Musician and Dulcimer Maker
The reinforcement strip and back braces are being shaped with chisels and scrapers. The chisel in the center is a crank necked paring chisel. The cranked neck of the chisel keeps my hand clear of the work.
The sides are dampened with water and sandwiched with a flexible thermal blanket between two sheets of flexible steel. [...]
Many stringed instruments traditionally have binding around the edges of the soundboard. The binding protects the exposed end grain of the soundboard from damage. Dulcimer soundboards usually are not bound. I assume this was because many early dulcimer makers were not trained luthiers and they may not have had the tools, technique or inclination to [...]
Here are a few photos of what I’ve been up to in the shop.
The peg head is sawn to rough shape with a Japanese style saw. Japanese saws cut on the pull stroke so they are easy to control. They also cut with great precision and leave the surface of the wood relatively smooth.
Once the [...]
Making an instrument with good tone, responsiveness and projection requires making the soundboard both light and stiff.
Many types of wood can be used with good results. Often it is the unique weight and feel of a particular piece of wood that makes it suitable for a soundboard. I have had very good results using a [...]
I’m currently building prototypes of the Appalachian dulcimers I will be producing.
First I come up with a concept of what I expect from the instrument.
I prefer an even response and voicing throughout the entire range of the instrument; every string at every fret should speak well.
There is a unique quality in the voice of a [...]
Posted in Dulcimer on Sep 27th, 2007
Balis Ritchie
Loraine Wyman
Jethro Amburgey
Bristol Taylor
Balis Ritchie was Jean Ritchie’s father.
Loraine Wyman collected Appalachian and Canadian folk songs in the early 20th century.
Jethro Amburgey was a prolific and influential dulcimer maker.
Bristol Taylor was a dulcimer maker, farmer and poet. I have not found any significant references to him or his work.
I’m currently working on a dulcimer in Cherry but I thought I’d get started on the next in line. That one will have Walnut for the back and sides and a Cedar top.
Here is some of the wood that has been up in the attic. This was resawn about a year ago.
I take what I [...]
Posted in Dulcimer on Sep 14th, 2007
I grew up in Brooklyn, NY.
When I was 15 I played piano in a rock and roll band. I became involved with a community theater group that rented a storefront and paid the rent by having a coffee house with an open mic every Friday .
I got to meet a lot of interesting performers and [...]
I first heard Margaret MacArthur perform when I was a teenager. I had just begun learning to play the dulcimer and she was one of the first players I had the chance to hear.
She performed at The South Street Seaport Museum in New York City. I was probably 17 at the time.
Margaret demonstrated a rare [...]
