A Day In The Life Of A Dulcimer Shoppe
Good Morning, Everyone! Happy Friday!
Today we're re-featuring an "In The Shop" from the fall of 2023. Back in the good ole days when your Folkcraft staff used to do what they do all under the same roof. Well, except for your newsletter editor, who's always been one to color outside the lines.
So enjoy this "Way Back When" look at a day in the life of a dulcimer shop.
Until next week,
Toya-Folkcraft-your-newsletter-editor-who-loves-being-a-part-of-the-Folkcraft-crew-even-from-fah-fah-away
(September 15, 2023)
Good Morning, Y'all!
Here it is Wednesday, September 13, (as I'm writing this) and we're about halfway through the work week. We're all at our desks/sewing machines/workbenches, making progress on a hundred different tasks. I just took a few random photos and hope you'll enjoy seeing our staff in action!
Pam - making cases, as always.
If you look closely, you can see a FolkRoots® logo (in white thread) on the case pocket she's working on. It looks like Pam is doing the foldover part at the corner of the case pocket - this'll give the case pocket a little depth, so it'll hold all of your strings, straps, tuners, and tiny little bottles of whiskey (which are only for use before breakfast, though). Pam spent the first few hours of today putting books and strings into our inventory. She updates the available quantities on the Folkcraft.com website, so you can buy all the small items. Looking at the company credit card, it appears that she ordered a bunch more stuff we need, too.
Cheyenne - holding some 7" x 32" cherry dulcimer backs in his right hand, and some already-bent hourglass-shaped walnut dulcimer sides in his left.
Cheyenne has been making parts for dulcimers all day long, except for early this morning when he packed our outbound orders. We use a slew of parts - backs, sides, tops, fretboards, heads, etc. - when we make dulcimers, but we also make parts for other dulcimer builders, both professional (companies you may have heard of) and hobbyist.
Richard (that's me) - sanding the top of a David Beede-built instrument (in our shop for repairs).
This one came to us with cracks in the top - probably from a fall. We do a LOT of repairs these days - for nearly all makes of mountain dulcimer. It is sometimes tricky to figure out the best approach to a repair, but we've done so many fixes that it generally works out fine. In addition to working on this repair, I've been answering the phone, taking care of email, upgrading the website (adding shop blogs going as far back as 2008), and spraying lacquer on instruments that are getting close to shipping.
Dominic - adding machine heads to a brand new Folkcraft® resonator dulcimer.
Dominic spent part of the day working on an instrument with a magnetic pickup (our NT-11 model), part of the day packing machine heads into sets for resale, and part of the day hand-rubbing the lacquered finish on several other dulcimers. He's also been keeping our laser cutter going, making cardboard dulcimer kit parts.
Jim (aka "Dad") - showing off a neck/fretboard for a Folkcraft® LAP-JO.
The piece of mahogany Dad's holding represents several hours of work already, and still has a couple of hours to go before it is ready to bolt to a rim (banjo body). He'll install mother of pearl position dots next, then move on to adding the frets themselves. You can see the slot for the nut at the upper end of the neck, and the hole for the position dot at fret 3, between his left thumb and left index finger.
It seems like a bit of chaos, doesn't it? Ha! It isn't. This crew knows what needs to be done, and makes it happen. I provide broad direction, and then leave all the details to my small staff of experts. It is an amazing crew. Every instrument you buy from us has all of our hands on it at one point or another, from making parts, assembling instruments, sanding, finishing, setting up, making the case, and actually shipping the completed dulcimer.
A lot of you have seen our building/workshop (which is just floor/walls/roof, with some tools, really) - but now you've seen the most important part of our shop. The people that work here, and, as a team, make your instruments.
Thanks for reading!
Richard Ash-luthier-who-is-grateful-for-his-utterly-amazing-crew-of-artisans
FOLKCRAFT® DULCIMER PLAYER OF THE WEEK: JIM O'SULLIVAN
Folkcraft: How long have you been playing the dulcimer?
Jim: I started playing the dulcimer about 20 years ago. I was lucky to find Thomasina Levy (huge Folkcraft musician) in the Connecticut area for lessons. I played with a local group for about 5 years and often attend the Nutmeg Dulcimer Festival in Milford, CT. It always amazes me how many dulcimer players there are up here in the North East.
Folkcraft: When did you get your first Folkcraft dulcimer?
Jim: I built a 1970s FolkRoots Kit, which I found in the back of a closet collecting dust. Howard Rugg actually helped me through some tough times on the phone. I've modified it a million times, and it's now a bass dulcimer.
Folkcraft: Where do you enjoy playing your dulcimer?
Jim: I play online along with guitar, some originals on my site jimosullivansmusic.com. I also play at local breweries, coffee houses, and open mics weekly. I played an Irish set in Philly at...
FOLKCRAFT® PLAYERS - WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU!!!
We are absolutely delighted to welcome another new Folkcraft player this week - Mr. Jim O'Sullivan from the great state of Connecticut. Welcome to the family, Jim! There's still plenty of room for more of you, folks! Maybe we could feature you and your Folkcraft dulcimer(s) next week?
Who's Going To Write In Next? Keep The Family Growing?
It really is super-easy to join our online dulcimer community. Just three easy steps:
1) Send an email to: newsletter@folkcraft.com
2) With the answers to the four questions below
3) Attach a photo of yourself with your Folkcraft dulcimer(s)
We look forward to receiving your submission & featuring you in our newsletter real soon!
1. How long have you been playing the dulcimer?
2. When did you get your first Folkcraft dulcimer?
3. Where do you enjoy playing your dulcimer?
4. What other hobbies, or interests, do you have besides playing dulcimer?
WE'RE OFFERING A $25 FOLKCRAFT GIFT CARD TO ANYONE WHO ANSWERS THE FOUR EASY QUESTIONS LISTED ABOVE, AND SENDS IN A PHOTO (OF YOU WITH YOUR FOLKCRAFT DULCIMER). IT'S REALLY SO EASY TO DO!
WE JUST LOVE HEARING FROM Y'ALL!
This Week's Featured YouTube Video:
This week Mandy shows you how to play easily in the key of C using your 1.5 fret! We’ll work out our 1,4,5 (I,IV,V) chords in the key of C using that wonderful extra fret. Click on the image below to listen & learn.
We have a slew (that's a fancy luthier word for "bunch") of videos for you to watch on our YouTube channel. Click here to see the full list. Be sure to comment on a video, and subscribe to the channel - either action helps us a LOT with YouTube's suggestion algorithms.
HYMNS OF FAITH - FOR MOUNTAIN DULCIMER
by Larry Conger
From famous classics like "Abide With Me" and "Just As I Am," to slightly less-well-known songs like "O Worship The King" and "Sunshine In My Soul," this collection of great tunes has something for everyone!
Features songs in DAD and DAA tuning. Some capo required. (34 pages)
This book is published by Fingers Of Steel, and is made available here as an authorized, licensed download.
SONGS INCLUDED:
Abide With Me - DAD Tuning
Be Thou My Vision - DAD Tuning
Deep River - DAD Tuning
Face To Face With Christ, My Savior - DAD Tuning
For The Beauty Of The Earth - DAD Tuning - Capo 3
He Leadeth Me - DAD Tuning
I Surrender All - DAD Tuning
Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross - DAA Tuning
Just As I Am - DAD Tuning
Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone? - DAD Tuning - Capo 3
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need - DAD Tuning
Nearer, My God, To Thee - DAD Tuning
O Worship The King - DAD Tuning
Softly And Tenderly - DAD Tuning - Capo 3
Sunshine In My Soul - DAD Tuning - Capo 3
Sweet By And By - DAD Tuning - Capo 3
Sweet Hour Of Prayer - DAD Tuning
The Haven Of Rest - DAA Tuning
This Is My Father's World - DAD Tuning
Wherever He Leads, I'll Go - DAA Tuning
Whiter Than Snow - DAD Tuning
SEE WHAT'S NEW ON OUR SALE PAGE THIS WEEK
We've got everything from instrument cases, books, and even some dulcimer parts. It keeps changing, so stop by and check it out now and then, why don't ya?