Hi Wayne

Thanks for the reply

The dulcimersounds great, and looks like it has been in the case for the last 35 years and never played.

Its a pain in the neck to tune with the friction tuners though.

Thanks again for the help.

Wayne Jiang said:

Hi Ed,

I talked to Steve Palazoo today got some info on your dulcimer. Steve is now a guitar teacher in Santa Cruz. In the late 70's and 80's he worked for Folkroots, the dulcimer company in Felton (near Santa Cruz) and he also worked for Santa Cruz guitar company. According to him there was a dulcimer maker in Santa Cruz named Ray Popelka in the early 70's. From what he described your dulcimer your dulcimer looks very much like Ray's dulcimer. Ray also taught how to make dulcimer thru Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation in the early 70's. Steve told me his girlfriend in high school had a Ray Popelka dulcimer in 1973. According to Steve, Ray is now living in Colorado.

Very interesting. This does not have the body shape of a Folkroots/Capritaurus dulcimer. I'll ask Howard Rugg if he knows Ray Watkins.

Have more info and a pic. I bought the dulcimer and on the inside is "Popelka #122, Ray Watkins, June 1975, Santa Cruz Ca." It doesnt look like it has ever been played.

I found out the ad on CL was misspelled, it is a Popelka Dulcimer and the luthier is Ray

Watkins. The plot thickens

Thanks everyone for your input

Ed

One more thing. You might want to contact Howard Rugg about this. Howard is one of my friends In FOTMD. He started and ran Folkroots dulcimer the time your dulcimer was made

Wayne Jiang said:

I know a few luthiers in Santa Cruz. a lot of them made one of two dulcimers at one point in the 70's. The otherpossibilityis it could be build by one of the employee of Folkroots or Capritaurus dulcimers in Felton, Ca which is just few miles from Santa Cruz. Folkroots and Capritaurus was biggest dulcimer producer at the time in California if not the west coast in the late 70's.

Can you post picture of it. If it has body like the Folkroot/Capritaurus there is a good chance it was made in Felton.

Ed Day said:

Ed - do you mean Kokopelli? That's the name of one of the Anasazi Spirit people. My dear friend Kerry Coates of Ruidoso, NM was famous for her Kokopelli dulcimer design. Although she's not building anymore, she is performing and doing a lot of other things. Check her out at www.gilamountaindulcimers.com

Sevceral others have made Kokopelli themed dulcimers as well, including Molly McCurdy, Tom Yocky and Bill Webster

Made 1978, dont have a luthier name.

Wayne Jiang said:

What year is it made? Do you have the name of the luthier?

Does anyone have any information on KopelkaDulcimer made in Santa Cruz, Ca. ??

Google search only came up with on on CL.