Pickin' Stick plans available for download

Blayne said:

Pickin' Stick plans available for download

I've had several requests for pickin' stick plans. I've now posted the plans that I put together a couple of years ago. If you build one, please make sure to post a picture so everyone can see it. Enjoy!

http://www.soundsofdovecreek.com/Building%20a%20Pickin%20Stick.pdf

Click to expand...

Thanks!

How about a Hammered Duckslammer (dulcimer) plan too?

Blayne said:

Pickin' Stick plans available for download

I've had several requests for pickin' stick plans. I've now posted the plans that I put together a couple of years ago. If you build one, please make sure to post a picture so everyone can see it. Enjoy!

http://www.soundsofdovecreek.com/Building%20a%20Pickin%20Stick.pdf

Click to expand...

The hammered dulcimer was built from a book and set of plans I purchased from Bill Johnson at Dayspring Dulcimer; the book is titled "Hammered Dulcimers: From Tree to Tune". I looked for the book/plans online today, but could not find them; I did read a forum post that he got out of the hammered dulcimer business, so this book and plans may no longer be available.

Blayne said:

Pickin' Stick plans available for download

I've had several requests for pickin' stick plans. I've now posted the plans that I put together a couple of years ago. If you build one, please make sure to post a picture so everyone can see it. Enjoy!

http://www.soundsofdovecreek.com/Building%20a%20Pickin%20Stick.pdf

Click to expand...

I own plans from a book I obtained 12 years ago on ebay for 25 bucks and to this date I still want to build it. If there's no copyright active I'll post but the book is out of print "How To Build A Hammered Dulcimer" by Phillip Manson 1979 Paperback

I bought a 15 year old seasoned Dusty String model from Green Bay last year and am learning slow as I go.

Blayne said:

Pickin' Stick plans available for download

I've had several requests for pickin' stick plans. I've now posted the plans that I put together a couple of years ago. If you build one, please make sure to post a picture so everyone can see it. Enjoy!

http://www.soundsofdovecreek.com/Building%20a%20Pickin%20Stick.pdf

Click to expand...

Have a couple of questions regarding your pickin' stick.

1) Distance between each fret

2) Distance between nut and bridge. Your instructions say 26" but the included diagram looks like it is 22 1/4".

Thanks for reading,

Mike
Western WA

Blayne said:

Pickin' Stick plans available for download

I've had several requests for pickin' stick plans. I've now posted the plans that I put together a couple of years ago. If you build one, please make sure to post a picture so everyone can see it. Enjoy!

http://www.soundsofdovecreek.com/Building%20a%20Pickin%20Stick.pdf

Click to expand...

Mike,

1) I went online and found a fret calculator such as this one. You just plug in the string length (nut to bridge), and it tells you where to put the frets.
2) I built both 23" and 26" pickin' sticks, so it's possible that there are mixed measurements between the diagrams and documents. The fret calculator will let you choose any size you like.

Best Wishes,

Blayne said:

Pickin' Stick plans available for download

I've had several requests for pickin' stick plans. I've now posted the plans that I put together a couple of years ago. If you build one, please make sure to post a picture so everyone can see it. Enjoy!

http://www.soundsofdovecreek.com/Building%20a%20Pickin%20Stick.pdf

Click to expand...

Hey again Blayne thanks for the quick reply.

I am still somewhat confused about fret layout as it relates to the pickin' sticks - which don't have the standard guitar fret layout, i.e. different gaps between frets. I get the concept behind the fret calculators but it looks like to me they are designed for laying out standard guitar frets.

Correct me if I am wrong but from what I have been able to gather the dulcimers also have a different layout than the pickin' sticks.

It would be great to find a fret calculator that is set up for pickin' stick necks so that all that would be needed is to figure out the length of the scale (nut to bridge) and then have it calculate the fret layout (not the guitar fret layout but the pickin' stick fret layout).

Blayne said:

Pickin' Stick plans available for download

I've had several requests for pickin' stick plans. I've now posted the plans that I put together a couple of years ago. If you build one, please make sure to post a picture so everyone can see it. Enjoy!

http://www.soundsofdovecreek.com/Building%20a%20Pickin%20Stick.pdf

Click to expand...

The pickin' sticks that I built use the same notes (and, therefore, fret layout) as a mountain dulcimer. In looking at relative positions of the frets on the McNally Strumstick on their website, I believe the Strumstick probably does, too.

The fret calculator I mentioned earlier is for mtn dulcimers. If you plan to build your pickin' stick with mtn dulcimer notes, that calculator should meet your needs.

Best Wishes,