Stringfling Neosho, MO Feb. 22, 2003

Generations III

From left to right: Gail Knapp, Pill McKnight and Dakota Whitworth

The Dulcimer Gathering Vinita, OK March 27, 2003
Pictures taken by Pill McKnight

Gail Knapp of Vinita, OK reaches many folks with her dulcimer outreach activities. Above are a few events! Way to go Gail!

Submitted by Steve aka as cozynest

This picture of an A stick Steve built is in connection to the Soundboard wood topic posted on the discussion group.

...And here is Steve and his grandaughter enjoying it!

Ever wonder what a 'possum board is? It simply lifts the dulcimer up off your lap a bit to allow the back of your dulcimer to vibrate and produce more volume. Possum boards come in all shapes and sizes. This possum board belongs to Barbara Lomas.

That's me, Marc Mathieu of (Northern) Ontario, Canada, taking a break in the shade of a birch tree at my cottage on Pivabiska Lake. The walnut teardrop that I'm holding, is the 2nd dulcimer in my collection. This one, I built in 1995 from a Folkcraft kit. I didn't have a scroll saw back then, (still don't), so those "bleeding heart" soundholes were accomplished on a drill press by drilling many little holes side by side, then smoothing out the rough edges with a fine file & sandpaper. Fretting the fretboard was so cool ! To get that durable glossy finish, I applied about 5 coats of "polymerized" tung oil - with a brush, same as I would do with varnish. It's a great D-A-cc instrument, with a nice sweet tone. There's nothing like playing your own instrument ! :) The best thing .... there not that difficult to build !! Keep on Strummin' & Happy Tunes !!

(Photo by Betsy Anthony)

Dotti Shelton's Grandaughter Athena.
Nice going for starting her off right, Dotti!

Larry Hicks at his church Octoberfest (See his article here!)

Chris Peterson and Karen Curry at a recent concert for the SCDH (Southern California Dulcimer Heritage) in Monrovia, CA

Jak Stallings wites "Here is a composite photo of my new Terry McCafferty Pickin Stick. The fret board is overlaid with ebony and has position dots at frets 3, 5, 7 and 10. There is also a nice decorative inlay on the head. The body and
neck of the instrument are walnut (note the nice figuring on the body). The sound board is curly ash. It is not only a strikingly beautiful instrument, it also plays very well with a clear banjo-like tone. I love my Pickin' Stick!

Another amazing creation, this one a courting dulcimer, by Ken Hulme of Prescott, AZ. Nice work Ken!

Ken's description: "Heinz 57 Courting Dulcimer: Black Ash back, Alder sides, Fir ends, Western
RedCedar top, and Teak fretboards"

"Hi Bruce,
I think you have to have a talk with Mr. Hulme. I believe he has grossly misrepresented the dulcimers he builds. He said he built a good serviceable instrument and sold them at craftsman pricing. What showed up on my doorstep this morning doesn't come close to that description. What I got was a beautiful custom piece obviously built by a MASTER craftsman.

Del"

Nice going Ken! Beautiful!

Gail Knapp of Vinita, Oklahoma playing beside her hands-on dulcimer display. Way to go Gail!

Some VERY inventive dulcimer creations from Gail Knapp of Vinita, Oklahoma. Gail construction dual soundbox dulcimers from cigar boxes, cookie tins, candy boxes, even clock housings. More to come on these dulcimers.

Mike and Marlene Oliver playing on open stage at the
Harmony Harvest festival, September 2001

The above dulcimer is Ken Hulme's pinstriped dulcimer. The top is ash with walnut stripes with ebony accents. The 'standing hawk' soundhole camr from a sketch of an old Amerindian fetish. This dulicmer has a free-standing 'compensated' bridge with the bass string end of the bridge angled back to be slightly longer than the melody string end. Wood thickness is 3/16" - much thicker than most builders- but the tone is still very good with great bass response. Length 39" from tuning head to external tailblock. Width 9-1/2"

Sides are 3" deep walnut and extend to become the head. The tuning head is laminated with ash to give enough thickness for tuning machine screws. The Fretboard is 1-1/2" wide, laminated from 1/4" thick ash and walnut.

The final picture is Ken Hulme pickin at Granite Lake at the Granite Peak Trailhead, five miles from Prescott, AZ.

Scott Ranger (guitarist/soundman for the Kattywompus Band of Monrovia, California)
using the Roland (VS1824CD) equipment during a recent recording session AT HOME! For about $2000 the band can record album at a location of their choice.

This photo was made April 20, 2002, on the porch of the John Jay French house, believed to be the oldest in Beaumont, Texas. The occasion was the "French Road Show" (antiques appraisal fair), and members of the Southeast Texas Dulcimer Friends were invited to entertain as folks strolled about the tree-shaded grounds of this old homestead and sought professional appraisals of their favorite keepsakes, antiques and collectibles.

The members of the Southeast Texas Dulcimer Friends shown in the photo on your web site are
(l to r) Darrell Hall, Hazel Hall, Dee Suitt, Butch Suitt, Joe Roberts, Randy Williamson.

This picture was taken in front of a typical East Texas dog trot house which has been reassembled in what was once the gym in the old John H. Reagan High School in Palestine, Texas. It is now the Museum for East Texas Culture.

Pictured are the headliners of the 2002 Palestine Old Time Music and Dulcimer Festival including Steve Seifert, Lloyd Wright, Bruce Greene, Don Pedi, Hollis Wright, Larry Wheat, David Lindsey, Annette Lindsey, Dan DeLancey, Helen White, Carl Jones, Linda Thomas, Josh Goforth, Wayne Henderson and Glen Flesher.

Ken Hulme of Prescott, Arizona and his "true teardrop" design with the one piece
side. This one is Ash and Aromatic Redcedar.

Kattywompus String Band during taping of cable TV show, On the Avenue.
Monrovia, CA

Log Cabin Ministeries, Vinita OK (Aug 1999)
Steve Potter on banjo, Gail Knapp on Mountain Dulcimer and Mary Warren on Guitar

Courting Dulcimer (March 7, 2002) built by Gail Knapp of Vinita, OK

Photo by: Jerry L. Wright

That's Don Pedi from Madison County, North Carolina top left. Then there's Lloyd Wright from Houston, Texas. He is the 2000 National Mountain Dulcimer Champion. Then Lloyd's brother, Hollis. Ken Ryan on the bass. Bill Thurman is the fiddle player. Margaret Wright is in the foreground with Buford.

They are in front of the Camp Street Cafe in Crockett, Texas where great music can be heard every Saturday night.

Photo by: Jerry L. Wright

Terry and Barbara McCafferty's house near Brookshire, Texas

Photo by: Jerry L. Wright

This is Terry McCafferty's new shop. It has been a long time in the making and there are a lot of folks anxiously awaiting their mountain dulcimers and pickin' sticks.

Editorial note: The webmaster is JEALOUS!