Your story about rescuing damaged dulcimers

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

Here's a couple to start the ball rolling ! I met a busker playing a HD, we got talking, and he said when given his instrument by an elderly relative all the strings were rusty, so he had restrung it, but now had a job keeping it in tune. On examination it was plain to see that he had 'wound on' the strings the wrong way, so as he attempted to tighten a string he was raising the tuning pin. I took him back to our place, my wife fed him, and I restrung his dulcimer, and no, I did'nt put anything in his cap !!! Another story which I have mentioned on this site before, a friend purchased a Ledford dulcimer at a knock down price, only trouble was it resembled one of Charlie Chaplins boots ! Top and back just holding at the head, completely free of sides and tail, one side only holding at the tail. Long story short, pleased to say it finished almost as new (I posted a vid of me playing it on this site) That friend is John Shaw, currently in the USA, catch him at the Lincoln Theatre, Marion, Virginia if you can, well worth hearing !

JohnH

John C. Knopf
John C. Knopf
@john-c-knopf
10 years ago
410 posts

As a luthier, I've run across several dulcimers that have needed major repairs done. Some of them were my own! I think of the time I sprayed finish on one and had it hanging upside down to dry. Only it didn't stay hanging -- it fell and busted its head on the floor! Fortunately I could piece the splintered wood back together again, and the repair is almost unnoticeable.

I'm sure some of you builders have "tales of woe and intrigue" regarding old or damaged dulcimers that have looked almost beyond hope of saving. How about sharing one or two?


updated by @john-c-knopf: 06/08/16 09:24:05PM