I have three....the one my husband got me for Christmas ages ago, a small travel one and my "good" one. Plus lots of other non-dulcimer instruments populating our home.

Ok, so after the Christmas buying frenzy, I have to update my status of the affliction known as DAD. I got it bad over the last couple of weeks. So here is the new list:

1 Clemmer Banjammer (DAD) (NEW)

2 Jesse Williams Hourglass Dulcimers (DAD, DAA)

2 McNally Strumsticks, 1 Grand (DAD), 1 Standard (FCF)

1 McSpadden Walnut Hourglass (DAD) (NEW)

1 Mark Eubank Baritone Dulcimer Cherry and Western Cedar (AEA) (NEW)

1 Mark Eubank Hourglass Dulcimer Bird's Eye Maple (DAD) (NEW)

2 Fiddles, 1 full size, 1 (1/2 size for my daughter)

1 Mandolin

1 12 string Seagull Guitar

1 6 string Seagull Guitar

So I added 4 dulcimers over a 3 day period. I look at the bright side, I didn't leave with the entire store...just most of it.

I only have the three:

Cripple Creek (I built from a kit)

Mawhee (like) built by Kevin Messenger

the other lent to my daughter in law, can't remember who built it.

and one strum stick built by Kevin also.

almost forgot about that.

Oh darlin' you can't love one

Darlin' you can't love one

You can't love one and have any fun

Oh darlin' you can't love one

Darlin' you can't love two . . .

One is never enough, Two, no need to re-tune, well what could one more hurt.Then you find one so perfect in every way that you had to have it so number three is added to the family. Then from out of no where there was four.... where did it come from?

then there was eight. It had became like eating peanuts, you could not stop. you rescued them from yard sales junk shops from anywhere you could find them.you where on a mission to save the lost and abused, you would give them a loving home. For there is always room for one more.

you carefully restored them to their former glory bring back their beautiful voice. every so often people would give you one that had been in the attic for years, all covered in dust and string long gong. There always room for one more. You hunted them buy names of builders and by the year they where borne. Each being as prized as the last. There's always room for one more, I can stop at anytime you have been heard to say.

But then one more seem to a pier.

You need as many as necessary to cover all the tunings you play or ever want to play. Or you can take the approach of ...look at the beautiful woodgrain on this one...itwould look beautiful inthe house. Oryou can use whatever excuse works for you at the time,it is tough to kill theDAD infection. I had more than I couldplay but now everyone else in the house has started to play and I need to get more dulcimers in case guests come over...lol.

Steve Battarbee said:

It's always 'just one more' Steve. One more for DAA, one more for DAC, one more for DAG, etc. etc, etc.

LOL

I think I have DAD but its still in its early stages as I only have one but I know its a slippery slope. I'm constantly looking at others. Only my lack of finance and my wife (OK mainly my wife) are keeping this condition in check at the moment.

She said the other day, having caught me yet again coveting more Dulcimers 'You've got one.How many dulcimers does one man need?'

I thought I know just the people to ask!

So whats the answer?

I tried to play when I was 16, but was never any good - no one around me played a dulcimer and my family was not musically inclined. Still, I kept the dulcimer because I loved what sounds I could make.

When my daughter left for college, I started truly playing and now I think I sound pretty good.

There's a picture of my old girl in photos on this site.

CD said:

I am aware of the fact, that confessing you have more than one dulcimer may easily be taken as a "showing off" behaviour (as most people can only play one at a time...).

So please consider the photo of my current collection just as a proof of how badly hurt by DAD I am...

And as an excuse I have to say, that two of these instruments are on a "Dulcify the world!" mission at the moment; I have lent the Hora to a friend, and the McSpadden Sycamore to my sister-in-law. I was able to infect them with the Mountain Dulcimer Virus some months ago...

And I am a bit proud of myself, that I have more self-made instruments by now than ready-made ones! That's not only cool, it also saves a lot of money in the long run...

Well I ask myself "why not join in?" After reading some of these posts I realize I am not so sick after all. There are many others way way worse than I. Can't wait to show my wife so she will forget about taking me to a MD to check me out:

In 19 months I have accumulated at present:

10 dulcimers. My favorites a 6 string walnut McSpadden, and a 4 string Spruce McSpadden, and a recently acquired Mike Clemmer 3 string Sweetie. (Over time I have sold 6 other dulcimers on ebay & craigslist.

Auto Harp, tin whistle, 2 harmonicas, ukulele.

2 pianos reside in our home. I claim one and my wife the other.

Yep, it's assuring to my psychic to know I'm not alone.

My dulcimers are few but well loved -

1974 Ed Presnell 4 string curly maple top and bottom with walnut sides. I bought it when I was 16. It's the only object I've held onto all these years.

Blue lion walnut teardrop, western red cedar top and tree of life inlay

Blue lion rosewood hourglass, western red cedar top and trilliums w/ dragonfies inlay

I also have a Seagull 6 string guitar - cherrywood with cedar top.

Kevin Yeoman said:

I have 2 playable Dulcimer

1 being built by our own Bobby.

2 native American flutes

3 electric guitars

1 12 string acoustic Alvarez Guitar

2 6 strings acoustic Guitars

1 Shekere

3 jaw harps

2 Mandolins
at lest one harmonica
2 3-string cigar box guitars

1 mountain banjo

Not sure if I have missed anything or not.

Helen..... I have no idea what the woods are, but the turquoise is inlaid on the head, fingerboard and the spacers for the double back. If you look at the pictures on my page, you'll see it there. It needs a little work on the nut to be where I like them, so I'm thinking, just thinking mind you, about letting it go.

Oh, and my Indian flutes don't bother the dog as much as it does some of the cats LOL

Like that Heatherwood, do you, CD? It's a head-turner all right. I should play it more, but I think I want to have the nut and bridge notched for 4 equidistant. It hadn't been played much at all when I got it, so I don't think it really has opened up yet. Oh yeah, 3 Indian flutes... one cedar and 2 traditional Cherokee reed flutes, 1 six hole, 1 5 hole.

2 McSpaddens: Walnut/spruce hourglass (my first); Cherry Ginger (really nice in G)

3 Warren May: Walnut hourglass w/ wooden pegs, no 6+; Walnut hourdrop w/ 6+ added by Warren; Mixed wood hourglass w/ 6+ (Spalted maple top and peghead, cherry sides, walnut bottom, sycamore fretboard, poplar tail. Warren made it from pieces he had....i love it!!!!!)

Add to that the ones my husband has:

1 Sweetwoods (Harpmaker) student

1 Warren May Walnut hourdrop

:)

p.s. I forgot the two canjos

I suppose I'm in the beginning phases

I have:

1. Cabin Creek dulcimer made by Walter Messick, hourglass, curly maple, my first dulcimer and playable instrument.

2. Prichard Reproduction made by Kevin Messinger, poplar, I had to have it, it reminds me of home...I love noter drone

3. Backyard Music dulcimer, cardboard, assembled by me and yes it was fun to put together.

4. Penny Whistle

5. Two thumb pianos (Kalimbas), one is borrowed from my daughter

6. We do have a piano in the house but daughter plays that.

7. My husband owns a Classic guitar with a name I haven't heard, Kiso - Suzuki, Kiso Suzuki Violin Co., LTD.

8. My daughter has a ukulele which I might borrow too

Wow Rob!!!

Well, I guess I'll join in:

1. Fred Martin all mahongany teardrop, my first (and only one) bought new from the maker.

2. William Wylie hourglass (in my avatar) my 2nd bought at the Patty Looman estate auction.

3. Paul Denk all poplar (I think) my 1st ebay purchase. The rest are in no particular order

4-6 Hughes Dulcimer Company... 2 full size, one small one.

7. Dixon, Korean, Very well made, I think, on the "Shellnut pattern."

8. Jim Good, 5 string, Walnut hourglass with pegs from 1976, pawn shop find

9. Jim Good, Butternut carved archtop, no serial number, may be the 1st one, music/antique shop find.

10. Heatherwood... 4 string, sassafras and walnut, ship on the "medallion"

11. Keith Young standard 4 string hourglass... believe it's spruce & walnut, my go-to, absolute favorite.

12. Hourglass only signed with initials, back & sides may be mahogany.

13. Folkcraft cherry teardrop

14. Capritaurus... very early has pegs not geared tuners

15. Turquoise inlayed 3 string unsigned

16. John D Tignor... Old cumberland style 3 string

17. John D Tignor... Later, larger style 4 string (doubled melody.)

18. Unknown Maker... small hourglass supposedly WV made.

19. Unknown Maker.... had partial fret for 6 1/2, so had Kevin Messenger add the partial 1/2 frets John Molineux uses.

20. Dulcimer Factory

21. Herbert Marsh - from Philippi WV

22. Keith Johnson poplar & walnut small hourglass

23. Don Gardner redwood & Cherry Teardrop

24. Bob Edson all walnut hourglass

26-30. Various unknown makers.

31. Paul Pyle, "Mockingbird" small, walnut hourglass

I also have 18 guitars, 7 steel guitars, 3 banjos (tenor, gourd, open-back with pegs,) 3 mandolins, 1 fiddle, various harmonicas, etc, a 2 row diatonic, button accordion. I think this is it.

I started out with GAS and have ended up with DAD. Anyone want to buy a dulcimer LOL

I'm not even going to list mine, not sure it counts if they are homemade ? My better half asked once why I kept on making 'em when the first sounded just fine, I told her I was trying to get one that made me sound like David Schaufner ??? I think that DAD may be hereditary, my son now has more than is healthy, and came home from The Launde Festival with yet another! Once cleaned up, a nearly 'as new' all walnut 1985 Folkroots teardrop, that was gifted to him !!! it plays a treat ! Should add that I have three unfinished dulcimers, started about this time last year, so maybe I am in remission ?

JohnH

I am slightly afflicted, but obviously not nearly as bad as some of the people I see here. Guess I need to stand closer so I can be sure to catch the bug.

Here is what I have:

2 hourglass dulcimers (built by Jesse Williams)

1 Grand Strumstick

1 Standard Strumstick

1 dulcimer built by a group in Fredricksburg, Texas, they have since gone out of business. I doesn't play well so it became a wall ornament.

1 12-string Guitar (Seagull)

1 6-string Guitar (Seagull)

1 Mandolin

That is all at the moment, however, I have my eye on a Banjammer and I feel that will be the next item to join the club.

Currently, my total is 17 playable dulcimers, 3 in various states of repair and 1 cigar box dulcimer under construction and 1 more on order.

I got it bad.

For me it's DAA Dulcimer Acquisition Addiction. And I currently have 14. One is an early Berg that was the first dulcimer I ever bought, the 2nd is the first Black Mountain Dulcimer kit that I'd made. Since then I've dealt with 2 other Black Mountain kits and have given them away. And of the other 12 instruments I have, they are Sweet Woods instruments. Well 2 are ones that Dave let me make in his shop using a couple of fret boards he made for me along with his jigs, etc.

One cardboard mountain dulcimer

One PA German zither replica I built

One hourglass and three teardrop mountain dulcimers I built

Seven mountain dulcimers built by others (Folkcraft, Blue Lion, Sweet Woods, Musical Traditions, Warren May, Uncle Ed Thomas and the Dulcimer Factory)

One autoharp

Three guitars

Three banjos

One 16/15 hammered dulcimer I built

Miscellaneous: tin whistle, harmonicas, jaw harp, bones, spoons, Catspaws, clave, tambourine, etc.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Seven home built MD's [one a Mcspadden kit, the first].

A true E'A'D'G bass TMB [an experiment].

A home built banjammer.

A couple more MD's started [experiments].

A home built 16/15 floating soundboard HD with hammers, using 15/14 plans which I modified.

Plus: a 16" Brendan White bodhran, 88 key Yahama keyboard, Ibanez short scale Mikro electric bass, and several penny whistles . I think I have a DAD complication, IAD [instrument acquisition disease] or MED [musical equipment disease, since I've also picked up amps, recorders, etc].

I don't play or use any of them very well [I'm not a musician] but music has been a very interesting hobby for the last few years.

I don't have DAD really - just the one dulcimer I made in school in woodwork class about 42 years ago. Plus an almost completed Tennessee Music Box which I hope to finish this week.

There again I do have BAD quite badly - that's Bagpipe Acquisition Dissorder:

Breton veuze in D

Welsh pibau cyrn in D

Welsh pibau cyrn / Bulgarian gaida hybrid in D

Replica German schafferpfeife in F

Medieval double chanter bagpipe in G

Swedish sackpipa in A

French cornemuse in G

Bulgarian gaida in D

Apart from the Bulgarian gaidas I made all the rest myself so not a huge dent in the family budget...

3 mountain dulcimers (McSpadden, FolkRoots, and Clemmer) and an Olympia Walkabout dulcimer.

(also: 4 guitars (all Taylor), a ukulele, 2 banjos, a psaltery, and a fiddle)

Oh Well, here goes - in no particular order:

All played noter drone unless otherwise stated - no 6+ on any dulcimers unless stated

Ed Thomas replica by John Knopf - classic 1890s small bodied poplar 3 string - silvery and intimate

Charles Prichard replica by Kevin Messenger - classic 1880s large bodied poplar 3 string - loud and strident

McSpadden 4FHCC by Jim Woods(custom with no 6+) - 2011 - great workhorse - keep it in 4 string equidistant

Prussia Valley Box Dulcimer by Gary Sager - 3 string zither pins - 2007 - rich and rounded

John Tignor - Kentucky style 3 string 1960s - rings like a bell

John Pearce - 1970s small delta 3 string - very pretty with lots of rich overtones from a small body.

McSpadden Ginger(standard with 6+) - punchy little instrument that I use for chord melody. Great for jam sessions

Richard Wilson 1981 4 string- very lightly built hourglass - full sound - kept in 4 string equidistant.

A W Jeffries by Jay Jeffries - West Virginia hourglass 1970s - light shallow build with mid range focus

Sow Hoggfiddle by Bobby Ratliff - Classic Virginia pattern from 1800s - Bright and lively for both dancing and hymns

Galax by David Lynch 2011 - staple fretted in Melton style with 6+- Great old time pub session instrument

Galax by Don Neuhauser - Russel family pattern built for Bonnie Russell -VERY LOUD - THE dulcimer for dance sessions

8 x David Lynch Student Dulcimers (with 6+) - perfect for running workshops

On the 'wish list' when I raise the cash!!!!:

Ed Presnell 3 string

Replica of ID Stampers long scale 4 string (someone needs to find the original first to take a pattern!!!!)

Mawhee/Graves walking cane dulcimer

Other instruments - 2 x squareneck dobro (my primary stage and sessioninstruments), about 5guitars, bass, 4 x banjos, purcussion various, Welsh harp, harmonicas various, mandolin, lap steel and I'm sure there are a few more instruments scattered around the house.

Oh - and about 30 x resonator guitars in stock for my business at present anda dozen or sodulcimers

Good thread, CD. Always nice to see the spread.

By the way, some folks migfht be interested in seeing the thread on the same subject started 3 1/2 years ago by our own dear departed Rod Westerfield. It's fascinating reading!: http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/forum/topics/how-many-dulcimers-do...

I still get by ok with my two steady playing dulcimers...my Keith Young teardrop and my Ben Seymour Galax. Not that I don't covet more...I do...I'm only human!

I have 2 dulcimers. I've had one about 22 years, and the "new" one about 18 years. Also one banjo, 2 ukulele, a sack of harmonicas, 7 guitars, a lap steel guitar, and several guitars friends have brought me from other folks tree lawns. "I figured you could fix it and get some use out of it." Some aren't really worth the cost of the parts they need. If I do fix them, I will find homes for them.