Looking Good In The Dulcimer Neighborhood
Good Morning, Everyone! And Happy Friday!
Today we're going to re-feature an "In The Shop" post from May of 2023. Richard is still in the thick of things moving the shop Up North, so he's not going to have time to sit down in front of his computer until next week - at the earliest. So today, we're going to take a little tour of a dulcimer top/sound hole repair.
Until next week,
Toya-Folkcraft-newsletter-editor-who-loves-to-play-her-Folkcraft-dulcimers-at-her-church-too
(May 5, 2023)
Good Morning, Y'all!
I did another dulcimer top repair a few weeks ago and wanted to share the process with you, as well as how it turned out. This one was pretty straightforward, since the dulcimer's owner was careful to keep the broken-off part. So all I had to do was attach the part, and refinish that end of the instrument.
Here are two photos from before we made the repair. The first one shows the entire dulcimer top and the second photo is a closeup of the lower bout where the broken sound hole is located.
To make this repair (in a very soft Western red cedar top) I first glued a couple of small support braces to the underside of the top, which would give the broken off piece somewhere to "sit." This added a lot of mechanical strength to the repair, so I didn't have to rely solely on the glue line.
Then, I attached the repaired piece (shown below) to the supports, pressing firmly against the top, but focused mostly on getting the broken-off piece to affix firmly to the support braces.
After the glue had set up (which took about 15 seconds - I used a really nice medium viscosity cyanoacrylate glue) I then filled the nearly invisible seam with a water-thin cyanoacrylate glue. That got us a top with plenty of mechanical strength (from the glue, and from the support braces). The glue we use is actually a LOT stronger than the wood. If this top ever breaks again, it'll be somewhere other than the repaired area!
Here's what the repaired sound hole looks like after sanding the entire area:
The repair (other than the bare spot with no lacquer!) is entirely invisible. Whew! Hard part done... The next step was to apply sealer, then lacquer, to the wood. I started out by masking the fretboard (pictured below) and then applying light coats of nitrocellulose lacquer over just the repaired area.
Once the repaired area was starting to look good, I sprayed lacquer farther from the repair, to feather out the new lacquer, and allow it to blend with the 15-year-old lacquer. Lots of sanding, steel wool, and other finishing tricks, and I was able to get the repair to 95% blend in with the old wood and old lacquer. It'll take a few years of natural aging for the newly sanded wood to darken, and blend in 100% with the old wood and old finish.
I was happy with the result and here's how it came out in the end:
I enjoy working in the shop, taking care of all of your instruments. Thanks for letting me do this kind of work!
Richard-Ash-luthier-who-is-happy-to-make-older-instruments-play-and-look-like-new
FOLKCRAFT® DULCIMER PLAYER OF THE WEEK: ANDREA STADER
Folkcraft: How long have you been playing the dulcimer?
Andrea: I have been playing since 1982 after building my first dulcimer from a kit.
Folkcraft: When did you get your first Folkcraft dulcimer?
Andrea: I bought it in 2010 after attending Dulcimerville in North Carolina hosted by Lois Hornbostel. I special ordered it from Richard Ash after attending the five day classes at Dulcimerville.
Folkcraft: Where do you enjoy playing your dulcimer?
Andrea: I enjoy playing with Old-Time and Celtic bands that I have been in previously. As a retired teacher, I play for elementary students while subbing, and also busk with my dulcimer and guitar at the local farmer's market. I even play at festivals and had the honor of sharing a dulcimer workshop with Jean Ritchie at the Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival.
Folkcraft: What other hobbies, or interests, do you have besides playing dulcimer?
Andrea: I am a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. I have played in many bands playing guitar, banjo, penny whistle, and bass. I am also an outdoor enthusiast and...
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF ANDREA'S INTERVIEW AND READ ABOUT OTHER FOLKCRAFT PLAYERS LIKE ANDREA AND YOU!
FOLKCRAFT® PLAYERS - WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU!!!
No new player again this week (Alas!) to add to our world-wide, online dulcimer community. But we're still glad to re-feature singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist - including the dulcimer - Andrea Stader. There's still plenty of room in the family, folks! Maybe it could be you 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:
We’ll walk through our D-major scale on the bass string, then on all three strings, then we’ll find it elsewhere. Use these scales to learn the notes, learn positions to find the notes, and practice flat-picking techniques. Have fun and explore! 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.
SIMPLY OLD TIME DULCIMER
by Don Pedi
Don Pedi's "Simply Old Time Dulcimer" is the perfect companion for learning old-time music. This must-have volume includes traditional dulcimer tablature - in several different tunings - demonstration audio files, and traditional old-time repertoire masterfully crafted by legendary music historian, and performer, Don Pedi. Perfect for dulcimer players of any level! (63 pages)
This book is published by Don Pedi, and is made available here as an authorized, licensed download.
Bonaparte's Retreat - DAD Tuning
Boogerman - DGD Tuning
Coal Harbor Bend - DGD Tuning
Dandy Lusk - DGD Tuning
Darling Cora - DAC Tuning
Down The River - DAD Tuning
Five Miles From Town - DAA Tuning
Frolic Of The Frogs - DAA Tuning
I Love My Wife As Well As Anybody, But When My Back Is Turned She's A-Huggin' Everybody - DGD Tuning
I Wish I Was A Mole In The Ground - DAD Tuning
Jenny Run Away In The Mud In The Night - DAA Tuning
Kitty Puss - DAD Tuning
Laura Foster - DGD Tuning
Little Betty Ann - DAC Tuning
Little Stream Of Whiskey - DAD Tuning
The Old Black Cat, Couldn't Catch A Rat - DGD Tuning
Old Gambling Man - DGD Tuning
Old Time Sally Goodin - DGD Tuning
One Morning Fair - DAD Tuning
Pretty Little Girl With The Blue Dress On - DGD Tuning
Pretty Peggy O - DGD Tuning
Puncheon Floor - DGD Tuning
Roses In The Morning - DGD Tuning
Rye Whiskey - DGD Tuning
Single Girl - DAA Tuning
Tom Dooley - DGD Tuning
Uncle Henry - DAD Tuning
Walking In The Parlor - DGD Tuning
What'll We Do With The Baby O - EAE Tuning