MIMF

Hello,
My name is Jean-Dag, I am 63 years old, I am french and live in the south of France.
I am now retired after having worked in the IT domain and now, I've got some free time to work on my hobby, although I already built several Mountain Dulcimers when I was a teenager, years ago...

These very last years, I endeavoured to build 3 prototypes of Kanteles and one chromatic electric Dulcimer.

I'm now currently in the process of building a series of Kanteles (one for any of my 6 grand children !), I have a project of restoring an old italian Mandolin, and I already plan to build again two other Dulcimers, one of them aiming to be a jazzy electro acoustic model.

I am very happy to join this forum and to exchange and learn with you all.

Jean Dag

Bienvenue, Jean Dag! Welcome to the MIMF! And, as a fellow dulcimer builder/player, I am especially interested in your instruments. I have only build one electric so far. I converted a normal dulcimer to chromatic once for a friend, but chromatic dulcimers are very unusual. Kanteles are rare here, so any pictures, especially of their construction, would be welcome. Most dulcimer discussions should be placed in Other Strings.

Hi Jim,
Happy to meet you!

(please move my answer at the correct place in the forum, if needed)

I see you are a dulcimer player. Actually, I was captivated by that instrument, many years ago, after having been listening to a record of Mary Rhoads.

Then I built several ones and I made this one when I was 17.
The only resource I had at this time was the book of Jean Richie "Dulcimer People" , explaining in a chapter of a few pages, how to build a dulcimer.
I still have that instrument and play it. It is made of maple and red cedar. Now, 45 years later, as I am retired, I work again on instruments building.
I made that electric chromatic dulcimer. Its purpose is to be able to play some blues and jazz music. (I am also a jazz flute player). That electric dulcimer is made of recovered wood (the head comes from a chopping board ! ) but it sounds quite correctly, even without amplification.
I find very interesting to switch from it to the other, playing both chromatic or diatonic (blues is funny with the diatonic fretboard, requiring to bend the strings...).
Now, I just start another dulcimer, with real lutherie wood (wenge, ash tree, spruce) which will be traditional: diatonic and acoustic. I've quite finished the head and I'm building the mold so that I can make it with a hourglass shape. About the Kantele, this is an instrument I discovered by chance on the Internet and I love its simplicity. It makes a lovely crystalline sound.
The traditional building is to hollow a block of wood to make the body. The bottom is then totally open.
I preferred to build them by assembling parts to make a box. I made several prototypes before.

It gives the opportunity to make various kinds of soundholes. (each of my grandchildren wants a different one )
I'm currently still on them. they are also made of good lutherie wood.

You'll find attached some pictures illustrating the steps. I hope that will find you interested.

I am happy to share with you all in the MIMF forum.
From France, cheerfully,
Jean-Dag