"Angel" Will Singleton Replica

IRENE
IRENE
@irene
5 years ago
168 posts

When I was going to the harp conventions every year, we'd have something called, "HARP TASTING".   We'd have 10-15 harps on stage with the curtain drawn.   Then we would be in the audience and ONE PERSON would play the same song on all the harps one by one.  We wrote down what we liked about them.  Then they would pull the curtain and you could see the harps that you personally juried. I thought this very cool.  Some harps looked absolutely FABULOUS, but the sound needed improvements.   We'd have just some festival time just for the builders to go to and there I learned so very much.  Harp making improved tremendously over the 20 years I attended those conferences.  However, they got to be so very expensive attending.  And so serious.   Our gathering I had more fun then a barrel full of monkeys.  cost was perfect.  friends forever....and wishing I could meet with some of the folks before the next gathering.  aloha, irene

John C. Knopf
John C. Knopf
@john-c-knopf
5 years ago
412 posts

You really did seem to enjoy yourself, Irene!  What a hoot!  We had an intensive 3-day dulcimer learning gig.  I won't forget how my legs complained over all that walking! They still hurt, but I'm glad I went.  None of the group were what you would call "spring chickens", able to walk anywhere and everywhere.  I'm glad you like the Singleton.  It's leaving me this weekend...

IRENE
IRENE
@irene
5 years ago
168 posts

SUCH a beautiful dulcimer.....I wish I could have heard it played all by itself.  NEXT YEAR, we need to have some of these dulcimers show cased....played and we write down what we loved about them.  the sound, the high part, the color, the inlay, the teaching of INLAY....oh, my I loved my time there in Berea!!!  aloha, irene

Riksgewijs
Riksgewijs
@riksgewijs
5 years ago
11 posts

John C. Knopf:

Yes, here is a photo of the original in Lexington, Kentucky.  The folksinger John Jacob Niles altered the fret pattern, but I used the normal diatonic pattern for my replica.

That's a real nice one. Tryed to find it on youtube, but couldn't find it so quick. Thank you for sharing. 

 

 

Bob
Bob
@bob
5 years ago
86 posts

Wonderful looking dulcimer! The coloring on the tuning pegs and the cherry inlays are such nice accents. I bet it sounds great :-)

Steven Berger
Steven Berger
@steven-berger
5 years ago
143 posts

That's a nice one, John! Need more Singletons out there! Real nice meeting you at Berea!

John C. Knopf
John C. Knopf
@john-c-knopf
5 years ago
412 posts

Yes, here is a photo of the original in Lexington, Kentucky.  The folksinger John Jacob Niles altered the fret pattern, but I used the normal diatonic pattern for my replica.

singleton_dulcimer.jpg

Riksgewijs
Riksgewijs
@riksgewijs
5 years ago
11 posts

Wow what a beautyfull instrument. Do you have a picture of the original? 

John C. Knopf
John C. Knopf
@john-c-knopf
5 years ago
412 posts

Here's a new Uncle Will Singleton dulcimer replica I built for a player in Toronto.  Its name is "Angel", taken from Psalm 34:7.  Singleton was the local dulcimer builder in Viper, KY and was related to Jean Ritchie.  The poplar body really rings out when played.  The red heart and diamond are cherry inlays in the fretboard.

 


updated by @john-c-knopf: 10/27/19 12:02:25PM