Favorite accessories to go with MD

[folkfan]

I thought this would fit in this category best. What is or are your favorite accessory or accessories to go with your mountain dulcimer. Here's a photo of mine. 2 types of possum boards, one has an extending leg, and a low picking chair so I don't have to sit with my legs bent and on tip toe to keep my lap flat

I worry every time I try to add a photo. ;-)

[folkfan]

Just a thought for those of you who are headed for outdoor festivals this year. Having had problems with damp ground giving under the leg of a chair and then the leg getting stuck, twisting and breaking, I came up with an easy solution. I saved 4 large metal lids from pickle jars, and stick one under each leg like a coaster. Being metal they don't bend or break like plastic lids and if you are only going to be using your stool outside on the one occasion they can easily be tossed. I keep mine though in a small bag with a drawstring top that I attach to the chair.

[folkfan]

Well I've shown you my favorite pickin' chair for at home, but I will admit to finding it difficult to put in the car. So here is my favorite chair for festivals or for just going outside and sitting on the deck. It's a wooden director's chair that I cut the arms off of so my dulcimer wouldn't be always bumping into them. (Picture 1) However, the lack of arms made the back unsturdy and I used it as a stool for awhile with just the arms down. (Picture 2)

But since I wanted to keep the use of the back, I added some wooden braces. (Picture 3). For extra back support I throw a small quilt over it and add a pillow for a more upright sitting angle.(Picture 4)

[Vicki Miles]

Excellent idea and beautiful quilts!

[folkfan]

Thanks. Here's an accessory I made for my brother, Dave. He is a luthier and does music festivasl and uses my quilts for table cloths. This one is long and narrow and made completely of hand dyed and batik fabrics.

Vicki Miles said:

Excellent idea and beautiful quilts!

[folkfan]

Recently I've been trying to figure out how to keep some of my instrument in my computer room without hanging them on the wall. I've tried hanging 4 of them from a closet door, but I don't really like hanging instrument by their peg heads, especially if they are being hung with pressure on the tuning machine heads. Also though I don't use the closet that much, when I do open the door the backs of the instruments sort of clatter on the wood. Not a good idea. So here's a picture of a prototype of a hanger bag for hanging on the door. It's just roughly done as my good sewing machine that I'd use to finish off the edges is broken at the moment.

One instrument is hanging from a skirt hanger, but by it's peg head. The next one is hanging on an over the door hook with the cord through the scroll and not pulling on the tuners. The third is cradled in a quilted fabric bag and doesn't bang or clatter when the door is open. I'm going to make up 4 nicely finished bags on this pattern and get my dulcimers off the floor. And if things go as they have been this picture will be sideways. I'm not sure how to turn them.

[Suzanne Dennis]

Folkfan, I think that bag is very clever and will be quite useful! Perhaps you might want to offer them for sale on Dave's website. Of course you might get more orders than you would want to fill!

[folkfan]

If I got one order, it would be for more than I could handle. The trick to the bag is the flat plastic skirt hanger I use for the top which goes over the closet door. It doesn't have any effect on the opening and closing of the doors. It is, however, the type of skirt hanger that has a metal over the rod hook which rotates and I only have 4 of them. hehehehe. So I can make the 4 bags I'd need but wouldn't be able to do anymore until I could find a steady source for something that would function as well as these skirt hangers do and still be at a reasonable price. I got them for free with some slacks I bought.

[Paul Certo]

My wife has a bag called a Ukearoo.(Not sure of the spelling) It's long enough to hang it over the back of a chair, and it holds her ukulele safely off the floor. It has velcro straps to fasten it to the chair, and to secure the uke in the bag. You might want to lengthen your bags and add the straps for the same purpose. Good for when you take a break at a jam or a gig and don't want your uke stepped on.
Paul

[folkfan]

A couple of dulcimer stands I have will hold a notebook when I'm playing but not the book and the dulcimer at the same time. It's a pain to have to take the notebook off to put my dulcimer down, so I designed a stand that will hold my music and hold my dulcimer at the same time. And it all folds down into a bag. Then I found this really light weight metal music stand so I designed an attachment that goes on it that holds my dulcimer. I really like dual purpose things.

The idea of a bag to hold an dulcimer on the back of my chair wouldn't be difficult to do though. I posted a picture of the canvas chair I take places with me. I could easily sew a velcro attachment system to the back. That way I could carry more than one dulcimer and know it would be safe. Thanks for the idea. Now back to the drawing board.

[Doozer]

Michael, where did you ever find a hard bag for the dulicmer???

I use the soft gig bag, which is rather large, but excellent made by "The Dulcimer Bag Lady". Its a gem!

[Nancy Snyder]

We are going to visit the Museum of Appalachia next week for the first time. I am really looking forward to seeing everything. Sounds like we need to allow a long time??

[CDon Whitener]

What do you suppose the wire on the possum board is for?