Jack Ferguson

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Location: Salem, VA
Country: US

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videos: 4

Amazing Grace on 8-string Standard-Bass Scheitholt


musician/member name: Music
Duration: 00:01:38
description:
Jack Ferguson Designs, appflutes.myshopify.com
Jack Ferguson
09/21/25 11:17:06AM @jack-ferguson:

Thanks Ken. I respect your level of research, and simply try to bridge the gap by referring to the instrument(s) as Scheitholt/hummel. My main interest, and expertice, is with the building of top-quality instruments that resemble the original designs, but also have features making them more appealing to dulcimer players.  

Jack Ferguson


Ken Longfield
09/21/25 10:53:08AM @ken-longfield:

Jack, that is a very beautiful and delightful sounding instrument. You do excellent work. I began researching the scheitholt in the late 1990s. Ralph Lee Smith and I discussed the issue of nomenclature surrounding the zitters and hummels many times. He said the cat was out of the bag regarding the schietholt and not worth pursuing. I, on the other hand, said that we do a disservice to the schietholt by calling instruments that are not scheitholts scheitholts. I realize that this is a losing battle and that I am tilting a windmills, but I do think the lowly scheitholt deserves its proper recognition. A great deal of research has gone into this position. Here are a few books that are helpful in this discussion: 

Baxley, Laura Young, German Settlers, The Encyclopedia of North Carolina, edited by

William S. Powell, The University of North Carolina Press, ncpedia.org, 2006.

Mercer, Henry C., The Zithers of the Pennsylvania Germans, The Bucks County Historical

Society, Doylestown, PA, January 20, 1923.

Praetorius, Michael, English translation and edited by David A. Crookes, Sytagma Musicum

II, De Organgraphia Parts I and II, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1986.

Ritchie, Jean, The Dulcimer Book, Oak Publications, New York, 1963.

Seeger, Charles, 1958, The Appalachian Dulcimer, The Journal of American Folklore, Vol.

71, No. 279, pp. 40-51.

Ulrich, Wilfried, English translation by Christa Farnon, The Story of the Hummel (German

Scheitholt), Museumdorf Cloppenburg, Norden, Eastfrisia, Germany, 2011.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."


Jack Ferguson
09/21/25 12:59:01AM @jack-ferguson:

Search the internet for "scheitholt" in order to learn more about the evolution of the instrument I identify as a Scheitholt. The other names you will most often find are Hummel and Zither. It is my understanding that the use of Scheitholt or Hummel depended on the geographic location of the builder. Both are part of the ZIther family of stringed instruments and considered to be ancestors of the American Dulcimer. I've attached a short video demonstrating what I refer to as my Design2 Scheitholt. Jack Ferguson 

https://youtu.be/_kNhXN06Xtg?si=SAw6W_s_bwQHIPaY


Jack Ferguson
09/20/25 11:18:15PM @jack-ferguson:

Thank you for your comment, Ken. I have been building this instrument since 2010, following a great deal of research over the internet, and in museums, so I am fully aware of the Hummel/scheitholt naming inconsistencies. I chose to go with scheitholt, but usually refer to it as scheitholt/hummel. Mine is different than the original renesaunce pieces because of how Ii place the zither pins, and because of my raised fretboard. These differences were made in order to make the instrument easier to play for American dulcimer players. The final design accomplished what I wanted regarding the quality  of sound produced, and playability. Jack Ferguson 


Ken Longfield
09/20/25 09:22:29PM @ken-longfield:

chas5131:

Thank you.   Have never heard a Scheitholt.  

Interesting

 

And you still haven't. That's an 8 string hummel or some variation of a hummel. Scheitholts never hand more than 4 strings and no raised fret board. It is, however, a very pleasant sounding instrument. I mean no disrespect. I've spent many years researching the scheitholt and all the instruments we call scheitholts are generally hummels. Hopefully there will be more information about this in the next issue of DPN.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."


chas5131
09/18/25 08:59:26PM @chas5131:

Thank you.   Have never heard a Scheitholt.  

Interesting


Nate
06/19/25 04:56:47PM @nate:

This is awesome. The tone is so full.


Cindy Stammich
06/18/25 10:41:21PM @cindy-stammich:

One of my all-time favorite hymns and it sounds wonderful on this instrument!  Simply beautiful!