Comment

Comment by Mal Chilvers on May 21, 2011 at 5:43pm

My tuner does not show f,that's my problem.I am using the Korg GA-1 and only shows strings as on the guitar Mal

Comment by Alan Roberts on May 21, 2011 at 5:06pm

Call 'em what you will, just don't call them strumst**ks" Mr. McNally likes to sue people.

 

I'm going to try the plans in John Ressler's "Pickin' Stick: Building a Stringed Instrument" http://www.amazon.com/Pickin-Stick-Building-Stringed-Instrument/dp/...

Comment by Rand Moore on May 21, 2011 at 2:23pm

Hi Again, Mal:

With regard to tuning. With a diatonic fretboard, the two most common tunings are D-A-D' and G-D-G'. Both are in the family of tunings usually called 1-5-8 tunings (sometimes called 1-5-1 tunings, but I think this name is misleading, because string 1 is tuned an octave above the bass string, and that is not stated in the name of the tuning). There are seven different 1-5-8 tunings including: D-A-D', E-B-E', F-C-F', G-D-G', A-E-A', B-F-B', and C-G-C'. If you look at these letters closely, you should be able to figure out the progression.

 

Anyways, F-C-F' is the tuning you were asking about. If your stick-dulcimer is tuned D-A-D' now, tighten the bass string until it reads "F" on your electronic tuner. Then tighten the middle string until it reads "C" on your electronic tuner. Then tune the first string until it reads "F". Then you should repeat this as tuning strings 2 and 3 can pull string 1 slightly out of tune.

To verify your tuning, fret your instrument at fret 4 and then strum the bass string and the middle string alternatively. They should sound very close and read about the same on your electronic tuner. Next, fret the middle string at the third fret position and alternatively strum the middle and first strings to compare the notes. They should sound about the same, and should read about the same on your electronic tuner. If the note produced on string 1 is much lower in pitch than the middle string stopped at fret 3, then most likely, your first string is tuned an octave too low, and you'll need to tighten some more. Tuning F-C-F' from G-D-G' is similar, except you loosen the strings. You'll find it easier to loosen the strings until they are lower than the note you are trying for and then tune up to the target note, than it is to directly tune down to that note. If you are tuning your instrument for the first time, tuning can be trickier. In this case, tighten the strings until most of the "slop" is out, but not too tight. Hook up your electronic tuner and see what note comes up first on your digital tuner. If it is D instead of G, D-A-D' might be a better tuning for your instrument. Then tune your middle string and finally your first string. Make sure the first string sounds an octave higher than your bass string. Again, this can be done by either stopping the second string at the third fret, or by stopping the bass string at the eighth fret (assuming you have a 6.5 fret (fret 7 if you don't)). Hopefully, you can follow what I'm saying. If not, ask me again.

 

Instruments with different scale lengths and different string diameters will tend to tune more naturally for certain tunings, but for other tunings you will either have very loose (sloppy) strings (usually the bass string), or you'll have a problem popping (breaking) strings to reach a higher tuning (usually the melody string).

 

The last thing I wanted to say is that you can play a melody on a stick-dulcimer what was tabbed for one key (say D-A-D') and play it on another (or the same instrument re-tuned to a different key) without changing your fret fingerings. This is because the diatonic fretboard incorporates the pattern of whole steps and half steps used in the Major Scales (assuming you have the 6.5 fret) and the Mixolydian scale (where the 7th note is flat (a half step)). So, while Lew Dite may prefer a F-C-F' tuning to play 'Wild Wood FLower' on his instrument, you may find that your instrument does not play optimally there, and you can use the same tabs to play it in a key more suitable to you instrument.

-Rand.

 

 

Comment by Rand Moore on May 21, 2011 at 1:43pm

Hi Mal.

I call the style of the McNally sound box a "paddle box" because of it's roughly paddle shape. I recently built one of these and have a lot of photos. I wanted to make one with a bigger sound box, but the rest of the ideas are applicable. Check out this discussion:"The Boat Paddle Box -- The Traditional Stick Dulcimer Soundbox" in my CBN discussion group " Home Made Resonator Boxes 101". My project is based around a refined set of plans that CBN member Kev Lloyd had used to make a couple such instruments for himself.

From my current project, I found that many mountain dulcimer builders can get away with bending wood by just soaking the side pieces in hot (not boiling) water for 45 minutes, so I'll likely try this next time around. Building a specail steamer, etc. seems like over kill for bending wood, and I don't have access to a wall paper steamer which was another suggested route. My first go at dry bending resulted in a cracked side. More info on that project can be found at this link: "My Mountain Dulcimer Project". This project is still a work in progress, but does involve wood bending. For both my  mountain dulcimer and my boat paddle box stick dulcimer, I used wood that was 0.5cm in thickness, cherry trim wood.

 

Comment by Wichita Sam on May 21, 2011 at 12:45pm

Mal,

 

Could you post the link to the plans you are using to build your strummer?

 

thanks,

 

Sam

Comment by Mal Chilvers on May 21, 2011 at 10:16am

Hi Guys I am trying to learn wild wood flower from lew dite on you tube.He sugests tuning to f c f how do i get this tuning using my Korg GA-1 .As at the moment I am tone deaf and could not tune by ear.Just another question,as anyone of you made a Mc Nally type strum stick,Irewally fancy making one and have the drawings for such a stick with the throu neck that you cut and shope the end to form the body.What would be the best type of wood to use for this that might bend eatier. Mal

Comment by Diane in Chicago on May 19, 2011 at 12:32am

James, the only thing that matters about the string is the size, for the most part.  Folks can label it a G or a D, but it is just a vibrating string of a certain size.

 

Three things determine what pitch the string produces:

gauge/size of the string

length of the instrument from nut to bridge

optimal tension (not too tight and not flopping around)

 

Many strings are labeled G or D or E because when strung on a standard guitar (24" - 26") and tightened to a nice playable tension, they will produce that note.  But there is a lot of leeway in there.

 

So while the set you have may not be optimal for the tuning you are going for, you are also not building an optimal instrument!  It is still a stick and a cigar box, for the most part, and a very forgiving instrument.

 

Just build it, slap those strings on it, play the hell out of it, and make another.

 

 

Comment by Wichita Sam on May 18, 2011 at 5:28pm

James,

 

I was fortunate in the beginning to get a lot of neck stock from the scrap of a cabinet mill.  They just threw it out in the corner of their parking lot... free for the taking.  But, it was irregular with some being on the thin side and some being a full inch thick.  What I found was on relatively narrow necks, like your 1.25" wide neck, a little thicker neck was more stable for playing... narrow and too thin created a loose/sloppy feel for playing....

 

I still have a neck made by a company that builds hundreds of strummers a month.  it is 1 1/8 X 1 1/8 square profile.  I've built a couple strummers using this profile and they are quite playable....

 

The best thing to do is build.  You can only learn so much from trying to consolidate the experience/opinions of others.  

 

the best,

 

Sam

Comment by James Boutilier on May 18, 2011 at 5:21pm

hey Sam---  thanks mate-

yeah, just trying to blend everything i see/and told (grin)

I know, its a feel as you go right?

just so hard to get supplies here, seems every step is an effort. one mistake means a lot of real hassle (and money) to try to correct it.

 

at least the first time... hopefully after that i can get some supplies for a couple and then can mess around a bit  8)

Comment by Wichita Sam on May 18, 2011 at 5:15pm

James,

 

Neck thickness is somewhat personal taste.  I thought you were refering to whether or not it would be strong enough.  There are a lot of strummers built on 1X2 stock with a 1/4 X2 piece added as a fretboard.  I've built and played both thicker and thinner... it's really preference beyond what is strong enough.

 

YOu can build on the neck without a seperate fretboard, so it would be thinner than a typical neck with fretboard added on, ... or you can shape the neck in a "V" profile that will make it more playable, .... or you can plane the bottom of the neck to thin it if that is your preference.

 

but, if you prefer the advice of what you heard on a vid, then.....

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