Folkcraft Shop Blog
A Side Bender Tries To Retire
It's a chilly week here in Indiana, but that's okay. I've spent part of my time working on the insides of a side bender, trying to get it to heat...
A Side Bender Tries To Retire
It's a chilly week here in Indiana, but that's okay. I've spent part of my time working on the insides of a side bender, trying to get it to heat...
Black Mountain Experience, Part 2
Welcome Back, Y'all! Or should I say "welcome back" to me? I spent a week out of the shop (starting two weeks ago today, with the drive to the Black...
Black Mountain Experience, Part 2
Welcome Back, Y'all! Or should I say "welcome back" to me? I spent a week out of the shop (starting two weeks ago today, with the drive to the Black...
Black Mountain Experience, Part 1
I'm in beautiful Black Mountain, North Carolina, today, attending the amazing Black Mountain Music Fest! This is one of the world's premier dulcimer festivals, with hundreds of attendees and many...
Black Mountain Experience, Part 1
I'm in beautiful Black Mountain, North Carolina, today, attending the amazing Black Mountain Music Fest! This is one of the world's premier dulcimer festivals, with hundreds of attendees and many...
Dulcimers And Pizza With Mushrooms
I'm going to keep it short, because we're doing double the work this week. We're busy prepping for the weekend's festival - the Black Mountain Music Fest - which starts...
Dulcimers And Pizza With Mushrooms
I'm going to keep it short, because we're doing double the work this week. We're busy prepping for the weekend's festival - the Black Mountain Music Fest - which starts...
How To Eliminate Fret Squeak. Or Not?
I get the following email (or something similar) from people pretty regularly: "In Steve Eulberg’s “Dulcimer Joy” exercise book, beginning with Exercise 12, the melody is played on the bass...
How To Eliminate Fret Squeak. Or Not?
I get the following email (or something similar) from people pretty regularly: "In Steve Eulberg’s “Dulcimer Joy” exercise book, beginning with Exercise 12, the melody is played on the bass...
Push Sticks
I wanted to share with you an update to the Folkcraft.com website - we now have a page for signing up to receive our weekly newsletter. Here it is: Folkcraft.com/newsletter...
Push Sticks
I wanted to share with you an update to the Folkcraft.com website - we now have a page for signing up to receive our weekly newsletter. Here it is: Folkcraft.com/newsletter...
Fret Patterns For Newer Players
I just received an email from a player (new to the dulcimer) who asked "What frets do I have on my dulcimer?" I know this is second nature to a...
Fret Patterns For Newer Players
I just received an email from a player (new to the dulcimer) who asked "What frets do I have on my dulcimer?" I know this is second nature to a...
The Amazing People Working In The Folkcraft Wor...
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...
The Amazing People Working In The Folkcraft Wor...
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...
Spalted Wood
Spalted wood. What is it? Does it make an instrument sound better? How does this happen? Can I request spalted wood on my next dulcimer? What is it? Spalting is...
Spalted Wood
Spalted wood. What is it? Does it make an instrument sound better? How does this happen? Can I request spalted wood on my next dulcimer? What is it? Spalting is...
Contemporary Dulcimer Music With Tablature
Contemporary Dulcimer Music - September 1, 2023 Good Morning, Y'all! A few weeks ago, we got our sawdust-encrusted hands on a new dulcimer book. Nothing unusual there, right? Folkcraft carries...
Contemporary Dulcimer Music With Tablature
Contemporary Dulcimer Music - September 1, 2023 Good Morning, Y'all! A few weeks ago, we got our sawdust-encrusted hands on a new dulcimer book. Nothing unusual there, right? Folkcraft carries...
Dulcimer Safety
Dulcimer Safety Good Morning, Y'all! With temperatures in the upper 90's this week, it has been a scorcher! Our part of Indiana (way north, near Fort Wayne) is generally a...
Dulcimer Safety
Dulcimer Safety Good Morning, Y'all! With temperatures in the upper 90's this week, it has been a scorcher! Our part of Indiana (way north, near Fort Wayne) is generally a...
What affects dulcimer tone?
Dulcimer Tone Good Morning, Y'all! I get the following question (in bold type below) all the time, and there's no easy answer. So, take everything I say today with a...
What affects dulcimer tone?
Dulcimer Tone Good Morning, Y'all! I get the following question (in bold type below) all the time, and there's no easy answer. So, take everything I say today with a...
Heartwood Versus Sapwood
Heartwood Versus Sapwood Good Morning, Y'all! I've had some questions lately about heartwood versus sapwood. Specifically in the making of mountain dulcimers, which is something I've done a fair amount...
Heartwood Versus Sapwood
Heartwood Versus Sapwood Good Morning, Y'all! I've had some questions lately about heartwood versus sapwood. Specifically in the making of mountain dulcimers, which is something I've done a fair amount...
Nice People
Nice People Play Dulcimers Good Morning, Y'all! I just got off the phone with yet "another" nice person. It is amazing how friendly people are when they call to order...
Nice People
Nice People Play Dulcimers Good Morning, Y'all! I just got off the phone with yet "another" nice person. It is amazing how friendly people are when they call to order...
Friends In High Places
Friends In High Places Good Morning, Y'all! So, two weeks ago, at the festival in Evart, Michigan, I ran into "dulcimer royalty." Doug Berch. In 1983, Doug won first place...
Friends In High Places
Friends In High Places Good Morning, Y'all! So, two weeks ago, at the festival in Evart, Michigan, I ran into "dulcimer royalty." Doug Berch. In 1983, Doug won first place...
Dulcimer Festival Wrap-up, Mrs. Ash
Dulcimer Festival Wrap-Up Good Morning, Everyone! I've spent this week in the shop, getting things cleaned up/cleared off the bench/removed from the various to-do lists. Why all the catch-up? Because...
Dulcimer Festival Wrap-up, Mrs. Ash
Dulcimer Festival Wrap-Up Good Morning, Everyone! I've spent this week in the shop, getting things cleaned up/cleared off the bench/removed from the various to-do lists. Why all the catch-up? Because...
Recommended String Gauges For A Dulcimer
Recommended Dulcimer String Gauges Good Morning, Y'all! As you're reading this, I'm in Michigan at the ODPC (Original Dulcimer Players Club) Funfest. The ODPC Funfest is a jam/camping/jam/classes/jam-oriented festival…
Recommended String Gauges For A Dulcimer
Recommended Dulcimer String Gauges Good Morning, Y'all! As you're reading this, I'm in Michigan at the ODPC (Original Dulcimer Players Club) Funfest. The ODPC Funfest is a jam/camping/jam/classes/jam-oriented festival…
Dulcimer Players From Harp Festivals
WOW! What a week! KMW was a blast this year! Aly and I got to hang out with a lot of our dulcimer friends. Some of them we hadn't seen...
Dulcimer Players From Harp Festivals
WOW! What a week! KMW was a blast this year! Aly and I got to hang out with a lot of our dulcimer friends. Some of them we hadn't seen...
Kentucky Music Week
As you're reading this, I'm sitting on the beach in sunny Hawaii, enjoying a fruity adult beverage served in a coconut shell... Oops, wrong career. I'm not on a beach....
Kentucky Music Week
As you're reading this, I'm sitting on the beach in sunny Hawaii, enjoying a fruity adult beverage served in a coconut shell... Oops, wrong career. I'm not on a beach....
March Of Technology
It is amazing how technology has progressed in just the last few years. When I got started with Folkcraft back in 2007, we were running a full-on server farm to...
March Of Technology
It is amazing how technology has progressed in just the last few years. When I got started with Folkcraft back in 2007, we were running a full-on server farm to...
Carol Walker Clinic
I'm writing this on Tuesday, June 13, for you to read on Friday, June 16. Getting ahead of my usual writing schedule, since I have customers scheduled to visit the...
Carol Walker Clinic
I'm writing this on Tuesday, June 13, for you to read on Friday, June 16. Getting ahead of my usual writing schedule, since I have customers scheduled to visit the...
Bing Futch Clinic
I hope you're having a good Friday, so far, and that you have something fun planned for the weekend. Ideally, making music with friends, but a close "second" would be...
Bing Futch Clinic
I hope you're having a good Friday, so far, and that you have something fun planned for the weekend. Ideally, making music with friends, but a close "second" would be...
Thank You
It is really nice to have so many of you refer your friends to Folkcraft for their books, strings, and dulcimers. It means a lot to me that you think...
Thank You
It is really nice to have so many of you refer your friends to Folkcraft for their books, strings, and dulcimers. It means a lot to me that you think...
Dulcimer Festival Attendance
We're getting into the summer and you know what that means? In-person-festival-season is right around the corner and I'm getting excited about seeing so many of you again! Last year's...
Dulcimer Festival Attendance
We're getting into the summer and you know what that means? In-person-festival-season is right around the corner and I'm getting excited about seeing so many of you again! Last year's...