We're Off To A Banner Start
Good Morning, Y'all
Happy New Year! I don't get to say that very often. Approximately once a year...
This week begins my nineteenth year of dulcimer building. It was on January 5, 2007, that I purchased Folkcraft Instruments from one of the finest dulcimer makers of all time, David Marks. David took Folkcraft from an idea (in his home wood shop) to one of the leading dulcimer builders in the country. In late 2006, when David was making his plans to retire from dulcimer building, I was fortunate enough to hear about it, and took over the Folkcraft wood shop.
David made all kinds of handCRAFTed FOLK instruments, which is how he chose the company name. He built lever harps, kanteles, psalteries, hammered dulcimers, plus kits for all kinds of instruments.
A Change In Focus
Over the years, I've changed the focus of the company to more and more varieties of mountain (aka Appalachian) dulcimers, and less and less of the other instruments. It has been a good decision for the company. We've gone from a few really nice models of mountain dulcimer to a huge variety of dulcimer choices. Old-school dulcimers in the Kentucky tradition, of course, but also larger-bodied (we call the larger body our "California" body) dulcimers with a richer, more contemporary tone. We've gone from two options for scale lengths to offering seven options. With a plethora of fret pattern options to go with each VSL. A handful of sound holes? That's great. But how about fifty, or more?
Bringing all of our focus (we're a small shop, still, about the same size as when I bought Folkcraft 19 years ago) to bear on a single instrument has allowed us to develop some new instruments: The five-string MaxDAD. The LAP-JO. The Folkcraft Resonator. And the DulciVox. Just for starters...
A Change In Standards
The past 18 years have also seen the dulcimer community go from "I'm thinking about adding a 6.5 fret" to "the 6.5 fret is now standard" to "I'm thinking about adding the 1.5 fret" to "the 1.5 fret is now standard." That's a LOT of instrument evolution in just a couple of decades.
Looking Ahead Into 2025
So where does this leave us, here at the beginning of 2025? Making dulcimers, of course. I spent a couple of days this week making fretboard blanks (pictured below). Do you remember the last newsletter, and the unruly mahogany that decided to play like Chubby Checker and do "the twist?" Hopefully this batch of wood is better behaved!
You can see African mahogany, walnut, cherry, maple, and Honduras mahogany on this cart.
The stack of wood pictured above may look like a giant Jenga game, but it isn't. These oversize fretboard blanks have all kinds of space between them, so that there's plenty of air movement. Any drying of the lumber that occurs at this stage should be even on all four sides and minimize the material's warping (twisting!).
The fretboard blanks will sit for a few days (several or more, maybe even until next week) before I start jointing, trimming, and sanding. You'll get this newsletter on the 10th of January (I'm writing this on the "8th Of January," which is a song that Y'all probably know. PLUS, January 8th used to be a federal holiday, celebrating the final battle of the War Of 1812.), and this cart of fretboard material will definitely be sitting "as is" until at least this coming weekend.
And since we're talking about fretboards, here's Jim (Ash, my Dad) working on some. He's mixed some two-part epoxy in the clear tub, and is now spreading it onto an ebony fretboard veneer. The ebony will be placed on the walnut fretboard blank (sitting on the cart, next to the ebony/epoxy), and clamped up overnight. Tomorrow, Dad will take the slightly oversize walnut/ebony blank, and sand it down to 1 3/8" wide before putting fret slots into the fingerboard. One of us could be assembling this fretboard into an instrument by the middle of next week!
Jim Ash spreading epoxy onto the back of an ebony fretboard veneer.
So we're off to a banner start. Eighteen years of dulcimer making under my belt, and I still love making instruments. Knowing that Y'all are playing them every day means a lot to me, and to all of us here at Folkcraft.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Richard Ash, luthier-who's-still-dreaming-up-new-things-to-try-for-2025
FOLKCRAFT® DULCIMER PLAYER OF THE WEEK: RICHARD SWITZER
Folkcraft: How long have you been playing the dulcimer?
Richard: I started playing the dulcimer in 2005 and joined a DAA Dulcimer Club. My first dulcimer was a teardrop McSpadden.
Folkcraft: When did you get your first Folkcraft dulcimer?
Richard: My first Folkcraft is a teardrop FolkRoots walnut/butternut dulcimer which I received on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. On Thursday, December 14, I was playing Christmas carols on it in a church program. (It was ordered after the 2023 Kentucky Music Week.)
Folkcraft: Where do you enjoy playing your dulcimer?
Richard: I enjoy playing at churches, assisted living and nursing homes, for groups such as the Kiwanis Club, and at our club meetings. I have also played for several funerals. I enjoy attending festivals and the meetings of other dulcimer clubs.
Folkcraft: What other hobbies, or interests, do you have besides playing the dulcimer?
Richard: My other interests are playing golf, the bowed psaltery, reading and being a 37-year-member of our Kiwanis Club. I also enjoy traveling to visit family members and for vacations.
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT MORE FOLKCRAFT PLAYERS LIKE RICHARD & YOU!
HELLO ALL YOU FOLKCRAFT® PLAYERS - COME JOIN THE FAMILY!
No new player to feature yet this year, but we're happy to re-feature Richard Switzer this week. How ya been, Richard?
Who's Going To Write In Next? Be The First Featured Player In The New Year?
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 hearing from you and 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?
FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE LONGER 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)
This Week's Featured YouTube Video:
Here's something for all you new (or new-ish) players out there. The first in a 3-part Getting Started series by our very own, Bing Futch. Have fun! Just click on the image below to watch.
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.
MASTERING VARIATIONS - VOLUME 1
by Aaron O'Rourke
Learn rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic variations for 7 common tunes that are likely to be played in dulcimer clubs and festival jams. In "Mastering Variations, Volume 1," Aaron O'Rourke arranges each tune into four variations: Rhythmic, Melodic, Harmonic, and All-Put-Together. A basic version of each tune is also provided to help get you started.
As part of your download, we've included a folder with 28 tracks - recordings of Aaron demonstrating the various exercises.
This book is published by Fingers Of Steel, and is made available here as an authorized, licensed download.
SONGS IN THIS BOOK:
Amazing Grace • Angelina Baker • Arkansas Traveler • Barlow Knife • Bonaparte's Retreat • Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss • Midnight on the Water
Don't just take our word for it - check out these great five-star reviews:
✮✮✮✮✮ Multi-tasking variations. This is an outstanding addition to the catalog of MD instructional books. Aaron provides seven sets of variations on a basic tune, by varying first the rhythmic pattern, then melody tweaks, harmonic chords, and finally a mix-and-match blending of all four. A practical approach to eclectic playing, especially useful for advanced-beginner and intermediate players. (Keith - 12/04/21)
✮✮✮✮✮ MASMastering O'Rourke. I've only begun to tap into this, working on a couple songs through following his variations and I’m learning so much. And, everything I’m learning on these initial songs helps me with others. I love his harmonic variations, they bend my ear, and I love that! (Mary Beth - 11/20/20)