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ezFolk Forums > Other Instruments > Other Instruments > Guitar style Dulcimer built by Wendell Powell |
| Moderated by: Tony Provencher, Richard Hefner |
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| Guitar style Dulcimer built by Wendell Powell | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29th, 2007 02:02 am |
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1st Post |
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Tim3finger Approved 
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Hey All It has been a while since I have started a post instead of posting replies, but I need to share my latest interest with you guys. Way back three years ago, I started playing guitar with a guy named 1four5. We noodled around playing blues stuff, mainly because it sounded good and was easy( relatively) to learn. Well, that progressed to baritone ukes, which we still have, then a friend heard us, joined in, and before you know it, we started a band. I picked up bass playing to fit with the band, and Dean(1four5) picked up the banjo. Well, I have just recently started learning the mandolin. Not too bad, my hands are a little big, and the chords and notes are a different world from bass and guitar, but I am progressing well. Been playing about 3 months now and soon I hope to play it on a few tunes with the band ( Not Worthy ( notworthy.org) ). Having said all that, I have found, quite by accident, that I am in love with the sound and ease of playabilty of the Mountain Dulcimer. You know that old zen thing where it's said, " everyone has a song inside them, just waiting to be expressed"? I believe the dulcimer is my vehicle of expression! I tuned an old tenor guitar ( homemade) to A D a d, and within seconds. I was playing things I never thought I could. It was magical! I realize that I only have whatever time the Lord gives me left here on earth to learn this instrument and I intend to use it playing the dulcimer. I am not a traditionalist, so I like the guitar feel and style of instrument. Just so happens, there is a gentleman in Arkansas who builds some neat looking instruments. I got in contact with him, and by wednesday next week, I should have one of his creations in my hands. It is a six string and looks a little like an octave mando. It is tuned DD AA dd. The sound clips he sent with the pictures were awesome. I remember a post that mentioned him, and I was wondering if anyone has one of his Dulcimers and could comment. I found his e-mails thoroughly pleasant and straightforward and have no reason to belive his instruments will be any less. Just wanted to know if you have one and do you like it. Tim Last edited on Mon Jan 29th, 2007 02:32 am by Tim3finger ____________________ Tim "Trying to give back a little of what I've been given" |
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29th, 2007 03:29 am |
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2nd Post |
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gerry mcgandy Approved 
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Tim3finger wrote: Way back three years ago, I started playing guitar with a guy named 1four5. We found this place about the time you're talkin' about Tim. You guys flew far above the realms of expectation on the joy of music. It's been a privelege to hear The B-ones of Contention turn into Not Worthy. Looking forward to hearing that dulcimer. Gerry. ps I read The Wizard of Oz to my daughter May a little while back. She now pronounces Kansas exactly as you do on There Ain't No Mountains In..... Last edited on Mon Jan 29th, 2007 03:32 am by gerry mcgandy ____________________ Gerry McGandy http://mp3mart.net http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/556/ |
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29th, 2007 09:46 pm |
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3rd Post |
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Tim3finger Approved
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Thanks Gerry For Dean and myself, this music thing is a never ending journey. Considering we don't turn up our noses at anything, we have learned to enjoy nearly all styles of music. I think also, being non-traditionalists by nature, we are able to put new twists on old standards and turn them into our own songs ( giving credits where due , of course ). Kinda stepping outside the box, so to speak. That doesn't mean we don't do a lot of songs as they were written. Far from it! But by constant experimenting, we are pushing our abilities and getting better on a more or less constant basis. That's probably why we have learned different instruments over the last 3 years or so. Looking for that song inside, Dean does it on his Banjo, and, as I said, I think my song will be on the Dulcimer. We shall see! Tim
____________________ Tim "Trying to give back a little of what I've been given" |
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29th, 2007 10:49 pm |
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4th Post |
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Charlie Approved 
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Hi Tim, The man that builds those has beenbuilding for quite a few years and from what I can see, they look good I have heard sound clips of them and liked them. I have been doing the same thing, I like the dulcimers and the sound they produce and the simple way to make music, I built a few mountain dulcimers and just finish a hammered dulcimer that I want to record with it some. I did put one song on my site and the name is My old Kentucky Home if you want to listen and also a few other songs on my site here with the dulcimer. My dulcimers that I play are some that I build and they are just 3 string and I build then to hold like a banjo are guitar as I have a hard time playing those that you put in yor lap. Mine are just simple made and don't compare to those the the guy is building for you. Really wanting to here what yours is going to sound like. Good luck with your journey with the dulcimers and tell Dean to get one also if he can put his banjo down long enought to play one. Charlie
____________________ Yesterdays Tomorrow is Today http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/charlesculbertson |
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| Posted: Mon Jan 29th, 2007 11:54 pm |
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5th Post |
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Tim3finger Approved
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Hi Charlie I listened to your dulcimer tune. Very nice playing. I especially liked the hammered dulcimer on " My old Kentucky Home". It looks like, in one of your song avatars, I see what appears to be a Musikit " Strumbly". Is it? Do you like it? I thought about getting one to throw in my locker at work. I will be getting my Longneck Dulcimer from Wendell Powell tomorrow, so I will put up some more pics, but for now here is what he sent to me. It is (was) his own personal Dulcimer, built for himself, so I am excited about getting it. I will put up on my site a tune or two as soon as I rebuild it and figure out how to use the Cakewalk studio again. Attachment: T9C_1.JPG (Downloaded 64 times)
____________________ Tim "Trying to give back a little of what I've been given" |
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| Posted: Tue Jan 30th, 2007 01:29 am |
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6th Post |
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Charlie Approved
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Tim That Strumby I built was good looking, But it had no volume to it, I was disappointed with it, so I sold it on e-bay. I had to change out the bridge on it as the one that came with it had the strings sitting about 1/2 inch to high and the action was bad, so after doing that it still had no volume to it. That is a good looking one that Wendell is building for you, can't wait to hear it, I may have him build me one like it. I don't have the shop and equipment to build like he does. Charlie
____________________ Yesterdays Tomorrow is Today http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/charlesculbertson |
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31st, 2007 06:09 pm |
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7th Post |
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1four5 Approved 
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Oh man...what a neat instrument. I got to pry it out of Tim's hands for a few minutes yesterday...what a BLAST!!! I could see loosing hours/days/months to one of those  They are made for a free spirited noodling type right brained person And the pictures don't do it justice!
____________________ These are the good times! |
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| Posted: Wed Jan 31st, 2007 06:56 pm |
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8th Post |
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Charlie Approved
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Hey Dean, I knew you were being set up to want one, but I don't know how Banjo Brad will except it if we lay our banj's down that long, Thats the reason I call mine a banjo dulcimer so Brad will not come down to heavy on me. I may have to talk to Wendall about one like that, I guess that they have 6 strings with 3 pair of tunning in unison as like dd-aa-dd or how ever you want to tune them. I will be glad to hear some song on them soon. There is a great book with over 2 hundred songs for the dulcimer and show different tunnings and has the tab for them and it is called ( OLD TIME AMERICAN SONGS FOR DULCIMER ) and you can find them on e-bay under dulcimers. Great Book Tim tell Dean that to buy his own and leave yours alone Charlie
____________________ Yesterdays Tomorrow is Today http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/charlesculbertson |
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| Posted: Fri Feb 9th, 2007 06:07 pm |
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9th Post |
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Patrick_Woolery Approved
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My wall of sound has four instruments on it by Mr. Powell. He is truly a wonderful man to do business with and I would recommend his creations without a moment of hesitation. All four of what we own (one for each member of the family) are his A Sticks. Similar shape to the McNalley Strumstick, but with a much deeper body, longer scale, and much more upscale materials and detailing. Workmanship is very fine, the prices were much too low (he actually refused to let me pay what I thought the 4th one was worth, insisting on his much lower initial price!), and the fun is in them. All are 3-stringers. The one for my daughter is tuned Gdg, the others are Dad. My wife and I have a matched pair, both of the kids' Sticks show some changes in how Mr. Powell makes things. It is actually really cool to have examples of an evolving style all within the same constraints of design and materials. Anyway, for anyone anywhere lucky enough to own some of this fine man's work, congratulations! Hmmm, I sure would like to try one of those 6-string jobs. Bet it has all sorts of lushness to the sound with those extra strings. Wonder if I can convince my wife I need to spend more money on musical stuff... -Patrick
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