Musical instruments made by 'catters

Subject: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Eluned
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 06:19 AM

While browsing through the member photos (for the first time) I noticed that one of 'spaw's photos was of a hammer dulcimer, with catpaw-prints on it, titled "a cat'spaw hammer dulcimer". Does 'spaw MAKE hammer dulcimers? How much does one generally cost? Does anyone else here make instruments? Perhaps this is all old hat to many of you folks, but I find this exciting.
Eluned

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: pavane
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 06:57 AM

I have a friend who makes Welsh hornpipes (the instrument, not the tune!) on an amateur basis (can't remember what the welsh name is but it starts with pib). But he has problems in obtaining supplies of cow horns, because most cows are de-horned these days, and also needs apple wood for the stems.

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 07:08 AM

Geoff made his banjo which features :-) on the mudcat calendar but doesn't do it professionally.

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Naemanson
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 07:19 AM

I make my own rhythm bones. I have been experimenting with different woods and shapes. I played two pair on the Mudcat Radio Episode 86.

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 07:46 AM

G'day Eluned,

Like Naemanson, I also make rhythm bones - I have made some 80 sets with more that 40 different woods - mostly Australian hardwoods, but also a range of lighter timbers, right down to some of our native pines. I'm not sure I have yet learnt anything definitive about woods (versus what I do with them). I also haven't yet made any as good as those my Dad made!

I also made about 20 assorted large (PVC and aluminium)whistles in 1999 - getting back to whistles after a 3 decade hiatus. I think I have digested the lessons from them and might have another making flurry when summer heads back to the antipodes.

Since I have a specific interest in the place of portable and improvised instruments in the Australian tradition, I have dabbled in some strange areas of things that use up leftover items and jingle or twang along with the music - even done some childrens' workshop on these for the Australian Museum.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Willie-O
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 08:08 AM

Spaw does indeed build hammered dulcimers professionally, and they are supposed to be pretty good for being spot-welded together by an old auto-mechanic...

I made one myself, once, and a banjo. Back in the days when I was going to be a luthier. A career that demands a large quantity of focus and persistence which I lack.

Willie-O

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: 8_Pints
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 08:42 AM

I have made two bodhrans in the past, but I don't think that counts as a musical instrument, does it!

Bob vG

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Les from Hull
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 08:42 AM

I certainly admire these people who play their own bones. That's dedication for you!

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 09:44 AM

As a cabinetmaker and player, repairing and setting up guitars seemed to come naturally.

For a long time now, I have wanted to construct a concert quality steel strung acoustic with a detachable neck, to facilitate transport problems, and have finally got round to starting it. Working out the neck joint design took almost three years waiting for inspiration to strike. There have been other instruments built with a similar concept, notably by Rick Turner and Andy Manson, but none of the neck joints seemed quite right to me.

Now that I have finally completed construction of my own workshop, the first one should be completed within the next couple of months.

Murray

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 12:19 PM

In my time as a Blacksmith I have made a lot of Triangles, the dinner gong thingies, a few of which were purchased as musical instruments. On the woodlathe I have made quite few Bodhran Bashers, sorry Tippers, there again if you can't call a Bodhran a musical instrument. JohnB

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 12:25 PM

I've DESIGNED several instruments, but Glen Reid of Burk's Falls Ont. put them together. I've got imagination, but he's got SKILL.

Have made lots of accessories though, mutes, capos, weird picks etc.

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Jon W.
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 02:27 PM

I've built a few instruments - banjos, Mt. dulcimer, Hammered Dulcimer, kalimba, some whistles of PVC. My wood top banjo can be seen in the Mudcat pix. Since that picture was taken I've had to make some reinforcements and reset it. I've recently discovered "D" tuning (f#DF#AD)for the banjo and it seems this is the tuning that the old wood top sounds best in. I'm practicing "Wildwood Flower" these days. It's really satisfying to play an instrument you've built yourself.

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: catspaw49
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 03:18 PM

In answer to the question about me, yes I was building professionally before a series of heart problems made the whole thing seem undoable. Things were actually going quite well, but no matter how hard I tried, I didn't seem to have the energy to get things moving again after the bypass. With this last operation, I realize just how much I had "lost" with the deterioration of my mitral valve. Now, I'm going to play this recovery period by the book and we'll see where it goes from there.

After some initial stabs at it, I came up with something different in sound and design for both Hammered Dulcimer and Appalachian Dulcimer as well. If I start with Hammered again I will retain the same soundbox design and make a few mods to the external appearance. I also made some repairs and setups on guitars and had built a couple of autoharps that had nothing new or exciting about them. I did like my asymmertical lap dulcimer design a lot.

I was also making some musical folk toys including a two string stick dulcimer (CLICK HERE FOR SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS) which I sold at street fairs and other fests.

Murray, I'll be waiting to hear about your neck and your guitar!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: hackerguitar
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 03:21 PM

I've built a few guitars. Mostly, they're parlor instruments (slightly smaller than Martin 0-size) with a 12-fret neck. They're made of hardwoods native to the US (Cherry, Maple) rather than exotics like rosewood (after I've built enough to be able to do so properly, I'll use exotics). Interestingly, adding a 2" spacer between the sides of the mold gives me a really nice 14-fret 00 size. That's the next guitar!!

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 03:33 PM

Cherry makes a wonderful sounding guitar. I have only played one myself, but many others will vouch for its qualities. It is a pity more makers do not utilise this homegrown wood.

My choice for my first is mahogany, simply because I have enough of the stuff in stock, and, because there are so many mahogany guitars, I will have a benchmark for comparison.

It is possible the guitar might end up sounding like a goose farting on a foggy day, Spaw, we will know in due course !

Murray

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: GUEST,Walking Eagle
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 03:43 PM

I'm going to try Spaws' two stringed dulcimer. I think it's a gas and I'll finally get to bring something different to dulcimer band. Can't say as I've made anything else though

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: catspaw49
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 03:55 PM

Walking Eagle, it's hard to tell who has more fun with the things....new players and kids or experienced player having a good time!!! Howie Mitchell once referred to the stick dulcimers as a "dulciless" as opposed to the mountain word "dulcimore."

Murray.......I think some are starting to look more at native tonewoods and you probably see it a lot more in the dulcimer world because for many years they were built from whatever local woods were available. Many of the "majors" guitars that are show models are made from native woods.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: GUEST,Butch
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 05:39 PM

I am just completing banjo # 185. All but a few of my banjos are historical reporductions of originals from the 1820's - the 1860's. I also have made tambourines, bones, bodhrans, a violin and have a guitar on the way. More fun than I should be allowed to have!

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Matt Woodbury/Mimosa
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 06:33 PM

John Peekstock works at a company that makes hammerd dulcimers and some of the best lever harps in the US. My first harp is a Dusty Strings Allegro, which is the bottom of the line, and it's a wonderful instrument. I may need more harps, but I think I'll always keep this one.
Mimosa

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: pavane
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 06:42 PM

I have it now. The instrument that my friend makes is called a 'pibgorn' which is Welsh for horn pipe. Not that I am impressed by the sound it makes, but I suppose that's progress.

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: pavane
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 06:45 PM

And many years ago, I ran into a guy called Jay Myrdal, whose day job was taking pictures of naked women for magazines such as Playboy. (He REALLY loved his job). His wife made chromatic ocarinas, and we played a duet on the London Underground, Ocarina and (Blues) Harmonica. Those were the days! (c1974). Never saw him again.

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: bigchuck
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 07:45 PM

I've been a guitar mechanic (also fiddle, banjo, etc) for a number of years now. I have been playing a couple of mandolins I made (flattop style) for some time now. I do hope to do a guitar or two some day, but haven't had the right combination of time and discipline to do so.
Sandy

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Banjer
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 07:48 PM

I built myself a lap dulcimer. I have pictures of it that I will put up on the new Photopoint site one of these days. It wasn't anything special, just made out of scrap wood I had laying around the house. Lot of fun in playing it!

Subject: RE: BS: Musical instruments made by 'catters
From: Butch
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 10:14 PM

I am on banjo # 185 as of today. Mostly early banjos (circa 1820-1865) fret-free, gut strung banjos.

I have also made tambourines, bones, violins and bodhrans. I'm not sure which I like better, building or performing. When I get to banjo 1085 I will let you know.