Dulcimers, Guitars and Other Fun Stuff

An online gallery for the serious gear head.....

Over the years Mark has amassed an interesting collection of musical instruments. Some are one-of-a-kind handmade works of art, some are truly odd little puppies, all have a story to tell.

Mark's always on the lookout for fun new gear, so bookmark this page.

Left to right: Parlor Guitar (Jerry Nolte), Appalachian Dulcimer (Blue Lion), Swedish Hummel (Brian Mumford)

The Appalachian Dulcimer is a small, sweet-voiced stringed instrument whose origins are lost in the mists of time. Prior to the folk music revival of the 1960's, few outside the hills and hollers of the Southern Highlands had ever heard this most personal of musical instruments. Balladeer Jean Ritchie first took it to the concert stage, and in short order musicians as diverse as Richard Farina and the Rolling Stones fell for its charm. Want to learn more? Visit Everything Dulcimer.com, the on-line source for, well, everything about the dulcimer.

Although it is considered a uniquely American folk instrument, the dulcimer has numerous relatives in Europe. Folklorist and musician Ralph Lee Smith has traced the instrument directly back to the German scheitholt which arrived on our shores with pre-Revolutionary German settlers. Over the years, the instrument evolved from a simple folk zither into its now-familiar hourglass shape.

Prior to the First World War, dulcimer-like instruments were found in many parts of Europe: examples include the Epinnette des Vosge (France); Langeleik (Norway); Hummel (Sweden) and Cittera (Hungary).

Mark plays a number of instruments from the dulcimer family. Over the years he has recorded extensively with various European-style instruments: the hummel (a large ten stringed instrument, it was made by Brian Mumford of Santa Barbara in 1972); the Hungarian cittera (a sixteen string folk zither with chromatic frets. One was made in Hungary, on permanent loan to Blue Lion musical instruments; another by Willie Sears of Talent, Oregon), a scheitholt and several Eppinettes (makers unknown). He's also recorded a kid's album playing homemade musical instruments, including a dulcimer constructed from a 2 X 4 and a tin can!

• McSpadden A very sweet old-time dulcimer made from highly figured walnut, set up as a three-string. Mark won it in Winfield in 1979. It's a peach!
• Blue Lion A wonderful Rosewood instrument with dog-paw inlays that's seen a lot of miles. In the late 1980's Mark installed a custom bridge and electronics to create the first ever MIDI dulcimer. This unique instrument, combining the timeless sounds of the Appalachian dulcimer with modern synthesizers and samplers, can be heard extensively on the CD autumn.

• Black Mountain Electric Dubbed the Pink Thing by members of The Tex Pistols (The State Garage Band of Oregon), its a six-string screamer in a faux-snakeskin case. More than one producer has been blown away upon discovering that the blazing lead guitar they heard on the session was actually... a dulcimer.

	Parlor Guitar by Jerry Nolte, Evergreen Mountain Instruments. A koa and cedar charmer built without power tools in Eastern Oregon. Everyone needs a guitar like this. Although styled after an early 20th Century Martin "New Yorker," the Nolte is in a class by itself. About as sweet as a guitar can be, it's seen a lot of miles.
	Koa Grand Auditorium. After playing the little Nolte for about 14 years, Mark asked Jerry to build it a big brother. With its deep body, 12–fret neck, cutaway and slotted peghead, it's the ideal guitar for ki ho`alu. Hear it on The Water is Wide and Old Time Slack
	Po Mahina "The Territorial". Luthier Dennis Lake built this little koa beauty to celebrate his 40th year in the biz. It's based on the guitars made and played in Hawai`i in the 1920's. Like they say, "nahenahe... sweeeeeet."
	Island Strings classical. One look at the highly figured koa top tells you this is an unusual guitar... and it's only 31" overall! Built in Lahaina, Maui by `ukulele maker Peter Lieberman, it features a solid koa top, koa back, koa sides, koa neck, koa headstock and a koa fingerboard with koa position markers that disappear in the right light. Hear it on The Water is Wide and Old Time Slack
	Po Mahina "Island Jazz" Koa `Ukulele. Big Island luthier Dennis Lake created this amazing axe for Mark recently. It's based on the Selmer Gypsy jazz guitars like Django used to play. Hear it on "Funtime Uke-A-Rama."
	Mya-Moe Resonator `Ukulele. Funky perfection from Gordon & Char Mayer. Hear it on "Funtime Uke-A-Rama.". Great for ragtime & bottleneck. If you look closely at the picture, you'll see the maker's mug lookin' back atcha.
	1937 Rickenbacher "Silver Hawaiian" Steel Guitar w/ original amp. Boy howdy, is this a beaut! This piece o' history was owned by a service man stationed in Hawai`i before WW II. Mark's deal with the owner's son is that he'll take it back to Honolulu some day and play "Moana Chimes." Hear it on "Funtime Uke-A-Rama."
	1967 Framus Star Bass. Yep, the kind BillWyman endorsed. Mark bought it new when he was in High School and soon trashed it. Newly restored and fully functional, it rocks.
	Guild Ashbory Bass One of the original production models. Weird science from a couple of British genius-types – its a full-sized sounding bass that's only inches long. Uses silicone strings and talcum powder. Get the complete story from the designers here.
	Gibson A 1 mandolin. (c. 1918.) "OK, it's not a guitar. It is such an honor to play an instrument with such a long history."