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Well tomorrow we go back to school. I am a teacher by paid profession and we have an 8 day Interim course which I have volunteered to teach 7 kids how to make dulcimers. I will have 2.5 hrs each day. I have created some "kits" and will try to attatch some pics. Keep me in your prayers.


Karl



Bending 4 sides at a time





10 "kits" sides bent, headblocks rough cut as well as tail blocks and 40 slats for tops and backs.







One proud former student with his dulcimer. Walnut throughout and inlaid maple with his own signiture in the headstock. Sounds good too.

He now knows how hard it is to make a guitar. I believe the dulcimer is a great start to show some of the intricate workings of stringed instruments, what do you guys think?
Thanks for your input and encouragment.

Karl

Karl,

What a great idea. These kids will have a wonderful time learning the elemets of a great craft.

Thier enjoyment will continue long after they have completed thier projects. Learning to play a dulcimer is so easy that they will be able to play music allmost immeadiatly. Do you plan to offer basic instruction in playing technique as well?

A word of caution, you should include a disclaimer with your course materials: WARNING THIS COULD BE THE BEGINING OF A LIFE LONG ADDICTION!!!

Keep us posted,

Cecil

That looks like a lot of fun. I'd love to do that someday - maybe as a volunteer afer I retire.

_________________
Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

What a great way to start the new year, that dulcimer looks really nice, good luck with the new batch of students!

Good luck Karl! There is nothing quite like seeing the smile on a student's face the first time they hear sounds coming from an instrument they made! What a rewarding experience!!

Two weeks ago I checked out the shop of Nathan Sweet, who builds all kinds of folk instruments for Lark in the Morning, including dulcimers. What really blows me away is that he builds Hurdy Gurdies, which from what I understand are much more difficult than guitars. He is also a fine violin maker. Your pictures kind of reminded me of his house, not that that has anything to do with your class.... I just really have an interest in all kinds of stringed folk instruments. nickton39086.2423611111

_________________
"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.

More pics of the progress



Cutting fret slots in the fingerboard. Let me tell ya not everyone is cut out for this. No pun intended. Some of the slots looked like a squirrel was used to cut them! Thank goodness for CA!





Glued top to the fingerboards.



Nice back of sapele with some beautiful shimmer. The kid is getting the bug! Just wait till he puts some finish on it wednesday.

Please comment on the progress. As we have one more week to go. Headblocks are cut. Fingerboards slotted , fretted and inlayed. Tailblocks started and some tops are glued to the fingerboards and all of the backs are bookmatched and glued together and smoothed.
Thanks for looking

Karl