Thank you for your wonderful playing of the epinette. I have a small one that really calls out for French tunes. Thanks for giving me another tune to aspire to. I enjoy the unusual instruments you use and the creative ways you make them sing.   

Lovely and spritely, John Henry!  Just had to stop by and have another listen to you playing this sweet French tune on one of your wonderful epinettes.     

Pretty instrument and playing John Henry. Good-looking passel of dulcimers next to ya also

John,

He's doing fine, thanks! He's becoming quite opinionated, and vocal, about his likes and dislikes. He reaches for things, and although he doesn't seem to quite get the holding on part, he can surely grab and hang on tight when it's a hank of my beard hair! Ow! Oh, and what Sam said, it's a beautiful instrument, in addition to it's great sound!

Tony

Very pretty JH, has a quaint yet alluring quality. The tune and the instrument are both lovely.

Totally with you there Tony!!! To play/use something that you have made really does add another dimension to things, I am almost ashamed to say that I prefer 'mine' to those made by others (and I have experienced a wide variety over the years)

John

(how's that new member of the family doing?)

Tony.......how would I describe the sound ? As near as darn it to that of the epinettes I heard at San Chartrie, where they were holding their own against squeeze boxes, pipes of all descriptions, and hurdy gurdies, all of which have their own 'drones', so the brighter, tighter sound of the plain strings seemed more able to cut thro' ? Funny thing is I had put the instrument to the back of my mind a long time ago, and instead concentrated on both types of dulcimer, (MD & HD), until Geoff Black, a member here, showed me a couple that he had in his possession and reminded me just how much I liked their sound, and how easy they are to play ? (and that once I had actually danced thro most of a night to their sound. Hey Ho !)

best wishes

John

I just made my way through the rest of the comments, John, and while I hadn't really known what sound I was after, it may be that I wasn't fuelling it with enough wine . But the fun is in the building, to be sure!

Tony

John,

Thank you! I don't know how I missed this for this long, Very nice! Those plain steel strings have a very different sound from the wound drones I ended up with. How would you describe it? Brighter? More of a ringing sound? I surely like the sound that makes, though!

I guess I'll just have to build another one to put all my plain strings back on .

Tony

What a cool sounding instrument! You play great and the instrument sound awesome! Can't wait to hear more!

I've put the wire for strings and frets in my bag already

Thanks Robin, my reputation is pretty poor anyway, no need for you to pile it on! The trick with the epinette is to work hard to play it quietly, and when I concentrate on that, the left hand suffers.

I am working hard to get to ??? Ross on Wye (Geoffs place) ???, and would really appreciate it if you could spare a metre of that wire you are using for frets? Got tinber cut and generally prepared for three instruments, just got to find some energy from somewhere ???

Look forward to seeing you again

John

Hey John - that's really pretty

And bloody loud!!!!!! It is amazing how much sound those little high tuned instruments kick out!

Hopefully see you tomorrow in Hereford.

I've heard that you naughty boys are going to be made to sit quetly at the back of the class when Stephen does his stuff Not me obviously - I'm one of the good boys

John--I meant by "play it" that I was going to click on the little arrow and watch YOU "play it" a few more times!! that is far more enjoyable than my playing! If I were a bit handier with computers, I would know how to download your videos as audio files and make a playable list--kind of a John Henry Album.

Very nice John H. :)

Thanks John, it is beginning to take on a bit of character now, I have dropped the string gauges by 'one', those friction tuners did'nt like going up as high as 'd' with the heavier strings, horses for courses I suppose. Thanks for answering John R ! I will most likely see you tomorrow. As you said, it will be interesting to see how Stephen Seifert deals with such a diverse set of 'Brits'

John

Hey there Rick ! Now, when you say that you are going to play it a few more times, does that mean you are ready to post it here and show my sloppy playing up.......... !

Cheryl, it is resting on a possum board, better played on a table really, but my desk was just a bit cluttered and lazy as I am.........., and yes, I did make the epinette.

Mr Adams, I thank you for listening, the tune is best heard while at the same time watching a whole pile of folk dancing to it !!! (note I said watching , preferably sat down with a glass of something in your hand)

thank you for your comment

John

John

A lovely tune beautifully played, John!

What lovely instrument! Is it sitting on a possum board? Is it one of your creations? Very nicely played as well JH...very sweet!

Cheryl