Pickin' Stick

[KenH]

Yup, ya got this box with the stick glued to the back. Looks sorta like a kid's idea of a geetar . I'd glue the fretboard all the way across the box for maximum sound box effect. Most of the good, fancy wooden cigar boxes have nice latches like jewelry boxes, so yer stuff won't spill out and embarass ya. If there aren't any hinges/latches, you can get the jewelry box kind at Michaels or JoAnn's ... some place like that... Same thing for a shaker box except it'll look like an all wood banjo. Hey Bruce Webmaster - any way you can rig it so we can paste a graphic along with a post like this? Sure would make it easier to explain some things

[Gail Knapp]

Thanks Ken for the clear explanation...Do i cut holes for the sound holes? This is going to be an awesome experiment..I feel it in my bones...I live on Southern Engineering. Gail K

[spoonsman]

Gail--Do you smoke the cigars first or as you play?

[Gail Knapp]

Well Ken, I have in my possession the nicest ceegar boxes ...I have 3. 2 are plain wood and 1 someone has painted it a slate blue color and put roses on it. But the plain wood ones are just great. One is from Dutch Masters cigars--it has the label with the pilgrim looking guys on the top and the company name is engraved in the sides, even has the broken seal still intact on the box. If I put the fret board on the back side of these boxes, then the print is going to be upside down. The box corners have nice dove tails too. The second plain box looks like a book, with rounded sides and it has a beautiful label on the top that says Santa Rosa with a big red rose on it. This one is honey colored. The Dutch Masters box is dark like maple and it matches my fret board too. So what about sound holes....??Do I need them and what about the words being upside down...?? And Spoonsman--I smoke the ceegars after I play because I can't smoke and play at the same time. So, it looks like I'll be learning to play a pickin' stick of sorts. Gail KSmile

[jakstall]

There are downloadable plans for an "A Stick" and a "Longneck Dulcimer" at http://home.centurytel.net/Dulciaddict/dulciaddict.htm These are variations on the pickin stick/strum stick theme. I'll be very interested to hear how Gail's cigar box dulcimers turn out.

[KenH]

Which way the words run won't matter because they'll be on your body side, not the audience side as you stand there playing. They'll only show when you oh-so-casually lay your instrument down, or flip it over when you take a bow I'd put 2 1" diameter sound holes by the strum hollow, halfway between the fretboard and the edge of the box. I'm fond of Santa Rosa's, but I'd go for the box with the largest volume first (for the most playing volume), prettiest second... If y'all were Noter players, you'd have already figured out how to smoke those ceegars and play at the same time Doesn't everyone write tab like this: Puff 3 4 5 3 Puff 3 4 5 3 Puff 5 6 7 Puff 5 6 7 ?

[bruce]

Great thread! I'm just catching up. I have a friend, who had a big hand in getting me started with the MD, who made a banjo out an square aluminum cookie tin. His fretboard runs just under the lid, affixed to the inside of the lid. He cut round soundholes on either side. It plays great. He could have strung it as a pickin/strum stick just as easily. Images....directly uploaded here, no. Sorry. You can either send me the photo and I'll upload it and put it in the post. Or, if you have it somewhere on the Internet, just put the image tag here and it should show up. Bruce

[KenH]

OK Bruce; Next time Gail wants me to describe how to make something , I'll try putting the image tag in place and see what happens..

[Gail Knapp]

i finished the stick this morning..looks really cool and it is incentive enough to build some fretboards and put them onto small boxes like the cigar boxes and try selling them for beginning dulcimers. this one sounds good too..my Banjo friend really liked it. Happy pickin' and thanks for all the posts on the pickin' stick. Hey Spoonsman, can't wait for you to see this one. Gail KLOL!

[KenH]

Take some pictures and post 'em

[pickin]

Here is a picture of a pickin stick made by Terry McCafferty and a small one made by Lloyd Wright. www.geocities.com/pickinwright/pickin_stick.htm Jerry

[Gail Knapp]

i live in the dark ages here at my house and have to do everything by the good old camera and then dev. it at the 1 hr. place and then snail mail them to Bruce--but it CAN get done regardless. I'll take some pictures. Got to run now. Gail KWink