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Showing posts from August, 2020

..and the "Dulcimore"

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      I didn't know what to call it. I've used girls names, descriptions and now for lack of imagination, the obvious. "Dulcimore" It is an amalgamation of the "Betty" and the "ultra-lite". I've also decided to abandon the contemporary DAd tuning set up and string selection associated with it. A wonderfully sounding Ionian 1-5-5 tuning is better suited with the bass string being just a few thousands larger than the melody and middle drone to ring proper. With an all Poplar piece it should come in at around a pound! Tuned usually up around Aee it really rings. So: 26 inch VSL 4 1/4 inch upper bout 3 inch waist 5 1/8 inch lower bout 1 3/8 inch sound box depth       Prices start at just $425. All Poplar with your choice of Rosewood, Boxwood or Ebony tuners and a shellac or hand rubbed oil finish.                              Got any questions, suggestions or comments? I'd love to hear from you  dulcimoredan@gmail.com

Master Mawhee 89 inch VSL

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        Master Mawhee August 2020 Sound Clip   Video More info      It is based on the Mawhee pieces from a hundred year ago,   just a smidge larger! I started with the peg head by laminating   salvaged pallet Pine 1X4’s and glued them up strategically cutting away all the material I didn’t need to lighten the piece. It has three store bought machine tuners that I glued Walnut scales to and finished them with several coats of shellac. The peg head was sealed with two coats of shellac and then got two spray paint base coats of black. I then started on the tail piece. It is three laminated pieces of very old heart pine, again cutting away all that wasn’t needed to lighten it. I selected the heart Pine for strength seeing it would be anchoring a number 18 and two number 8 music wire pulled up as high as they can go! I thought about making it Maple as I did with the outer layers of the peg head, but stayed with the Pine. The tail piece was also sealed with two coats of shellac and t