off !!!winky

JohnH

Ken Longfield
Ken Longfield
@ken-longfield
9 years ago
1,073 posts

For the most part my go-to dulcimer is my all walnut Folkcraft FSH. When I'm playing noter/drone it is either my J.E. Thomas or the Prichard reproduction dulcimer I made. Because my Blue Lion has a built-in pick-up, I often use that one when playing out in noisy venues.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Frank Ross
Frank Ross
@frank-ross
9 years ago
32 posts

my favorite is usually my latest acquisition. But I do like to play the others also - some sound better in different tunings than others so the tune I am playing sometimes decides which gets played. Also I have my 42 year old project dulcimer that I keep messing with that is starting to sound pretty good after the addition of metal tuners from wooden pegs bridge/nut adjustments.

Estes George
Estes George
@george-desjardins
9 years ago
92 posts

So, my go to is the June Appple Cellomer, It is so unique, Has such a big voice. It doesn't just speak to you, It preaches to you, so smooth, clear, but almost overpowering. Yet it keeps it in check. A great stage instrument, but sounds even better on the back deck in the evening, here in the Rocky Mountains.

'

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updated by @george-desjardins: 06/26/15 09:04:46PM
Kevin Messenger
Kevin Messenger
@kevin-messenger
9 years ago
86 posts

 Everytime I build one I have a new favorite. But I don't usually get to play them long.

 

Estes George
Estes George
@george-desjardins
9 years ago
92 posts

My "favorite" seems to change with my mood, have 14 altogether so it gets hard to choose, I guess the go to's would be McSpadden 6 string, ebony fret board. Dan Doty 6 string, Bonnie Carol 4 string ebony fret board, or my newest June Apple Cellomer, really BIG sound.

Charles Thomas
Charles Thomas
@charles-thomas
9 years ago
77 posts

I find myself picking up my McSpadden all walnut hourglass most of the time. 

JohnH- we,re suppose to "tune" them? Who knew .That changes everything! Laugh


updated by @charles-thomas: 06/26/15 07:55:40PM
Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
9 years ago
2,111 posts

My GoTo dulcimer for Open Mic nights is my Bobby Ratliff  Hogfiddle tuned Bagpipe B -- Bbb, which suits my voice better than C or D.  It's fitted with a stick-on pick up.

My GoTo for un-amplified playing is my John Knopf Thomas replica with its new 1/2" thick balsawood Possum Board.  The dulcimer has 3 feet so the possum board is just a flat plank, and the balsa is super light!

John Henry
John Henry
@john-henry
9 years ago
258 posts

The one that might be in tune, lol !

JohnHsing

Lexie R Oakley
Lexie R Oakley
@lexie-r-oakley
9 years ago
229 posts

As you can see in my avitar my 2 treasured dulcimers in which I go in between to play sometimes I choose one for a certain song, sometimes it is the one I want to play.clapper  Both are fabulous to play and I love it!jive

Sam
Sam
@sam
9 years ago
169 posts

... siiiiiiiigh ... yeah ... I know ... still sometimes think abortion should be an option into the 27th tri-mester .............. 




--
The Dulcimer. If you want to preserve it, jam it!
Sheryl St. Clare
Sheryl St. Clare
@sheryl-st-clare
9 years ago
259 posts

Oh, I've been tempted. 

Sam
Sam
@sam
9 years ago
169 posts

... maybe ... except th' hang 'em on th' wall part ......................... 




--
The Dulcimer. If you want to preserve it, jam it!
Sheryl St. Clare
Sheryl St. Clare
@sheryl-st-clare
9 years ago
259 posts

Isn’t that a bit like having a favorite child? 

 

 


updated by @sheryl-st-clare: 02/01/16 11:18:06PM
Sam
Sam
@sam
9 years ago
169 posts

Many of us have more than one. If you do, do you enjoy playing one more than the others? It seems that I take this one down off the wall more often than any of the others. 

Do you have particular reasons for your favored dulcimer?

 

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--
The Dulcimer. If you want to preserve it, jam it!

updated by @sam: 08/01/23 02:59:02AM