Lap (mountain) ducimer at WalMart

Subject: Lap (mountain) ducimer at WalMart
From: Jon W.
Date: 29 Nov 05 - 11:12 AM

I was surprised to see that my local WalMart had in stock some inexpensive (perhaps even cheap) mountain dulcimers (about US $60). I doubt they were anything really great or anything but the implications staggered me. Either something is really wrong with the world, or really right, I dunno, for such a folkie instrument to be mass-marketed.

Subject: RE: Lap (mountain) ducimer at WalMart
From: Ernest
Date: 29 Nov 05 - 11:18 AM

Must have been a Lapsus of the guys who do the buying for WalMart.

Maybe they ordered top Lap dulcimers instead of Laptops?

Subject: RE: Lap (mountain) ducimer at WalMart
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 29 Nov 05 - 12:17 PM

Get your dulcimer here
G.

Subject: RE: Lap (mountain) ducimer at WalMart
From: KateG
Date: 29 Nov 05 - 01:39 PM

Consensus on the dulcimer digest a few months ago was that they were extremely inconsistent in quality, and most of them had impossibly high action and dreadful intonation.

While there is a place in the world for "starter" instruments, said instruments should be minimally functional. I returned to the guitar on a $250 Alvarez small bodied that played nicely and was perfectly in tune. I moved on to a Martin (two actually -- GAS strikes), but my little Alvarez is enjoying a second career with a friend who wanted to experiment with alternate tunings and didn't want to shell out for another guitar just now.

On the other hand, you can get a dulcimer from a reputable American builder for under $300 -- Black Mountain, Folkcraft and McSpadden all have instruments in that price range or lower. It's one of the few instruments where you can get top quality without breaking the bank (I know, the prize goes to harmonicas and penny whistles, but after that...).

On the other hand, the Maulwart dulcimers are probably bringing a few more people into the fold who would not otherwise known of the existance of the instrument. When I play out, at least 50% of the people who stop to listen also ask "What's that?" -- then there's the 5% who say "I have one in my closet."

Subject: RE: Lap (mountain) ducimer at WalMart
From: Kaleea
Date: 29 Nov 05 - 02:18 PM

My first Mtn. Dulcimer was procured by me during my college days for $7 in the bargain basement of the local DAV thrift shop. It was an extremely poor quality kit that was put together by somebody who evidently did not know how to place flap A into slot B, use paste correcly, or color between the lines in their coloring book. Yet, it was far superior to the ones now sold at wallyworld aka maulwart. I have 2 McSpaddens, one I got used which was built in 1976, and one I special ordered to my specs about 5 years back. They were made & signed by the same person.
One can also get a cheapie cardboard mtn dulcimer for about $60 which sounds & plays much better than the maulwart abomination. I saw one that a feller made with a rectangular plastic food storage container from a dollar store as the sound box. What's even more fun, is to make one. Try making a 3 stringed Canjimer-the finger/fretboard of a mtn. dulcimer attached to a can like a "Canjo." You can play it with the can sitting on your lap or a table with your fingers coming from behind the fretboard--sort of like a strumstick. All of the above are by far superior to the maulwart $60 + tax down the drain.

Subject: RE: Lap (mountain) ducimer at WalMart
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 29 Nov 05 - 02:42 PM

I've never set foot in a Wal-Mart and never will -- even if this were a decent quality product.

Probably some Third World next-thing-to-slave-laborer was paid a pittance to put it together.

I won't put money in Adolphe Coors' coffers either (even if that swill were fit to drink).

Linn

Subject: RE: Lap (mountain) ducimer at WalMart
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 29 Nov 05 - 04:05 PM

There was some discussion of the Walmart dulcimer back in August at Walmart Dulcimer????.

Mostly speculation and guesswork, as I don't believe anyone who posted had actually examined one first hand, but a look at the earlier thread may suggest additional points of discussion.

John

Subject: RE: Lap (mountain) ducimer at WalMart
From: leftydee
Date: 30 Nov 05 - 09:31 AM

You are on the right track Bat Goddess. Walmart is an evil empire.