Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer

Subject: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Lester
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 02:47 PM

My wife has taken to wanting an Appalachian Dulcimer. Do we know of suppliers/builders in the UK chums?

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: GUEST,Don Meixner
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 06:53 PM

Hi Lester,

At the risk of starting a major discussion consider this. They aren't hard to build. A person with minimal skills, but good ability, can build an excellent one quite easily. Either from scratch with the right plans or from a well set up kit.

Try the site below for plans and parts, kits at all capabilitylevels, or completed instruments.

Don

http://www.musikit.com/

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 07:06 PM

Try here Hugh's been making instuments for over 25 years

http://www.hmsmusic.co.uk/index.htm

Gerry

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Mudlark
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 12:15 AM

Blue Lion makes truly wonderful dulcimers, have never heard one that wasn't superlative--and they ship all over the world. They're in California.

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: open mike
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 12:45 AM

this place Lark In The Morning ships anywhere..
www.larkinam.com
I thought this place might be in Appalchia
i think ther eis an instrument shop near
Asheville north Carolina calledBlack mt.
but i see it is in Calif.
http://www.blackmtninstruments.com/
http://www.bearmeadow.com/smi/histof.htm this web site has history...
The plucked dulcimer has been known by many names: Appalachian dulcimer, lap dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, ...including many names...the one I
like best is "hog fiddle"

and here is a dulcimer camp and recordings are availble:
http://edoutreach.wcu.edu/dulcimer/
this site is part of an entire dulcimer web ring!
http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/
enjoy and i hope ypu find a good one.
report back about hoew it goes!

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 02:49 AM

Both Hobgoblin and The Music Room in the UK can supply Appalachian dulcimers.

eric

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 09:16 AM

Here's the address of an Australian craftswoman:
http://www.netspeed.com.au/gillian.alcock/

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Jeri
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 10:10 AM

Here is www.hobgoblin.com/

New duclimers & other fretted instruments, and
Used duclimers & other fretted instruments

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Flash Company
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 10:25 AM

Heard of Hobgoblin when I was thinking of making a Hurdy-Gurdy. However, saw an Appalachian Dulcimer in our local music shop(Mid Cheshire) just before Christmas. Can't remember if it had a makers name on it, but they are obviously about.

FC

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 05:31 PM

The link below is the person who made Dan Evans' dulcimer.   For those who do not know Dan is a fine dulcimer player based in England. Roger Nicholson is another exceptional dulcimer player from the British Isles, but I have not seen any current references to him. I believe that Mike Fenton, who is best known for his prowess on the Autoharp also plays mountain dulcimer.   He might know of a dulcimer maker in the United Kingdom.

uk dulcimer maker

The Dulcimer Shoppe, here in Mountain View, Arkansas, USA also ships around the world

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: John Wood
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 06:41 PM

I bought an excellent dulcimer a couple of months ago

from Hobgoblin in Wadebridge,Cornwall.

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 07:07 PM

The Dulcimer Shoppe (McSpadden) makes the McSpadden Dulcimer, and is possibly the most popular maker in the US for those who want something "a lot better than homemade." I don't know how readily they are available elsewhere; but I would expect no difficulty in getting one almost anywhere.

The other often cited "excellent" maker, Blue Lion, has been mentioned above. Samples I've seen are very good, but they seem to be a more "elitist" maker, with correspondingly higher prices. That may be only because they only show their "best" at festivals and shops where I've seen them. Those who have one are very proud of them.

The basic instrument is simple enough that a kit, or fab from a plan, is not difficult. Ideally, and by tradition, the player should make his/her own I suppose. The good commercial/artisan assembled instruments do tend to be better set up, and often include little "tricks" that are hard to match in a kit or "scratch" instrument. (I've built 3, including both kit and scratch, so there's some experience speaking.) More ordinary makers may be about what the average builder would get on a second or third kit, but may be perfectly satisfactory - or superb. (Homebuilds get better with experience.)

As always, taking a competent player along to give an opinion before purchase is an excellent idea where possible, but the selection should be based on the preferences and interests of the player who will use it. Dulcimists who stick with it tend to develop "idiosyncratic" styles that may make the "experienced choice" questionable, or overly expensive, for a beginner.

John

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Little Robyn
Date: 08 Jan 06 - 07:21 PM

I followed the link to Hobgoblin but couldn't see any Appalachian dulcimers until I looked in the bagpipe section - it's there under all the pipes! Very interesting!
Robyn

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: 12string growler
Date: 09 Jan 06 - 05:51 PM

Backing up what Banjo-Flower said.
Go to Hugh in sunny Scunthorpe. He's flippin' good

Chris

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Pinetop Slim
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 12:58 PM

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GWYA,GWYA:2005-30,GWYA:en&q=cardboard+dulcimer

There's a wide variety of sounds and styles in Appalachian dulcimer playing. A new player might want to start with a cardboard model -- several can be found at the above link, typically fir around $50 -- then check out who's playing what at a dulcimer festival or two before deciding on a higher-priced model. The Blue Lions cited above are set up with four equidistant strings -- and non-traditional tunings are usually employed -- and are particularly suited for jazz and blues playing. Modern Mountain Dulcimers, with 3-strings and a resonator back, are ideal if old-timey fiddle tunes are what you're after. Warren May's in Berea, Ky, are well-suited for gentle tunes and are as pretty as any instrument made... Highly recommend one or both of the "Masters of the Mountain Dulcimer" CDs as a sampler of the range of dulcimer-playing styles.

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Lester
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 02:39 PM

Cheers Guys. Off to Hobgoblin on Thursday for starters.

Thanks again

LB

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: 12string growler
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 02:41 PM

Lester, OK Ok I still think you should try Hugh Scullion (http://www.hmsmusic.co.uk/index.htm) in Scunthorpe, but....
If you are any good with your hands, get a copy of "Make and Play the Dulcimer" by John Pearse. It includes the fretting pattern that you need to make up the fret board, Be warned though that the OCTAVE fret (half scale length) is not accurate. I have a copy of this book but the fret pattern is long gone.
The ISBN is 0 86001 204 2.   It also carries the number AV 5005T.
The book was published in the UK by Wise Publications and copyright 1970 ATV Music Ltd, 12 Bruton Street LONDON W1X 7AH.


Are you Lester of FOLKWAVES fame?

Chris Marshall

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Lester
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 05:14 PM

Are you Lester of FOLKWAVES fame?

Nope, I'm Lester of big fat morris dancer fame
www.lesterbailey.org

Subject: RE: Seeking an Appalachian Dulcimer
From: Lester
Date: 10 Jan 06 - 05:16 PM

OK try again http://www.lesterbailey.org