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Location:

Location: Reedsville, PA
Country: US

My Latest Followers:

Stats

youtube videos: 1

images: 72

events: 2

Groups: 1

I am retired and live in the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania. I built my first mountain dulcimer in 1974. I continue to build mountain dulcimers, hammered dulcimers and do repair work on them as well as guitars and banjos. I enjoy old time music, bluegrass, and folk music from before and after the folk scare of the 1950s and 1960s.

Latest Activity

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@ken-longfield • 23 hours ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on @roberta:

"Welcome to FOTMD Roberta. It is good to another Pennsylvanian aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer..."

@ken-longfield • 23 hours ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on @vulcan57:

"Welcome to FOTMD Vulcan57. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet..."

@ken-longfield • 23 hours ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on @julie-b:

"Welcome to FOTMD Julie B. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet..."

@ken-longfield • 2 days ago • comments: 4
Liked a vimeo item created by @tssfulk: “Där Tjänade en Jungfru” Hummel

@ken-longfield • 3 days ago • comments: 4
Posted a new Comment on @sue-vozar:

"Welcome to FOTMD Sue. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • 3 days ago • comments: 4
Posted a new Comment on @robert-winslow:

"Welcome to FOTMD Robert. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • 3 days ago • comments: 4
Posted a new Comment on A Livestream Test:

"Sorry I couldn't tune in while you were "live" Rob. I enjoyed the recorded "live" view. Thanks for doing this. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • 3 days ago • comments: 8
Posted a new Comment on German Electric Scheitholt:

"Dein Spiel ist sehr gut. Wundervoller Klang. Did you build the instrument? I am confused by the useof the term "scheitholt." I can understand using "Hummel"..."

@ken-longfield • 3 days ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "Dulcimer String Anchor Pins":

"I'm not a big fan of the single wooden peg as a string anchor. I think wrapping all the strings around it looks ugly. Just my opinion. I use brass coated..."

@ken-longfield • 4 days ago • comments: 4
Liked a photos item created by @bob-stephens: Figured Walnut with Port Orford Cedar Soundboard

@ken-longfield • 4 days ago • comments: 0
Liked a photos item created by @bob-stephens: Figured Walnut with Port Orford Cedar Soundboard

@ken-longfield • 4 days ago • comments: 7
Posted a new Comment on @martha-woodstock:

"Welcome to FOTMD Martha. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • 5 days ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "Rest in peace, Maddie MacNeil":

"I first met Maddie when both of us worked in Shenandoah National Park. I can't remember if we first met in 1971 or 1973. Occasionally my wife and I would..."

@ken-longfield • one week ago • comments: 8
Posted a new Comment on @anneg:

"Welcome to FOTMD AnneG. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • one week ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on @dtester:

"Welcome to FOTMD DTester. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • one week ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on @tvprice:

"Welcome to FOTMD TVPrice. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • 2 weeks ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on @dockildare:

"I you ordered a replacement nut and bridge from McSpadden you should have no problem changing them out. You may need to adjust the height, but that is a..."

@ken-longfield • 2 weeks ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on @neil:

"Neil, I am sorry for taking so long to get back to regarding the peg head on my latest teardrop dulcimer. The plan for the peg head came from an old..."

@ken-longfield • 2 weeks ago • comments: 0
Posted a response to "How is the COVID-19 coronavirus affecting you?":

"I, too, live in a rural area. All our dulcimer activities are cancelled because the nursing homes where we usually play are not allowing visitors. Also, a..."

@ken-longfield • 2 weeks ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on @danoneufer:

"Welcome to FOTMD Dan. It is good to have another Pennsylvanian aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings..."

@ken-longfield • 2 weeks ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on @kaleykenzie:

"Welcome to FOTMD Kaleykenzie. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet..."

@ken-longfield • 2 weeks ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on @dean:

"Welcome to FOTMD Dean. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • 3 weeks ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on @judy-s:

"Welcome to FOTMD judy S. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • 3 weeks ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on @dockildare:

"Welcome to FOTMD Dockildare. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet..."

@ken-longfield • 3 weeks ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on @don-b:

"Welcome to FOTMD Don B. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • 3 weeks ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on @xochipilli2012:

"Welcome to FOTMD Xochipilli2012. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet..."

@ken-longfield • 4 weeks ago • comments: 15
Posted a new Comment on Current build:

"Thanks, Ken, but this is an old thread from January. Look below and you'll find you first post. Glad to see that your opinion didn't change. Haha Ken "The..."

@ken-longfield • 4 weeks ago • comments: 15
Posted a new Comment on Current build:

"Thank you, Steven. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • 4 weeks ago • comments: 15
Posted a new Comment on Current build:

"Neil, thank you for your kind and generous comments. I am not sure where I came up with the peg head design for this instrument. I'll look through my files..."

@ken-longfield • 4 weeks ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on @neil:

"Welcome to FOTMD Neil. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • 4 weeks ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on @rill2b:

"Welcome to FOTMD Rill2b. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet song.""

@ken-longfield • one month ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on @egrigg:

"Welcome back to FOTMD Egrigg. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet..."

@ken-longfield • one month ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on @spoel:

"Welcome back to FOTMD Spoel. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet..."

@ken-longfield • one month ago • comments: 5
Posted a new Comment on @natebuildstoys:

"Welcome to FOTMD NateBuildsToys. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a sweet..."

@ken-longfield • one month ago • comments: 6
Posted a new Comment on @liverpoolwalrus:

"Welcome to FOTMD LiverpoolWalrus. It is good to have you aboard. I look forward to your participation in these discussions. Ken "The dulcimer sings a..."

Latest Group Discussions

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Current build

Here are some photos as I near the completion of this project. The...
@Ken Longfield 3 months ago - Comments: 15

Tuning peg knobs

I have a customer who is having the tuning pegs replaced on two of his...
@Ken Longfield 7 months ago - Comments: 23

The Ugly Dulcimer - A Story

Somewhere and at sometime someone decided to build a mountain dulcimer...
@Ken Longfield 2 years ago - Comments: 8

A New "Old" Project

Back maybe 20 to 25 years ago, my sister was wandering through a yard...
@Ken Longfield 3 years ago - Comments: 2

PA German Zitter

Here are some photos of PA German zitter reproduction I'm making. There...
@Ken Longfield 3 years ago - Comments: 17

Stanley Hicks article

Although not dulcimer specific, Stanley Hicks played a significant...
@Ken Longfield 4 years ago - Comments: 8

Wood Choice - Food For Thought

I came across this experiment for classical guitars and found it...
@Ken Longfield 4 years ago - Comments: 8

The Story of the Dulcimer, Second Edition

This is just a notice that it is available for pre-ordering on Amazon.
@Ken Longfield 5 years ago - Comments: 14

PA German Zitter

As I understand it, Jean Ritchie saw a PA German Zitter in the...
@Ken Longfield 5 years ago - Comments: 0

Old-time West Virginia bands

County Sales currently has these two CDs on sale for $7.00 each if...
@Ken Longfield 5 years ago - Comments: 1

Wartz Tab Book Corrections

In the Wartz tab book for the DAA "Leaning On The Everlasting Arms,"...
@Ken Longfield 6 years ago - Comments: 2

My First Prichard

It is not quite finished, but I thought I would share a photo of my...
@Ken Longfield 6 years ago - Comments: 15

J. E. Thomas Dulcimer #1465 played by Joe Collins

Here is a link to a video of Joe Collins playing my James E. "Uncle...
@Ken Longfield 6 years ago - Comments: 6

Repairing a Diamond Dulcimer

While this is not a build, we do not have a specific area to show...
@Ken Longfield 6 years ago - Comments: 17

String tension calculations

Over at the Banjo Hangout I saw a posting for a string tension...
@Ken Longfield 6 years ago - Comments: 7

Not a Mountain Dulcimer

A few folks here at FOTMD know that I was working on a hammered...
@Ken Longfield 7 years ago - Comments: 9

Latest Audio

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Latest Videos

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Landis Valley Zitter

@Ken Longfield
2 years ago - Comments: 17

Latest Photos

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Latest Forum Discussions

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Guitar project

Posted: Tuesday January 28 2020, 9:13 PM
By: @Susie

Just For Fun - sayings regarding the...

Posted: Monday April 8 2019, 5:54 PM
By: @Strumelia

Sad News

Posted: Tuesday January 15 2019, 8:16 PM
By: @jeffrey charles foster

Capritaurus Dulcimer - Oh My!

Posted: Thursday November 22 2018, 7:56 AM
By: @Robin Thompson

Hindman Dulcimer Homecoming

Posted: Monday February 26 2018, 12:56 PM
By: @Jan Potts

Ukulele construction

Posted: Thursday September 14 2017, 9:42 AM
By: @Ken Longfield

Hindman, Kentucky

Posted: Saturday November 26 2016, 9:14 PM
By: @John C. Knopf

Wayfaring Strangers

Posted: Thursday February 4 2016, 1:05 PM
By: @Ron Larson2

Clifford Glenn

Posted: Sunday July 26 2015, 10:17 AM
By: @Ken Longfield

For Old Time Music Fans

Posted: Friday April 3 2015, 1:07 PM
By: @Ken Longfield

Folk Music Resources

Posted: Wednesday February 11 2015, 1:18 PM
By: @Ken Longfield

A photo for Patty from Virginia

Posted: Thursday January 15 2015, 8:28 PM
By: @Patty from Virginia

The Dulcimer in Eastern Kentucky Videos

Posted: Thursday December 11 2014, 5:41 AM
By: @Rob N Lackey

2014 National Mountain Dulcimer Champions

Posted: Sunday September 21 2014, 7:35 AM
By: @John Keane

Encyclopedia of Appalachia

Posted: Friday October 19 2012, 10:17 PM
By: @Ken Longfield

Comments

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03/18/20 07:02:55AM @dockildare:

Cheers Ken. I'm wanting to electrify the dulcimer so ordered a L R Baggs bridge with pickup. The nut I reckon I can easily sort as you say. DoC

03/18/20 06:59:24AM @dockildare:

Many thanks Ken

03/10/20 11:55:15PM @judy-s:

Thank you, Ken.

02/10/20 05:31:51PM @dulcimerdonna:

Thank you!

01/30/20 01:59:41PM @pekwalker:

Thanks for allowing me to join. I hope to learn a lot

01/25/20 01:57:36PM @sheltie-lover:

I hope I'm posting in the right place. Have to get used to the site. Thanks for the welcome. Folkcraft is a nice place. My husband and I have visited a couple of times. Small little shop in a tiny little town. Beautiful dulcimers to see and hear!

01/15/20 10:38:59AM @jacques:

Thanks for your kind welcome Ken, I'm looking forward to joining discussion groups and asking lots of questions about this wonderful instrument I' just bought.