Are McSpadden dulcimers good?
McSpadden dulcimers are top quality and suitable for professional use, live or in a recording studio. The dulcimer pictured, model 4SHWW, is currently strung with a heavier gauge and tuned to baritone, which really fills out its sound.
Where are McSpadden dulcimers made?
Mountain View, Arkansas
Since 1962, The Dulcimer Shoppe in Mountain View, Arkansas has been handcrafting McSpadden Mountain Dulcimers. Since then, the current and past owner of the shop, along with their craftsmen, have made a combined 76,000 dulcimers by hand.
What is the best wood for a dulcimer?
Western red cedar is the most widely used of the cedars for dulcimer soundboards. The wood is softer and lighter than spruce but is less affected by changes in humidity. The sound properties of western red cedar are notable for very clear highs, excellent balance throughout the tonal range and a warm tone.
What is a ginger dulcimer?
McSpadden Ginger Models are smaller dulcimers with a 23 3/16″ fretboard that can provide a high (Key of G) clear voice similar to that of a mandolin. On request they can be set up in the Key of D to be used as a smaller standard dulcimer for players who have difficulty reaching positions on a standard size fretboard.
How many strings should a dulcimer have?
four strings
Number of strings: Dulcimers may have as few as two or as many as 12 strings (in up to six courses). Up to the 1960s most mountain dulcimers had three strings. The most popular variant today is four strings in three courses, with doubled melody strings.
Who makes baritone dulcimers?
Ron Ewing
Ron Ewing has been building and playing dulcimers since 1970. He is especially known for his innovative designs, including the baritone, dulcimette, dulcimer capo, the 1 1/2 fret; and his lively renditions of traditional Irish dance tunes.
How do I choose a dulcimer?
Finding and buying a mountain dulcimer is a matter of looking and listening carefully: ask around, listen to various players. Look for a solid wood instrument; ask about its finish, request geared tuners, check its action, and sight down the top of the fingerboard to make sure its dead flat.
What is the standard tuning for a dulcimer?
There are many ways you can tune a dulcimer, but currently the most common tunings are DAD, DAA, or DGD. DAD is the most common but it is often easier for the beginning player to tune to DAA or the so-called “Reverse Ionian” tuning, (DGD).
How is a baritone dulcimer tuned?
Bass Dulcimer & Baritone Dulcimer The baritone is usually tuned a fourth lower (AEAA), which puts it in the key of A; it can be capoed in the 3rd fret to play in the key of D, or can be retuned to reverse Ionian ADAA to play in the key of D.
What is a baritone mountain dulcimer?
Baritones are larger mountain or appalachian dulcimers with 29 1/2″ scales, typically tuned AEA’ or GDG’ below a standard dulcimer, with a correspondingly bigger, deeper sound – really majestic on slow tunes, and ballsy like an Irish octave mandolin on flat-picked reels and jigs.
