Maintenance On A Dulcimer That Gets Played A Lot!

October 2, 2019October 3, 2019 ~ Doug ~ 4 Comments

A dulcimer I built a few years was shipped back to me to have a new pickup installed. When I unpacked the dulcimer and took a first look at it I was filled with joy; this dulcimer showed signs it has been played a lot!

I chose to do some maintenance on the frets and fingerboard while the dulcimer was on the bench for the pickup installation.

In the photo above you can see extensive wear on the frets. After several years of being played regularly the frets have worn under the strings in the places most used. On dulcimers this is most often seen on the lower frets up to the 5th or 6th fret but can vary depending on the style and technique of the player.

Frets are like tires on a car; they are an important interface that require occasional maintenance as they wear and at times, replacement.

Here’s what the fret looked like after leveling, reshaping, and polishing.

Happy frets after leveling reshaping and polishing.

The owner of this dulcimer plays with a pick and plays hard so there was wear around the strum hollow and in the higher end of the fingerboard. Most players pick or strum in the “sweet spot” that falls over the fingerboard. This area produces what most people consider the most pleasing blend of harmonics and tone. Playing over the fingerboard is also more comfortable for many players because they don’t have to jut their right elbow far to the right to keep their hand over the strum hollow.

Wear on the fretboard. This dulcimer has been played

Many serious players of stringed instruments think of this kind of wear as scars that show where they have been. Some people are horrified when they see wear on their dulcimer but others see it as a badge of honor!

If I make a dulcimer for someone who lets me know they play hard and are concerned about wear I recommend a harder, more wear-resistant wood for the fingerboard. They will still get some wear but it will be milder and less obvious.

Cherry dulcimer after fretwork and some oil on the fingerboard.

After sealing the fingerboard with oil the dulcimer is ready for more adventure!

You can see photos of my work in progress by following me on Instagram.

Preparing A Dulcimer Fingerboard For Receiving The Frets

September 21, 2018September 30, 2018 ~ Doug ~ 4 Comments

On the bench today is a custom chromatic dulcimer with an ebony fingerboard. The spruce soundboard has been stained and lightly distressed to add some character. I’m a character and so are my dulcimers. So it goes.

Many dulcimer makers fret the fingerboard early in the construction process. It is much easier to install the frets when the fingerboard is separate from the dulcimer; one can hammer or press the frets in without any thought of possibly crushing the dulcimer beneath them!

I know several dulcimer makers who get good results fretting the fingerboard before gluing it to the dulcimer but I prefer fretting the fingerboard after assembling the dulcimer and applying the finish.

Experience has shown me that applying the finish to a dulcimer sometimes results in slight movement of the soundboard and fingerboard. By fretting after applying the finish I can level and/or add relief to the fingerboard and have it come out exactly as I prefer it to be.

I use a scraper and a few sanding blocks to prepare the fingerboard for fretting. The scraps of wood lying on the dulcimer prevent bad, scary things from happening to the soundboard while working on the fingerboard.

The movement of the fingerboard and the correction I am talking about is measured in thousandths of an inch. As a player I find these small increments can make a surprising difference in how much I enjoy playing a dulcimer.

Fretting towards the end of a build requires more work but I am often told my dulcimers are very comfortable and easy to play and this is a part of how I make them that way.

What’s On The Bench – 11/20/2017

November 20, 2017 ~ Doug ~ 2 Comments

On my calendar was recovery from back surgery this past week but there was a change of plans; a dental issue came up and surgery was postponed. Instead I am taking antibiotics and will have minor dental surgery in a week or so. The back surgery will probably be within a month or so after that.

Let it not be said that I don’t know how to have a good time!

I’m a firm believer that what is happening is happening and what is not happening is not happening so I am rolling with it.

In the meantime I am up to my usual tricks and getting some work done in the shop.

In the photograph above is a simple setup for cutting fret slots. The miter box is made from scraps of MDF and the depth stop on the saw is a strip of wood held in place with three colorful spring clamps. The wooden cam clamps hold the miter box to the work-board and holds the fretboard in place while sawing.

This low-tech setup works remarkably well.

I have templates for fret patterns I commonly use. The templates eliminate calculating and measuring out the fret positions.

This fingerboard is for a custom chromatic dulcimer with a scale length I have not used before; 743 centimeters! That is a very long string length but is what the person who will be playing this dulcimer prefers.

Since I didn’t have a template for this scale length I had to calculate the fret positions and lay them out on the fingerboard. Fortunately, there is software that does the math. In the 1970’s I had to spend a long time with a calculator to work out fret positions. The constant often used to calculate an equal tempered fretboard, 17.81715385, is still permanently installed in my memory.

I laid out the fret positions using a very accurate ruler, machinist’s square, sharp knife, and patience. I triple checked the measurements before sawing the slots.

Sawing the slots with the miter box was the fun part.

What’s On The Bench – Filing Frets

August 6, 2017September 4, 2017 ~ Doug

In the photograph above are some of the tools I use when filing frets after they are installed on a dulcimer.

On this dulcimer the ends of the frets have already been filed flush with the sides of the fingerboard. The next step is to assure there are no high or low frets as these are one of the causes of buzzing and other annoyances.

I draw a line along the top of the frets with a marker and lightly file the tops with the flat, fine diamond sharpening stone. When the lines from the marker are gone I know the tops of all the frets are level.

I choose the color of the marker based on the dulcimer’s aura. This one needed blue. Only kidding. Or am I?

The tops of frets need to be round and define a singular point of contact when the string is pressed down behind it. I mark this point by again drawing a line with the marker along the crowns of the frets. I use the triangular file to file the sides of each fret so it slopes towards the line until there is barely a hint of the line left. The corners of the file have had the teeth ground off to help avoid gouging the fingerboard. The metal shield placed around the fret I am working on also helps.

The small metal square is one of several in different sizes I use as straight edges to assure the tops of the frets are still level as work progresses.

The block of wood with a file embedded in it at an angle is used to bevel the ends of the frets. The small, skinny file with the orange handle is used to deburr the corners of the frets at the edge of the fingerboard. The same file is use to round the end of the frets. Skipping this step usually results in blood loss for the player; the ends of the frets become sharp after filing.

After completing all the above the crowns of the frets are further rounded and polished with fine sandpaper, steel wool, and then buffed until they shine.