It sounds like you have a diverse and impressive collection of instruments, including some that you built yourself. Your expertise in building vacuum tube guitar amplifiers must be fascinating, especially with your background in electrical engineering.

Thanks! Found him. I'll send him a message later today with the photos and serial number of my dulcimer. As it turns out, he is only about 35 miles from my home in Natural Bridge. Maybe I will be able to visit him.

I have a small collection of electric and acoustic guitars as well as cigar box guitars and violin (some of which I built myself). I also build all my own vacuum tube guitar amplifiers.

I have a BSEE from Virginia Tech earned when vacuum tubes were still part of the curriculum. I retired 4 years ago from my job as a Satellite Communications Systems Engineer contractor with the CIA. I worked in the Intelligence Community for 40+ years. My wife and I retired to Natural Bridge Virginia in 2019.

You can send him a message here. He is jcalkin. Do a search under members for him and then click on send a message.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

updated by @ken-longfield: 09/08/23 12:58:47PM

Thanks for the responses.

I found his Facebook page before posting here. However, I don't do Facebook so that is little help to me.

Does he have an email address?

Is there any way to send him a private message through this website or this forum itself?

Bill Haegele

I see John commenting and showing his builds on the FB page Let's Make Dulcimers (an Psalteries and Mandolins, etc.).  He's actually a member here, but not a big contributor.  I've not played one of his but it's obvious he has very high level skills as a builder, and his designs are r4ally nice.  I'm sure you'll really appreciate your purchase. 

I'd go to FB and contact him there.  He has a personal Page and a Dulcimer Page as well, I believe...  

John Calkin, former President of the American Guild of Luthiers.........100's of articles by him available online.  He is on facebook too.

https://www.facebook.com/john.calkin.92

That is going to be an outstanding for you....since JC's retirement from H&D (Huss and Dalton guitars  in Staunton, Va.) John tells of  building 4,000 instruments.  BTW, H&D Guitars are mucho bucks and top of the line.........like 4-5 grand used and way upwards of that new. 

updated by @salt-springs: 09/08/23 03:16:30AM

I just purchased a John Calkin Dulcimer from a local shop here in Lexington, Virginia. I have been trying to find information about Calkin and the Dulcimer I purchased but his website is dead and I can't find any contact information other that he is located in Greenville, Virginia. I live in Natural Bridge, Virginia. The label inside the Dulcimer has Calkin's name, Greenville, Virginia,  and a serial number.

Photos of the Dulcimer in question are attached. TIA

Bill Haegele

updated by @bluesky636: 09/08/23 01:01:09AM