i need a small 'resonator' only

Subject: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: bobbytee
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 05:51 AM

hi
i want to build a mountain dulcimer with a resonator sound box. i am finding it hard find. any info greatfully received. uk only please.
thanks.....

Subject: RE: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 05:58 AM

A camping kettle?

Lindsay Porteous in Fife has done a lot of dulcimers like that. His most prized one used a copper hot water bottle.

Subject: RE: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 09:13 AM

I found that dulcimer resonated better when I put four small balls of Plasti-tak (Blu-tak) on the underside, then set it on a wooden table. The balls hold it off the table so that it is possible to look under the dulcimer and see light. This makes the instrument noticeably louder.

I have been playing on a table, rather than on my lap, for a long time.

Subject: RE: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 10:00 AM

The Turkish saz is organologically more or less the same thing as a mountain dulcimer (three courses, fretted, similar tunings), but has a small resonator. It's vastly louder. What Lindsay's been doing with dulcimers amounts to slowly reinventing the saz.

Subject: RE: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: Harmonium Hero
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 10:33 AM

bobbytee: by 'resonator soundbox' are you talking about building something along the lines of a Dobro- or National-type instrument, with an aluminium rsonator cone, or something with a small resonator instead of the long soundbox usual on dulcimers? You can buy resonator cones, but off-hand, I don't know where. On the other hand, people have built 'resonator' instruments using pie dishes instead of the specially-constructed cones, apparently successfully.
Jack: I think the difference in volume is to do with the fact that, on a saz, as with guitrs, mandolins and lots of other stringed instruments, the soundboard is free to vibrate, whereas on the dulcimer and other similar zithers, there's a fingerboard glued to it, running more or less the full length, thus stifling it somewhat. If you used raised wooden frets, glued directly on to the soundboard, I think you'd get a louder and brighter sound. You'd need to try it with two otherwise identical instruments to get a proper idea of the difference. Mind you, I've seen Lindsay using one with a pick-up, which is gonna make a difference....
John Kelly.

Subject: RE: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: Ed.
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 10:36 AM

Try Hobgoblin

Subject: RE: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: Harmonium Hero
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 11:23 AM

A-HA! Mind you, that might be a bit big for the normal dulcimer body. It would certainly be loud though. They reckon that the larger single cone is louder than the three smaller ones on a tricone - which was the original concept. But I would think that a single small cone (they are about 4") would be ok on a dulcimer. In fact, on an hour-glass dulcimer, ther's be scope for using two.
John Kelly.

Subject: RE: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: Bobert
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 03:06 PM

Go the CigarBoxNation... Someone over there will have the info you beed... You may have to join but it's easy...

B~

Subject: RE: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Feb 09 - 03:07 PM

Let me know if it works, so I can work it into one of my autoharps.

!!!

Really.

~S~

Subject: RE: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: Tim Leaning
Date: 27 Feb 09 - 03:49 AM

You know this is one of the reasons I enjoy the cat so much.
Great thread even for the uninitiated.

Subject: RE: i need a small 'resonator' only
From: banjoman
Date: 03 Mar 09 - 06:22 AM

I was once challenged to make a banjo from an old Tefal Frying pan and used the body of the pan as the resonator. It works fine and is still one of the best sounding instruments I have. Probably wouldn't fit a dulcimer but there are loads of bits & pieces lying about that would be worth experimenting with - good luck