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.
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Latest Group Discussions
AllT - 6
This is my sixth teardrop dulcimer. The shape comes from plans by Scott...
@Ken Longfield 2 years ago - Comments: 12
Latest project - Prichard
I started to build a C.N. Prichard reproduction, but made a mistake...
@Ken Longfield 3 years ago - Comments: 9
Making wood tuning pegs
For those of us who make wood tuning pegs, what finish do you put on...
@Ken Longfield 3 years ago - Comments: 3
Current build
Here are some photos as I near the completion of this project. The...
@Ken Longfield 3 years ago - Comments: 15
Tuning peg knobs
I have a customer who is having the tuning pegs replaced on two of his...
@Ken Longfield 4 years ago - Comments: 23
Wood Choice - Food For Thought
I came across this experiment for classical guitars and found it...
@Ken Longfield 7 years ago - Comments: 13
The Ugly Dulcimer - A Story
Somewhere and at sometime someone decided to build a mountain dulcimer...
@Ken Longfield 5 years ago - Comments: 8
Repairing a Diamond Dulcimer
While this is not a build, we do not have a specific area to show...
@Ken Longfield 9 years ago - Comments: 17
PA German Zitter
Here are some photos of PA German zitter reproduction I'm making. There...
@Ken Longfield 6 years ago - Comments: 17
Not a Mountain Dulcimer
A few folks here at FOTMD know that I was working on a hammered...
@Ken Longfield 10 years ago - Comments: 9
A New "Old" Project
Back maybe 20 to 25 years ago, my sister was wandering through a yard...
@Ken Longfield 6 years ago - Comments: 2
Stanley Hicks article
Although not dulcimer specific, Stanley Hicks played a significant...
@Ken Longfield 7 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 8 years ago - Comments: 14
PA German Zitter
As I understand it, Jean Ritchie saw a PA German Zitter in the...
@Ken Longfield 8 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 8 years ago - Comments: 1
Wartz Tab Book Corrections
In the Wartz tab book for the DAA "Leaning On The Everlasting Arms,"...
@Ken Longfield 9 years ago - Comments: 2
My First Prichard
It is not quite finished, but I thought I would share a photo of my...
@Ken Longfield 9 years ago - Comments: 14
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 9 years ago - Comments: 6
String tension calculations
Over at the Banjo Hangout I saw a posting for a string tension...
@Ken Longfield 9 years ago - Comments: 5
Latest Photos
AllLatest Forum Discussions
AllMike Clemmer
By: @Skip
Don Pedi honored
By: @Susie
Joni Mitchell and Mountain Dulcimers
By: @Dusty Turtle
Zoom group invitation
By: @Ken Longfield
An Interesting News Story from West Virginia
By: @Ken Longfield
Bonnie Carol
By: @Ken Longfield
Newspaper Article
By: @Robin Thompson
Jon Pickow's last performance
By: @Ken Hulme
Sad News -- RIP Ralph Lee Smith
By: @Robin Thompson
Dr. George Orthey, Mountain dulcimer and...
By: @Robin Thompson
Anyone bidding"
By: @Susie
The New ED
By: @Ken Longfield
Guitar project
By: @Susie
Just For Fun - sayings regarding the...
By: @Strumelia
Sad News
By: @jeffrey charles foster
Capritaurus Dulcimer - Oh My!
By: @Robin Thompson
Hindman Dulcimer Homecoming
By: @Jan Potts
Ukulele construction
By: @Ken Longfield
Hindman, Kentucky
By: @John C. Knopf
Wayfaring Strangers
By: @Ron Larson2
Clifford Glenn
By: @Ken Longfield
For Old Time Music Fans
By: @Ken Longfield
Folk Music Resources
By: @Ken Longfield
A photo for Patty from Virginia
By: @Patty from Virginia
The Dulcimer in Eastern Kentucky Videos
By: @Rob N Lackey
2014 National Mountain Dulcimer Champions
By: @John Keane
Encyclopedia of Appalachia
By: @Ken Longfield
Comments
Hello Ken,
Thank You for warm welcoming me.
Greetings from Germany
Torsten
Hi Ken,
Thanks for the warm welcome. Looks like a great community here.
Kyle
Thank you! I have a question. If I have a Chromatic Dulcimer can I play it the same as a diatonic by just ignoring the extra frets?
Thank You Ken,
I'm having a great time learning to play the dulcimer, and improving my very limited understanding of music theory.
I've read this website for a while now, and it seems like a it is a group of friendly, knowledgeable and helpful users.
Regards,
Jeff Curtis
Thank you for the welcome. I am very new to the dulcimer and am delighted to have found this website.
Thank you very much. It's a blessing to have found this place. I'll be around looking for all the advise and pointers I can get. I'm not musically inclined in the slightest. Shalom.
Well, we enjoy answering questions, so ask way. If folks don't know the answer, we'll make up a response that sounds reasonable (just kidding). You'll find many knowledgeable people here. There are no silly or ridiculous questions.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Hi Ken, thanks for the welcome and likewise! Already have a bunch of questions lined up and chompin' at the bit to learn.
-Kevin
Thanks for the welcome. I'm looking forward to learning to play this thing and to meeting lots of folks.
Hi Ken,
It is good to be back! For the last couple of years, I have performed other types of music with my hubby. We took early retirement and plan to travel and play music as we go. We may very well cross paths with you as we travel!
Thank so much for your welcome. I have very sweet memories of Ruth teaching me when I was so young!
Thank you Ken. I'm halfway through a build at the moment (spruce top, sycamore back and sides, 27" scale). Very close to needing to commit on soundholes so will have a look round here - I magine it has been discussed. Also keen to discover new players and music styles on dulcimer.