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Permalink Reply by Ryan Rose on May 7, 2011 at 1:30pm

I've seen plenty of CBGs that have dulcimer fretting. In fact - and I'm sure someone will be along to correct me on this - a good many of the dulcimers I see here are, to me, indistinguishable from CBGs, except for the fretting. (Not including lap dulcimers, of course.)
As for the slide, yes, it will work. The notes are in the instrument. The slide is just another way of getting them out. Whether it sounds good depends on the player.
Oh, and welcome to the Nation!

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on May 8, 2011 at 4:45am

http://www.stewmac.com/fretcalc.html

I prefer a longer 26 inch scale(660 mm), but recommend using mm measurements, simplfies layout. There is a drop down menu under instruments, click on dulcimer. There are a number of other fret position calculators out there however the Stew Mac I like because it calculates bridge setback to allow for intonation correction.

Lots if great info on the McNally site.   http://www.strumstick.com/

Don

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Permalink Reply by Sharecropper on May 8, 2011 at 8:19am

 Hi , James......talk to you like an idiot ......?  At last a chance to use my native language . ha!    ? # 1.  CBG fretboards and dulcimer fretboards are the same but different . If you were to take a dulcimer and guitar the same scale and put them side by side the dulcimer's frets would line up perfectly with some of the guitar's frets....It's just that the guitar includes all the notes(frets) ! Once you figure where your dulcimers(or strumstick) frets are located on the guitar you can figure out how to play the CBG using a dulcimer tab book , if they are tuned the same .     ? # 2    A slide of course will work with no frets at all....but it's nice to know where the frets would be , so fretless CBG's often have the frets draw on . Keeping in mind you can play slide with out frets at all you could mark where the "missing" frets are on your strumstick . You would need to measure your strumstick from nut to bridge to get its scale then go to one of the many fret scale sites and get that scale for guitar !       I strongly suggest going with all the frets on a guitar since your already doing well with your strumsick.          Hope I'm talkin your language !!!!!!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on May 8, 2011 at 9:38am

And I strongly suggest staying with a diatonic scale(dulcimer) not chromatic(has all the notes, many of them wrong notes to play)

http://www.strumstick.com/html_pages/Chord%20Diagram%20page.htm

until you have mastered strumming, fingerpicking and the basic understanding of what makes a chord. Walk before you run. Make a long scale tuned DAd, just as many CBGs are tuned and you can learn without the frustration of playing WRONG notes. Build two, one diatonic the other chromatic. Read what McNally says about starting out slow with the strumstik to learn guitar, he knows what he is talking about and he puts it in a very understandable format as he taught guitar and knows how difficult it is. You say you quit the ukulele, do you think that one less string will suddenly make it easier?

Don

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Permalink Reply by James Boutilier on May 8, 2011 at 10:22am

Hey Don,  actually, I mainly didnt like the uke, and I did not explore what others were starting to do with them when I stopped.  IT was before a lot of net stuff started popping up with other instrument music and forms really crossing onto other instruments.  And... I dont like the sound of nylon strings, at all.

 

So, with the strummer forms, although I did expect a little more easy (which I am finding), it was more that I enjoyed the sound, and the versatility of what's being done on them got me wanting to play.

 

CBG "strummer style" which as you suggest is what I will start my build as, not only has that appeal, but I love the "fopund object" art form it's becoming.  I already have a design I want for my brother.

 

I LOVE making things with my hands.  And now, I believe I have an instrument form to express that love, both in making and playing.

 

The fact there is an amazing website like this with horribly helpful folks, well, it seals the deal !

 

jim

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