"Evolving" dulcimer fret patterns? - Cigar Box Nation2024-03-29T05:31:53Zhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/evolving-dulcimer-fret-patterns?groupUrl=dulciworld&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI can't comment on the fretti…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-07-07:2592684:Comment:26430802016-07-07T23:40:38.484ZGreg Thompsonhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/GregThompson
I can't comment on the fretting, but your dulcimers a look wonderful!<br />
Good luck!
I can't comment on the fretting, but your dulcimers a look wonderful!<br />
Good luck! So far I've only built mounta…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-05-10:2592684:Comment:25947682016-05-10T20:06:27.854ZSeth Tabbererhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/SethTabberer
<p>So far I've only built mountain dulcimers for myself. All of them include the 6 1/2. Even my youngest kids know that when you get to that fret to count it as a half.</p>
<p>I built a chromatic dulcimer to see how I liked it. I guess I'm not a good enough player yet. All those extra frets really slow me down.</p>
<p>On my most recent build I put on the 1 1/2 fret. I love it. I doubt that I will build another dulcimer for myself without it. It makes playing songs with other non-dulcimer…</p>
<p>So far I've only built mountain dulcimers for myself. All of them include the 6 1/2. Even my youngest kids know that when you get to that fret to count it as a half.</p>
<p>I built a chromatic dulcimer to see how I liked it. I guess I'm not a good enough player yet. All those extra frets really slow me down.</p>
<p>On my most recent build I put on the 1 1/2 fret. I love it. I doubt that I will build another dulcimer for myself without it. It makes playing songs with other non-dulcimer players so much easier. No more "what do you mean you can only play a root-less F chord"? I thought it might get in the way, but it doesn't.</p>
<p>Not a lot of dulcimer tab out there that includes the 1 1/2 fret though.</p>
<p>I've never built for sale, but many of my dulcimers are built like strumsticks. Based on watching my guitar playing friends use my builds I'd say either go full chromatic, or diatonic with just the 6 1/2 fret. While I love my 1 1/2 fret, I probably represent a pretty small target audience.</p>
<p> </p> The tone is similar to most C…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-05-10:2592684:Comment:25945842016-05-10T18:27:21.101ZHabanera Halhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/HalSpalter
<p>The tone is similar to most CBG's. What you'd expect for a 3 string shallow box - kinda banjo-like. I'm selling these at craft fairs where people can pick them up and play them, not on the internet so I doubt I'll put up any mp3 files of my horrible playing. Also, I don't like to ship instruments, they always get damaged unless you spend a ridiculous amount packing them. </p>
<p>The tone is similar to most CBG's. What you'd expect for a 3 string shallow box - kinda banjo-like. I'm selling these at craft fairs where people can pick them up and play them, not on the internet so I doubt I'll put up any mp3 files of my horrible playing. Also, I don't like to ship instruments, they always get damaged unless you spend a ridiculous amount packing them. </p> Wow! How is the tone? I would…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-05-10:2592684:Comment:25943512016-05-10T08:53:53.010ZGordon Cooperhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/GordonCooper
<p>Wow! How is the tone? I would suggest including an mp3 file with every image of your instruments. Might help sell if folks could hear them first. </p>
<p>Wow! How is the tone? I would suggest including an mp3 file with every image of your instruments. Might help sell if folks could hear them first. </p> Very nice line of strummers.…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-05-10:2592684:Comment:25943462016-05-10T08:39:14.792ZJock MacHineryhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/JockMacHinery
<p>Very nice line of strummers. I think that they should sell like hot cakes. With all that nice wood they look pretty enough for display when not being played.</p>
<p>As for the 1 1/2 fret, my take is to leave it out. The 6 1/2 has a lot of value without adding too much complication. Once you start adding more frets you're on the way back to full chromatic. For a beginner - keep it simple.</p>
<p>I've made and played many diatonic fretted instruments and never found the need for 1 1/2 ( and 13…</p>
<p>Very nice line of strummers. I think that they should sell like hot cakes. With all that nice wood they look pretty enough for display when not being played.</p>
<p>As for the 1 1/2 fret, my take is to leave it out. The 6 1/2 has a lot of value without adding too much complication. Once you start adding more frets you're on the way back to full chromatic. For a beginner - keep it simple.</p>
<p>I've made and played many diatonic fretted instruments and never found the need for 1 1/2 ( and 13 1/2) frets, but find the 6 1/2 very handy.</p>
<p>Just my 2 (euro) cents' worth!</p> A bit more complicated, but s…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-05-10:2592684:Comment:25943132016-05-10T03:17:51.089ZHabanera Halhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/HalSpalter
<p>A bit more complicated, but so much more versatile! An excellent video and explanation. Thanks for the link!</p>
<p>A bit more complicated, but so much more versatile! An excellent video and explanation. Thanks for the link!</p> Hey Hal - Interesting concept…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-05-09:2592684:Comment:25941952016-05-09T23:30:19.907Zturtleheadhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/turtlehead
<p>Hey Hal - Interesting concept and nice dulcimers - I've only built one and it didn't have the 1 1/2 fret, but I found this video that I thought did a nice job of explaining it.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUu3WA-yULM" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUu3WA-yULM</a> </p>
<p>It does give you a lot of different options, but I'm wondering if it would just complicate things for the beginner? I don't know, I can kind of see both sides...</p>
<p>Hey Hal - Interesting concept and nice dulcimers - I've only built one and it didn't have the 1 1/2 fret, but I found this video that I thought did a nice job of explaining it.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUu3WA-yULM" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUu3WA-yULM</a> </p>
<p>It does give you a lot of different options, but I'm wondering if it would just complicate things for the beginner? I don't know, I can kind of see both sides...</p> Thanks for the props. The VS…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-05-09:2592684:Comment:25939662016-05-09T22:33:07.597ZHabanera Halhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/HalSpalter
<p>Thanks for the props. The VSL, or scale length, is generally 635mm or 25.25" I slot my fretboards with a .023 kerf blade in my tablesaw with a template and indexing pin. Works super!</p>
<p>If one were to use a 1-1/2 fret, I think the corresponding octave fret would be called the 8-1/2 and line up with the 15th fret on a chromatic?</p>
<p>Thanks for the props. The VSL, or scale length, is generally 635mm or 25.25" I slot my fretboards with a .023 kerf blade in my tablesaw with a template and indexing pin. Works super!</p>
<p>If one were to use a 1-1/2 fret, I think the corresponding octave fret would be called the 8-1/2 and line up with the 15th fret on a chromatic?</p> Hey that sounds cool. I still…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-05-09:2592684:Comment:25939642016-05-09T22:30:26.118ZRooster Reaveshttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RoosterReaves
<p>Hey that sounds cool. I still haven't got to do much building yet. Still renting here and have a lot of stuff still in boxes. Hope to get something going soon.</p>
<p>Hey that sounds cool. I still haven't got to do much building yet. Still renting here and have a lot of stuff still in boxes. Hope to get something going soon.</p> Hey Rooster! Good to hear fr…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-05-09:2592684:Comment:25939592016-05-09T22:24:48.747ZHabanera Halhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/HalSpalter
<p>Hey Rooster! Good to hear from you! I've had the shop together, but most of my time has been spent on the lathes. Plus, the store where I sell most of my CBG's is undergoing a remodel/transformation into an upscale classic rock-themed coffee shop, so CBGs are on hold for a while.</p>
<p>Haven't settled on a price yet for the strummers. I know what I SHOULD sell them for, but don't know if the venues will support that. I'll probably start them around $100 and go up depending on 3 or 4…</p>
<p>Hey Rooster! Good to hear from you! I've had the shop together, but most of my time has been spent on the lathes. Plus, the store where I sell most of my CBG's is undergoing a remodel/transformation into an upscale classic rock-themed coffee shop, so CBGs are on hold for a while.</p>
<p>Haven't settled on a price yet for the strummers. I know what I SHOULD sell them for, but don't know if the venues will support that. I'll probably start them around $100 and go up depending on 3 or 4 string, electric or not, you know. </p>