From The Guts Of A Waffle Iron
Good Morning, Y'all, and Happy Friday!
As of this week, we've finally gotten production into full swing here at the new shop! New band saw, new jointer, new CNC router, and the "other" new CNC router. All set up, wired to power, and running smoothly. I vastly underestimated the time it would take to get things working in the new shop, but we're back at it now, and instruments are going to UPS every few days as I get them lacquered and set up.
I have a bunch of instruments "in progress" and the backlog of dulcimer orders is getting smaller by the day, which gives me a huge feeling of relief! I expect to be back on schedule by the end of November, and making instruments for regular inventory by the end of this year.
Thank you, all, for the patience you've shown me as our move to Michigan largely halted dulcimer production for the past six months.
A First For Folkcraft®
Last weekend, I started working on a special order dulcimer for a customer. This person (we went to college together, but didn't actually meet until 20 years after the fact - it was a BIG college...) requested an instrument that was half hourglass-shaped, and half teardrop-shaped. I've seen these dulcimers (often called "hourdrop," which is a portmanteau of "hourglass" and "teardrop") from two other builders, and have often wondered how they would sound.
Maybe the benefits of both body shapes? An hourglass shape sits better on my lap, doesn't wobble as much from side to side, and has a better balance between high notes and low notes, while a teardrop shape is often louder and more bass-heavy (which can be good for a dulcimer!). We'll find out soon. I'm making Folkcraft's very first hourdrop dulcimer now.
Well, I started it last week, but then spent half a day this week fixing our teardrop-shape side bender. Grrr. Howard Rugg (founder of FolkRoots Dulcimers, which has been part of Folkcraft Instruments since 1989) made this side bender in 1974, and it just stopped working last weekend. Very frustrating, having a tool that only lasted 52 years without needing repair work.
I'm just kidding, of course! A tool that bends dulcimer sides isn't something you can buy at Home Depot, or at Walmart. It's the kind of tool that has to be "made," not purchased. We're still using the side benders (one hourglass, one teardrop) that Howard made when I was in elementary school.
Here's the bender, opened. In this state, it is ready for me to insert the not-yet-bent sides:
Don't worry about the black marks. They're not from burning the sides. The black marks are from decades (over half a century, or over 20% of the existence of the United States) of wood sap, and tannins, being cooked out of the sides as they heat.
Here's the inside of this side bender, with the cover plate (which appears to be white oak) removed:
See the square piece in the middle of the side bender? That's the heating element. One of four heating elements in this particular side bender, each element removed from the guts of a waffle iron. Howard told me that he got the waffle irons from the Salvation Army surplus store in Santa Cruz, California. Santa Cruz is relatively close to where the FolkRoots workshop was, Felton, California, from 1968 until 1989. I would guess that Howard gutted four waffle irons to get the eight heating elements that our 1974 side benders still use today.
I did have to call in a local dulcimer side bender repair technician to get the bender working again:
But after he got things working (thanks, Dad!) I was able to resume progress on the new hourdrop-shaped dulcimer. We'll put the hourglass shape on the player side of the instrument, to reduce wobble while fretting on frets 1 - 7, and the teardrop shape on the audience side of the dulcimer.
I'll share photos (and a video, I'm sure) of the new hourdrop dulcimer in a month or so, when it is finally ready for shipping.
Meanwhile, you can all go back to playing your own dulcimers, and live the side-bender repair dream vicariously.
Thanks for reading, Y'all - I hope you all have a great weekend!
Richard Ash - luthier-who-spends-more-time-some-weeks-as-a-tool-repair-person-than-as-an-actual-dulcimer-builder
This Week's Featured YouTube Video:
First Mandy gives you a tip using 2-finger chords. Then she has a fun exercise for you - with tab! 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.
FOLKCRAFT® DULCIMER PLAYER OF THE WEEK: ANGELA MARTIN
Folkcraft: How long have you been playing the dulcimer?
Angela: I started playing the dulcimer in November 2018.
Folkcraft: When did you get your first Folkcraft dulcimer?
Angela: My husband ordered a custom hourglass dulcimer for me in October 2020. Since then, I have added a LAP-JO, a teardrop, and a baritone.
Folkcraft: Where do you enjoy playing your dulcimer?
Angela: I like playing at home for my husband. My friend Carla and I play together once a week. I have joined Carla playing at...
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF ANGELA'S INTERVIEW AND READ ABOUT OTHER FOLKCRAFT PLAYERS LIKE ANGELA & YOU
FOLKCRAFT® PLAYERS - WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU!
We don't have a new player to welcome to our online dulcimer community today, but we are delighted to re-feature multi-instrumentalist, Angela Martin. How's it going with the ukulele, Angela?
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!
It's Oktoberfest this weekend at the Renaissance Faire near where your newsletter editor lives. So in that festive spirit, how about a couple of books full of lively jigs and reels to get ye dancin'? (Just click on either cover to find out more.)
BAKER'S DOZEN #1 - CELTIC MUSIC
by Shelley Stevens
Experience the beauty and versatility of some classic Celtic melodies with Shelley Stevens' "The Baker's Dozen, Volume 1: Celtic Music." Arranged for solo mountain dulcimer, these 13 well-known tunes provide both standard notation and 3-line tablature in DAD tuning. Enhance your playing skills and explore new chord melody arrangements. (22 pages)
ANOTHER JIG WILL DO
by Steve Eulberg
Steve Eulberg is renowned as a performer/teacher for both mountain dulcimer and hammered dulcimer. What he's done here is put together a combination book, suitable for both of those instruments.
He's not afraid to push your limits, within reason, either. Alternate tunings for the mountain dulcimer player, unusual tunes, and a ton of fun. You'll love this book.
All songs here are appropriate for both instruments, either solo, or to play together. As an added bonus, a folder of recordings (by Steve Eulberg himself) will be sure to provide some inspiration! (76 pages)
These books are published by Fingers Of Steel, and are made available here as an authorized, licensed download.
LIST OF TUNES:
Annie Laurie
Another Jig Will Do
Black Nag
The Bonny Boy
The Boys of Wexford
The Cliffs of Doneen
Connemara Cradle Song
The Hills Of Connemara
John Ryan’s Polka
The Minstrel Boy
The Sally Gardens
Swallowtail Jig
Temperance Reel
SOME OF THE TUNES INCLUDED:
Will Ye No' Come Back Again?
The Ash Grove
Waly, Waly
Road To Lisdoonvarna
Irish Washerwoman
Kesh Jig
Swallowtail Jig
Lilting Banshee
Rights Of Man
Merrily Kissed The Quaker's Wife
O'Keefe's Slide
Rakes Of Mallow
Glass Island Reel