Search found 670 matches

by Jim McConkey
Thu Feb 22, 2024 2:35 pm
Forum: Electronics
Topic: Upgrading a cheap archtop kit with P-90s
Replies: 6
Views: 7158

Re: Upgrading a cheap archtop kit with P-90s

Love the translucent blue!
by Jim McConkey
Mon Feb 05, 2024 5:45 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Dulcimer sides
Replies: 43
Views: 32550

Re: Dulcimer sides

I make a variety of instruments and don't specialize on any one (well, dulcimers if anything), so versatility is necessary. But the instruments I build are all very roughly the same size. The same principle would work for guitar sides, but they are wider, and the tallest normal sanding cylinders are...
by Jim McConkey
Sun Feb 04, 2024 4:17 pm
Forum: Bowed Stringed Instruments and Bows
Topic: Re-hairing a renaissance bow?
Replies: 5
Views: 2075

Re: Re-hairing a renaissance bow?

I've never tried rehairing a gamba bow, but I have rehaired a violin bow. It was not that difficult to get a decent result if you take your time. Years ago our own Amy Hopkins (correction: it was Craig Tucker!) taught an MIMF class on rehairing. I don't think the courses were archived, but there may...
by Jim McConkey
Tue Jan 30, 2024 6:39 pm
Forum: Classified Ads
Topic: WTB - Cam clamps
Replies: 2
Views: 1603

Re: WTB - Cam clamps

by Jim McConkey
Sun Jan 28, 2024 4:10 pm
Forum: Jam Session
Topic: Building instruments, while having young kids
Replies: 28
Views: 39475

Re: Building instruments, while having young kids

I am pretty sure Matthew is overseas, so none of our laws apply.
by Jim McConkey
Sun Jan 28, 2024 4:08 pm
Forum: Wind, Percussion, and Miscellaneous and Experimental Instruments
Topic: Did someone else already invent this?
Replies: 14
Views: 2728

Re: Did someone else already invent this?

Sorry, David, we really try to keep discussions to one place only. This is really the best forum for this kind of instrument. If you see a discussion in String Instruments where a mention of this would be appropriate, you can post a link back to this discussion, but please try to keep the main discu...
by Jim McConkey
Sun Jan 28, 2024 4:04 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Bowed Psaltery Kit
Replies: 35
Views: 11950

Re: Bowed Psaltery Kit

Came out nice! I really like the triangle knot in the soundhole. Have you tried to play it yet?
by Jim McConkey
Sun Jan 28, 2024 4:03 pm
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Thick binding in cutaway of Gibson archtop
Replies: 13
Views: 12289

Re: Thick binding in cutaway of Gibson archtop

Welcome Vincenzo! I am afraid very few here speak Italian, so I had translate.google.com have a go: "Good morning to all the group and thank you for accepting me into the group. I would like to ask you for advice, I own a 1982 Gibson ES 175, unfortunately a few years ago I entrusted my guitar t...
by Jim McConkey
Fri Jan 26, 2024 3:51 pm
Forum: Wind, Percussion, and Miscellaneous and Experimental Instruments
Topic: Did someone else already invent this?
Replies: 14
Views: 2728

Re: Did someone else already invent this?

@David - Think moveable hurdy gurdy tangents inside your drum if you want to change notes, but talk about complicated mechanics! @Teresa - David's instrument is conceived of as a drone, but like the video I posted, he could play it with a bottle slide. Fingers will dampen the strings too much withou...
by Jim McConkey
Fri Jan 26, 2024 3:47 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Dulcimer sides
Replies: 43
Views: 32550

Re: Dulcimer sides

All of what we have been discussing above is essentially the same thing as a Luthier's Friend, just homemade and FAR cheaper.
by Jim McConkey
Thu Jan 25, 2024 12:17 am
Forum: Flat-Top Acoustic Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Stew Mac already body built kit? Thinking of ideas for neighbors' kids
Replies: 4
Views: 1033

Re: Stew Mac already body built kit? Thinking of ideas for neighbors' kids

For kids, I would even suggest starting much simpler, along the lines of a cigar box guitar. All you need is a stick for the neck, and some kind of box, be it a wooden cigar box, large metal can, cookie tin, old mailbox, or whatever. Used tied frets, and the tuners can be as simple as a screweye in ...
by Jim McConkey
Thu Jan 25, 2024 12:11 am
Forum: Wind, Percussion, and Miscellaneous and Experimental Instruments
Topic: Did someone else already invent this?
Replies: 14
Views: 2728

Re: Did someone else already invent this?

Not exactly what I remember or was was looking for, but I stumbled upon this tonight completely by accident, and you will it very interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2kJMPfFOX8
by Jim McConkey
Wed Jan 24, 2024 3:47 pm
Forum: Wind, Percussion, and Miscellaneous and Experimental Instruments
Topic: Did someone else already invent this?
Replies: 14
Views: 2728

Re: Did someone else already invent this?

Beautifully executed! Would also be the perfect accompaniment to a bagpipe chanter without the full volume of the pipes. Just recently the Temu (Chinese cheap junk retailer) ads that have been annoyingly popping up on my tablet showed an instrument that looked a lot like it, or at least nearly cylin...
by Jim McConkey
Mon Jan 22, 2024 3:12 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Bowed Psaltery Kit
Replies: 35
Views: 11950

Re: Bowed Psaltery Kit

Scrapers are different for most people, but once you use one, you will almost never go back to sandpaper! Well worth the minimal effort to learn to sharpen. Don't be afraid of the sharpening - it is ridiculously easy and quick, and you only rarely need to sharpen them anyway. You could scrape your e...
by Jim McConkey
Sun Jan 21, 2024 2:38 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Bowed Psaltery Kit
Replies: 35
Views: 11950

Re: Bowed Psaltery Kit

I have never tried it myself since I own a proper re-burring tool, but the tool is nothing more than a smooth, hardened steel dowel, about 8 mm or 5/16", held at an angle by a wooden holder. I would guess the shaft of any big screwdriver you might have laying around might do the job. Any screwd...
by Jim McConkey
Sat Jan 20, 2024 2:17 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Bowed Psaltery Kit
Replies: 35
Views: 11950

Re: Bowed Psaltery Kit

Thanks for the pics!
by Jim McConkey
Fri Jan 19, 2024 3:47 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Bowed Psaltery Kit
Replies: 35
Views: 11950

Re: Bowed Psaltery Kit

Looks great! If you do any more pyrography, please take a photo of the tools you use, possibly in-use. This isn't common on guitars, so many here have never seen it before.
by Jim McConkey
Wed Jan 17, 2024 10:14 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Cordless setup?
Replies: 4
Views: 834

Re: Cordless setup?

I'm not the right one to ask, since I rarely use any power tools at all for building instruments (short of occasionally a band saw and drill press). But I live on a farm, and portable battery tools are not an option out here. Too many tasks in the fields and not close to AC power! The newer generati...
by Jim McConkey
Wed Jan 17, 2024 2:24 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: fret spacing on a French instrument
Replies: 2
Views: 397

Re: fret spacing on a French instrument

The fret spacing is identical to most hummels, dulcimers, etc. You can use any available online fret spacing calculator, but just omit the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th and 11th notes in each octave. In other words, exactly the same spacing as any guitar, with a few frets missing. It looks like that particular...
by Jim McConkey
Fri Jan 05, 2024 11:25 pm
Forum: Wind, Percussion, and Miscellaneous and Experimental Instruments
Topic: Huge Gourd - need suggestions!
Replies: 4
Views: 10029

Re: Huge Gourd - need suggestions!

Guitars generally have necks that attach at just one end of the box. In through-neck instruments, the neck goes all the way through the box and attaches to both sides, kind of like your dulcimer neck on the uke body. A kora is a stringed instrument from Mali. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kora_(inst...

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