Help: Got a mountain dulcimer you don't want?

Subject: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 12:28 AM

Are there any mountain dulcimer players out there who have an instrument for sale? I need another standard length, 4 string mountain dulcimer so I can play duets with Banjomama. I've looked at some of the used instrument sights on the web. No luck. Any help?

Banjoman

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: Gary T
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 01:59 AM

Banjoman, I suspect a that lot of harried parents, after having their hopes raised by this thread title, are going to be disappointed that you're looking for a dulcimer rather than a child. VBG

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 02:07 AM

Don't our pal Catspaw build these things?

~S~

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: GUEST,khandu
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 11:13 AM

Have you considered building your own? You can purchase the kit which includes everything you will need and complete instructions.

They are not very difficult to build, requires a bit of patience.

I built one from a kit and aside from being very satisified with the finished product, I received a very affirming sense of accomplishment.

I also built a hammered dulcimer from a kit. It was quite a bit more difficult, but it turned out rather nicely.

As much as I enjoyed building them, I would not care to build another!

khandu

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: black walnut
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 11:20 AM

a while ago i went to many music stores in the area to play dulcimers, trying them out for a friend of mine. we couldn't find a single one of them, new or used, that were playable.

it seems to me that by word of mouth, you find a good builder, then you put in your order.....folks with a decent dulcimer rarely let them go, at least on this side of the border.

~'nut

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: Naemanson
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 11:26 AM

I have a friend with two for sale. She was going to have them assessed before she offered them up. I will be seeing her tomorrow and will ask her about them. She's offered one to me. These are quality instruments. They have friction pegs though.

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 11:27 AM

It's a good idea to say which continent or country etc you are in for a query like this.

(I half thought from the title this was going to be another thread about the US election...)

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 11:32 AM

I haven't had much experience with the kits, but the ones I've seen are pretty simple and complete. Just follow the directions. The kits I have seen are pretty decent wood and well cut too.

I just checked Elderly "Vintage" (used) section under Apps for the hell of it, and they have two. One is a nice pretty generic dulcimer for a hundred bucks, but the other.............

Want to consider buying a really NICE dulcimer? Check out the Warren May. Warren is a woodworker in Berea, Kentucky and builds some of the most beautiful/natural instruments you can find. He is a true craftsman in the oldest and best sense of the word. Additionally, he uses local woods which are the very ones that people used for years. Check this one out.......Butternut top, just lovely. He also makes his own friction tuning pegs. Have a look and although you may not have considered buying such an instrument, it is well worth the money.........and they have absolutely fantastic sound.

ELDERLY INSTRUMENTS

Spaw

Spaw

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 11:41 AM

Ha ha...I got mine (dulcimer that is) from Sorcha, and you can't have it!

I did find that when I was checking all the music stores for either a hammered dulcimer or a mountain dulcimer to rent, they often have the mountain dulcimers on hand. But if you want a hammered dulcimer, they all seem to get rented out for several months right after the local college has a class that teaches beginning playing.

Also, here in Kentucky we have a very active Folk Society that has a lot of dulcimer players that often have word of mouth leads on used ones to buy. There are several websites for the dulcimer and folk societies that may have some leads.

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 12:23 PM

Used dulcimers. That's a tough one.

The market for used lap dulcimers is mostly nonexistant. Unless you are part of a network of lap dulcimer players it is quite difficult to find one for purchase and even more difficult to sell one. Been there.

Of course there's always ebay. I myself have never sold anything on or purhased anything from ebay. I occasionally check ebay for dulcimers because people sometimes ask me the same question you asked. ebay normally has dulcimers I wouldn't take as a gift, but once in a while I will see a dulcimer by a luther I respect. I think that a number of knowledgable dulcimer players lurk ebay. The few decent lap dulcimers I have seen attracted bids that suggest they were made by people who know what they were bidding on. At ebay go to Music > Musical Instruments > String and search on "dulcimer".

A better bet might be to look for local groups of dulcimer players. Attend a meeting. Ask questions. See http://www.zsigray.com/md.c.index.html.

Also check the classifieds in Dulcimer Players News (http://www.whistlepig.com/dpnews/)

Where/how did you get the dulcimer you are currently playing? Repeat that process.

Be patient.

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: GUEST,khandu
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 12:34 PM

J.B. Keith in Clinton, MS builds quality dulcimers (mountain and hammered). I do not know if he has a web site. His phone # is: 601-924-7038.

khandu

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: GUEST,MV
Date: 13 Nov 00 - 02:48 PM

If you are from the Midwest, here's the e-mail addy of a first-class luthier from Illinois. He organizes MD workshops at Dickson Mounds Indian Museum.

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Apr 07 - 10:41 PM

Also check out McSpadden Dulcimers in Mountain Home, Arkansas. VERY good dulcimers, nice price too. Choice of shape, size, wood, geared or friction pegs, etc. McSpadden has a web page.

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: Ebbie
Date: 17 Apr 07 - 11:42 PM

Sorcha, I do hope Guest hasn't been sitting there all these years holding his breath. *G*

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Apr 07 - 11:46 PM

hee hee. Sorry, bed time. Oh well.

Subject: RE: Help: Got one you want to get rid of???
From: Bugsy
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 12:07 AM

How much do you charge for one 'Spaw???


Cheers


Bugsy