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10 Apr 01 - 02:08 PM (#437474) Subject: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Clinton Hammond That's the one that looks like the tray that the cigarette girls carry in the night clubs in movies aobut the 20's and 30's right?
K... if so... I've always loved the way they sound... As a total neophyte, what could I expect to pay for a decent but not great one, if I was gonna go out and get one to learn on? Any suggestions as to where I'd go in S. Ontario to find one? Or online ordering? Please to take me by the hand and tell me all ya got to say... Just don't tell the wife I'm thinking about gettting another instrument!!! LOL!! ;-) |
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10 Apr 01 - 02:22 PM (#437482) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Mark Clark Clinton, There are a few of them in varying quality on eBay. If I were you, I buy this one right away. If you don't like it you can always set it up in the parlor as a dry bar. - Mark cc: Mrs. ClintonHammond |
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10 Apr 01 - 02:28 PM (#437487) Subject: JEEEKERS! From: Clinton Hammond Deffinatly WAY above what I was thinking of!! 725 bucks?!? Gack... and it's way too pretty for the likes of me! And what the hell's a dry bar? |
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10 Apr 01 - 02:33 PM (#437492) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Sean Belt You should be able to pick one up for around $500.00. I bought one for the Mrs. for around that and, while it is a beginner's model and is shy a course of strings that the more expensive models have, it plays just fine and holds it's tune as well as any of them do. I'd suggest taking a look at Elderly.com for a range of prices. Or you could check the Dulcimer Player's News website for links to other makers/sellers. - Sean |
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10 Apr 01 - 02:39 PM (#437497) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Mark Clark A dry bar is a bar with no sink and fawcet. It's not like the "Pub With No Beer." - Mark |
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10 Apr 01 - 02:52 PM (#437511) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: catspaw49 Good dulcimer, looks to be in very good condition and you'll have a hard time spending much less...at Elderly.....CLICK Spaw |
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10 Apr 01 - 02:56 PM (#437514) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Clinton Hammond That's a little more like what I was expecting Spaw... ta'! |
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10 Apr 01 - 04:47 PM (#437593) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: GUEST Molly, of Molly & The Tinker, plays, or should I say hammers, as well as anyone. This very nice person might answer your questions. Just visit their site and locate their e-mail. http://www.fairewares.com/molytink/Menu.html |
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10 Apr 01 - 05:59 PM (#437630) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: pastorpest A cheap dulcimer like a cheap guitar ain't worth it. I paid $1,100 canadian four years ago and the dulcimer is now my main instrument. Too many inexpensive dulcimers sound like they need blood transfusions. Try "The Official World Wide Web Hammered Dulcimer Page" and the classifieds and buying section. Sorry I do not do the blue clicky thing. www.rtpnet.org/~hdweb/ |
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10 Apr 01 - 06:26 PM (#437647) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: catspaw49 Well pastorpest, there is truth in a bit of that, as we all rend to get what we pay for, but as someone who has built over a hundred of them I gotta' tell ya' some of the expensive ones sound equally lousy and cheap ones sound quite good. Like any instrument, the materials used and the design go into the sound factor. However HD's are different than guitars and more closely allied acoustically to a piano or harpsichord which derived from it. All the other things which someone new may not look at are the things that often matter a lot. The sound of each maker can be quite different having more to do with a builder's "ideal" than anything else. Clarity, sustain, harmonics, sympathetic overtones...........depends on what is liked, just like guitars or banjo tone rings, etc. Spaw |
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10 Apr 01 - 06:49 PM (#437674) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Chicken Charlie Clinton--It's a small world. I'm negotiating with a colleague here at work for a used H.D. ($700). My wife tells me I cannot bring another instrument home until I clean out the garage. Guess I can keep it in the truck till then, right, I mean, define "bring it HOME." To all instrument seekers--as a distinterested party, I like window shopping at larkinam.com, which makes more sense as the abbreviation of "Lark in the Morning." Only place other than a music show where I've ever seen that wide a selection of types of instruments. Sorry if that pushes the commercial envelop. :) |
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10 Apr 01 - 06:59 PM (#437682) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: catspaw49 No CC....Lark is often used around here as a resource as is Elderly Instruments. Lark has a to of oddball stuff too which makes them also useful when looking for some of the wackier things. Spaw |
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10 Apr 01 - 07:30 PM (#437710) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Kelticgrasshopper If you want a commercial type ..Check out Dusty Strings..They make beauties... Of course I'd be a fool to not say that DAN SULLIVAN is one of the best makers in these parts... ( that being the Northeast).. |
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10 Apr 01 - 07:39 PM (#437714) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: catspaw49 LOL.....BTW, Hops (how ya been?)....We have a member who works for Dusty Strings. And I agree....Of the big names (such as that is in HD's) they are as close to a factory as you get and they do make fine quality instruments. Now Dan and I could set up oone and kill'em of course.............. Spaw |
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10 Apr 01 - 08:46 PM (#437747) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Kelticgrasshopper You've got that right !!! How be you?? We've been busy setteling in at a new home, new job the whole bit!!. Now I finally have time to play at night for a few hours..Great to be back, now if I can figure out how to use that Paltalk it will be like old times. |
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11 Apr 01 - 01:13 AM (#437879) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Gypsy The cheap thrill that Spaw found for you looks pretty good. You will find, however, that a 12/11 is pretty limiting. I started with a 15/14, and would love to go bigger. Things to watch for if you are buying where you can see: Look closely at those hitch pins, and make certain that they aren't ripping the pinblock. Same for tuners. If you get into it, the tristander system thru Dusty Strings is the best stand i've ever found...can't knock your instrument off the stand, cuz the brackets are bolted on. Adjustable, too, so if you are on lumpy ground, the instrument is level. Also, what music do you play? You only get 4 keys in a dulcimer my size, and i think you get 3 in a 12/11. mine would be A, C, D, and G. (No, i'm not obsessive about dulcimers!) |
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11 Apr 01 - 01:19 AM (#437882) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Clinton Hammond Some of you folks don't get it... I'm not looking for a BEST HD at all!! The exact same way as when I picked up the bodhran... I got one that I could afford that sounded good enough that I didn't hate playing it.. Now one day, I'll own a Halpin (The best bodhrans, as far as I'm concerned) I'll keep my eyes open for good 2nd handers... ;-) |
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11 Apr 01 - 01:21 AM (#437884) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: catspaw49 Ya know Gyps, you DO get the minors too....LOL. I also like building a 16/15 or 13/12 instead of the usual 15/14 or 12/11 because of that one extra note (2 actually) of flexibility in pattern often makes a big difference. You're right on the stand...that's a neat piece. And I have often said how much I respect Dusty Strings. Very consistent quality and sound. Spaw |
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11 Apr 01 - 01:34 AM (#437886) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Gypsy oooohhhh, i forget, you are far more eddicated than i. Have stopped calling things out by name, and just give the amount of sharps! |
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11 Apr 01 - 01:37 AM (#437888) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: catspaw49 Sharps? Whuttzat? You got a knife throwin' act or what? Spaw |
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11 Apr 01 - 08:28 AM (#437977) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: John P I work at Dusty Strings in Seattle. Our instruments start at $395 for a 12/11 (2.5 octaves). We just came out with an entry level 16/15 (3+ octaves) for $575. These are solid, good sounding instruments with plywood soundboards and backs. Solid wood costs a bit more, more range costs more, more chromatic notes cost more, bells and whistles cost more. Here's the blicky for Dusty Strings. Elderly, Lark, and a host of other music stores carry them as well. Sorry for the somewhat commercial nature of this post, but it seemed to be what was being asked. John Peekstok |
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11 Apr 01 - 08:34 AM (#437984) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: catspaw49 Hey John....Not too commercial...and I gave you guys a big plug.....NOW...Is that P thing selling? The piano whatever thingy? Spaw |
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11 Apr 01 - 11:37 AM (#438112) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Gypsy You throw the knife, then you get flats...... |
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12 Apr 01 - 12:06 AM (#438741) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: paddymac I love my 12/11. When I think I've gotten all I can out of it, maybe I'll think of a bigger one - maybe even a fully chromatic beauty. Conventional tuning on a 12/11 should give you 5 major keys (and their relative minors) : A & F in one octave each; and C,D, & G in two octaves each. You can also get the E by sharping the low D on the treble bridge. That'll give you more tunes than you've probably got time or perseverence to ever learn. However, probably not the "one" tune in all the world you really want to play, whatever it might be. Playing the hammered dulcimer is a lot cheaper than a shrink, and not near as fattening as beer. The biggest problem I have is that the strings start moving around after about three pints. |
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12 Apr 01 - 09:08 AM (#438917) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: John P Spaw, It's the PD30. You may well ask how we come up with these lyrical model names. I wish I knew. Sam Rizzetta sells a lot of them. Other than that, they sell slowly, but it is a new concept in dulcimer tuning and I expect it will just take a while to catch on. It is sort of nice being able to have a fully chromatic dulcimer on such a small frame and for such a low price. Experience player just have to learn to play all over again . . . John |
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13 Apr 01 - 12:52 AM (#439546) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Gypsy Wow! Has that website ever grown up! The pd30 looks quite interesting, and must say, is very reasonably priced. Any keyboard player would love this one. |
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08 Feb 10 - 01:49 PM (#2833103) Subject: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: GUEST,jmaendel hi i am just gathering all my info on building a hammer dulcimer could anyone tell me what kinda woods to use. i have build mountain dulcimers before but i know nothing about the hamer one |
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08 Feb 10 - 03:43 PM (#2833240) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Rasener Clinton One of the finest hammered dulcimer players Maclaine Colsten put me onto this lady in the uk. http://www.dizzi.co.uk/purchasedulcimer.php Whilst it is the UK, she is still rather amazing and has videos of the different HD's Have a look Les |
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08 Feb 10 - 09:17 PM (#2833563) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Artful Codger Howie Mitchell wrote a neat little book on building hammered dulcimers. Don't know if it's still in print. I built some from scratch, mostly using hard or curly maple for the sides and inner supports, and black walnut, cherry or curly maple for the pin blocks. For the soundboard and back, I used thin plywood with a decorative wood veneer. Never buy a hammered dulcimer kit--they're all lousy. Never buy a dulcimer you haven't played--there's too much variation in sound. Pay particular attention to the bottom notes, as these are the ones you'll have the most trouble with, and play some runs quickly, so you can tell whether the sustain is too great. Also, plan to spend as much time tuning the damn thing as playing it (though playing blissfully out of tune seems to be traditional practice). |
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08 Feb 10 - 09:20 PM (#2833564) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: olddude Talk to Catspaw49 he is a master builder ... no kidding he will set ya on the right course |
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09 Feb 10 - 05:22 AM (#2833745) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: GUEST,Guest (Mark Bluemel) In reply to the Artful Codger's comment, Q: How long does it take to tune a hammered dulcimer? A: No-one knows... I got that from a friend who claims that if he was due to be executed, his last request would be a 12-string guitar and time to tune it. |
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09 Feb 10 - 02:03 PM (#2834273) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: GUEST,leeneia Hello, jmaendel. There is a popular site about dulcimers called everythingdulcimer.com On that site is a series about building a hammered dulie: http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=119:part-i-of-ardies-hammered-dulcimer-building-guide-introduction&catid=14:everything-dulcimer-articles&Itemid=113 I hope it's helpful. |
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08 Nov 11 - 02:45 PM (#3252980) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: GUEST,a newbie I am trying to help a clinet of mine with her hammer dulcimer--I am looking for a "how to" on tuning---any suggestions for a good manual on hammer dulcimer? |
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08 Nov 11 - 07:50 PM (#3253199) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: Arthur_itus You might try here Newbie http://www.dulcimershop.co.uk/ |
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09 Nov 11 - 06:52 PM (#3253928) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: John P Dusty Strings has a Hammered Dulcimer Owner's Manual on line. It has some tuning information. |
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29 Jul 12 - 08:22 AM (#3383117) Subject: RE: Hammered Dulcimer Questions From: GUEST Hi . I wanna know that wich alloy is the best for using as Hammered Dulcimer wire ... can u help me? |