Comparison between Mountain Dulcimer and Seagull Merlin/stick dulcimers
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- Опубликовано: 6 июл 2019
- This video is a very detailed comparison between a mountain dulcimer and a stick dulcimer/Seagull Merlin. I made this video in response to the many questions I get on this subject. Hopefully it will be a help to you. At the end of the video I also play a hymn on each. The hymn played is Down in the Valley to Pray.
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Shown are my 1995 McSpadden Walnut mountain dulcimer and my Spruce top Maple Seagull Merlin.
Links are provided below for each item you saw and I speak about in the video. Some are my affiliate links through Amazon and some aren’t. I am not sponsored or otherwise compensated by anyone.
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•My favorite pick for the mtn. dulcimer (only 12 pack for some reason) - Yellow Herdim - amzn.to/2LIjtof
•Favorite picks for the Seagull Merlin - .60 - Brain - amzn.to/2Xuj0NL
•Dulcimer strap - homemade - braided t-shirt scraps 😃
•Seagull strap - amzn.to/2S0KFQs
•Seagull Merlin Spruce top - amzn.to/30hmQXp
•Seagull Merlin Mahogany top - amzn.to/2Jjbz35
•Seagull Merlin “G” model Mahogany top - amzn.to/2XskPe2
•McSpadden NEW -mcspaddendulcimers.com/produc...
•Mtn. Dulcimer strings -amzn.to/2Xy2Lzh
•Seagull Merlin strings - amzn.to/2S0B2ky
•Snark all instrument tuner - amzn.to/2JtaYuF
•Bass Dulcimer - mcspaddendulcimers.com/produc...
•Teardrop dulcimer - mcspaddendulcimers.com/produc...
**Shop my Amazon store by clicking on any link below and purchase any item, I’ll get a small commission. Doesn’t need to be the item I have listed, if you follow any link then buy anything that will work. thank you!
#dulcimersongs #seagullmerlin #mountaindulcimer #appalachianmusic #oldtimemusic 
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I play a 4 string acoustic electric cigar box guitar. I have been eyeing this thing for a while. Just ordered the merlin with the electric pickup in it!
Cool - it’s fun!
Thanks a lot! I got a mountain dulcimer from a friend who wasn't using it anymore, AND I'm buying a stick dulcimer for myself ;) So now I know what i can do with both :)
Have fun!
Thank you for your videos! I have 2 dulcimers and I bought a Merlin today because of your video. I can't wait to play a special at our church on it! God bless
Hallelujah! God Bless you sister!
That sounds awesome! I've been trying to get a bluegrass/folk night going at our church!
I’m a guitar player and the Merlin is really tempting me. Thanks for the info.
You’ll have fun with it if you get one.
I own 2 seagull , they're great I manage to keep them tuned.💚
They need to make a 6 string(equidistant) chromatic version of the merlin so I can play my guitar songs on it...
I’m a guitar player, and a friend lent me her Merlin. It was instant love…for the Merlin not her….So I bought one within a week.
I just bought my first dulcimer a few days ago and it just happens to be a 1988 McSpadden sighted by Lynn himself. It is really amazing and tonight I am putting new strings and will be learning the gospel hymns that you play. I love Jesus and you too Mandy 🙏👏🙋♀️💕 Thank you for being a great teacher 👏🥰
Love your T-shirt
This was an amazing video! Thanks for all the info
Thank you for all your detailed helpful videos!
Glad you like them!
Super helpful, especially to see you offer Seagull Merlin lessons on your website! 😁👍
Thank you so much for your videos, I have several mountain dulcimers, I am very lucky to have my own builder, but I just purchased the Merlin that will be delivered today. Can't wait
For TONS more lessons, tabs, practice tracks, ebooks, and more PLUS a FREE 7 DAY MEMBERSHIP, head on over to - www.banjolemonade.com
Thanks for the helpful video!
Thanks
Very nice video on the comparison, you done a great on explain the difference.
Thanks
Great video! I have a D Merlin and find it to be a lot of fun and a nice addition for adding sound texture to songs.
I really enjoyed your video. I learned a lot, thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Another great video! You answered some questions I had about The Merlin. I also remember an instrument called a strum stick. It was tuned and played like a dulcimer as well. But had more frets than a Merlin, and had 3 strings.
And it had a very skinny fretboard, and a (almost comically) teeny-tiny triangular soundbox, right? And a fretboard/scale length that was a quite a bit longer than this Merlin?
They are technically different instruments, or descended of different instrument.
'Dulcitars' AKA Walking Dulcimers like the Merlin are descended from regular mountain dulcimers. Mountain dulcimers, in turn, were descended of the Pennsylvania Dutch Schieholt/Hummel instrument that was brought over from mainland europe (but NOT the british isles).
Whereas Strum sticks/chord sticks/music sticks/stick 'dulcimers' were descended from a one-string Irish instrument that the Irish immigrants to Appalachia brought over from Ireland. over the years it got a very small triangular soundbox and began to be called a 'pickin' stick'. Then 2 more strings and a fretboard got added, possibly influenced from a mountain dulcimer, and it became known as the strum/chord/music-stick. Another name for it is the 'stick dulcimer', referencing the mountain dulcimer influence on it with the 3 strings and fretboard.
Interestingly, the original Irish instrument is still being recreated in modern times, only with an added tin can to give it more volume. They are sold as 'canjo's' for marketability, even though they have next to nothing to do with banjos.
@@-jank-willsondie huh that one string instrument sounds a lot like a Diddley bow. Is it the same thing?
Interesting video
:)
I play just the guitar but love the sound of the mountain dulcimer.
I didn’t know the Merlin before.
Im getting ready to buy my first dulcimer so your video has been very helpful, i can't find a video on " how to choose your first dulcimer" explaining the best dulcimers for beginner and intermediate players, thank you for the great video 👍 🇺🇸.
The VSL is all I’d worry about, here’s my video on that - ruclips.net/video/P8uuR4e2OfY/видео.html
@@BanjoLemonade ok, thanks a lot 👍.
Atheist, not a Christian, but love your content. Your vids got me to buy a mountain dulcimer. Now trying to learn it… :)
Fellow atheist here but love the dulcimer and old-time music and the way Mandy explains it ❤
Hi, thank you for sharing this video! Can you tell me whether the merlin soundboard is braced on the inside?
Can’t see any, but it may be. It’s so thin that I don’t see a need for bracing really.
Thank you for this video, I am trying to decide between Merlin & dulcimer. I never had a desire to play anything until the wife & I started doing Bluegrass festivals a few years ago. After the Remington Ryde festival last year I knew I had to get something to play. The wife got a Merlin but I have not tried to play with it much yet. Most my fingers work OK but because I can not use pointer finger on left hand, I was thinking about something that is played with a slide like a dobro but unsure, I just want to join in the background music at jams sessions. I looked at a dulcimer today & it looked easer for me to play then Merlin because it is larger & played on lap. I'm 57 & don't have any knowledge of notes, cords, or anything. What is the best videos you have that would help a old man with no musical knowledge play the wife's Merlin & the dulcimer I am having serious thoughts of getting ? What do you think about someone playing the dulcimer with a slide ?
Hi. Thank you for the comparison. I’d just like to ask about chord charts
Between them. Are they also reversed in shape? Thanks again I enjoy you’re videos. Ed from Melbourne Australia.
Thanks
Excellent. I really like your natural style and how you have thought through this comparison. It is thorough! I wonder, would it work to play the stick dulcimer on your lap? I play lap dulcimer and have been looking for a sturdier, smaller version. Thank you.
Thanks for the kind words lishana! You could try it but keep in mind the strings would be backwards (the 2 melody strings would be away from you and the bass string would be close to you). You could just swap them out though. Then you may want to have something sturdy in your lap like a piece of wood to keep the neck from going all over the place. But then you are getting back to a standard lap dulcimer. Let me know what you do.
@@BanjoLemonade Great to hear from you! I wasn't sure if the pressure against the stick D's neck when pressing down would possibly break it. Good point about the strings!
I do not think it would break the neck. It’s a solid piece of maple.
I like how you played the sound clips at the end with the same image on the screen. I feel like I was really avle to compare just on sound the difference between the two. Both are beautiful but the mountain dulcimer is just so light but full sounding
Glad you liked it!
She's using the Spruce Seagull Merlin which sounds more focused and forward. There is also the Mahogany Seagull Merlin which sounds warmer, more tonally balanced and similar to the dulcimer. You may want to check out the mahogany if you're after the fuller sound.
I like to build cigar box guitars (just for fun), and I'm now building a dulcimer-type instrument (again...just for fun). I have two questions: I've been trying to find the dulcimer scale for my project, with very little success. As far as I can tell, I guess I'm supposed to use the guitar 25.5" scale, omitting designated frets -- which I've done. The other question is, I'd like to build my dulcimer including the "harmony/melody strings", however I'm unable to find any specific information as to how to go about this. I'm hoping you can help me with this. I love your clear and simple explanations about these amazing instruments. Thank you so much. Keep it simple for me. I live in Iowa. LOL
I saw your shirt and immediately hit subscribe lol
I find the Mountain Dulcimer has more debth and feeling than the Merlin/stick dulcimer. Thank you and I will follow to learn more.
Thank you, they are both completely different for sure.
Just bought a Seagul online got to wait 2 days for delivery, yeh let's have it.
I don't much understand music theory but you worded things just so, that I think I get it. You can't do half steps on the merlin, right?
Would it be possible to build a stick dulcimer with the same # of frets as the mountain dulcimer, or would the neck be too long to play comfortably?
Sort of, check out the strumstick and things like that. They have almost as many frets. But the necks are usually very narrow. I want one.
@@BanjoLemonade thanks!
The left-handed Merlin in $139.00. Left-handed stuff usually costs a bit more.... Still a good deal, and I think I'll get one!
I'm a right-hander who developed a problem with my left wrist, and now I can't play guitar for very long. I tried left-handed guitar, but, man, that's hard! So I started dulcimer. Now I'll try this, but dulcimer is FUN! And the Seagull seems limited.
Wait! I just realized that a right-handed dulcimer *IS* a left-handed Merlin!
The seagull is limited but FUN. I’ve seen people add frets to a Merlin too. But some people can do a TON with those 7 frets. Have fun!
I have a question specific to that Merlin. Have you ever tried playing it laying flat like your other dulcimer? Is it possible to do so or do you think it would be? I'm considering getting one because the cost for quality seems great; but I have a wrist issue and just can't bend myself into a guitar grip.
I see a few issues you’d encounter doing that. First, there isn’t much of a platform to play on and it would slide and wobble around. Second, your strings would be backwards with the large string, bass string, closest to you. I would definitely recommend the lap style dulcimer in your case. It’s worth the extra money. I’m not saying it would be impossible, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Blessings!
Thanks for the reply. Honestly I'd ideally like a lap-style dulcimer but there's just no way I can justify paying that much money for any first instrument. The only ones I can find that are actually an acceptable price are unfortunately made of cheap chinesium or otherwise dubious origins.
Here you go. These are actually not bad at all. How’s $70? They have a wood fretboard and reinforced cardboard bodies. I had a banjo student that had one of their cardboard banjos. It was a very nice surprise. I would try this www.backyardmusic.com/dulcimers/simplicity-dulcimer.html
Not a joke either, these get great reviews and for a starter instrument to see if you like it, they are just fine.
Thanks for the recommendation. However I've managed to find and buy a nice lap dulcimer for relatively cheap after some deep scouring of ebay. A little Dulcimer Factory model that came from an estate sale. Needs a good cleaning and a new set of strings but I'd already planned on that.
@@GemCityHippie well that’s great!
How do you tune both instruments? Can you use a auto tuner?
I use a clip on electronic tuner.
Can a Merlin be played with a noter? (spelling?)
I wouldn’t do it, but I reckon it’s possible.
Hi love your videos... this one especially. I make my own stick dulcimer D A DD using a 3/4 guitar. Works great. nice sound. Question, you mentioned the Seagull has strings backwards. Does that matter? my 3/4 guitar has the low D first the A and then double melody like a seagull. Should I switch the strings so the the double melody is first like a dulcimer? Thanks for your advise
Thanks, think of how you want to hold it. If you hold it like a Seagull Merlin then string it with the smallest strings on the bottom towards your feet. If you hold it and play it in your lap like a dulcimer, then string it the other way.
BanjoLemonade thanks. I hold it like a guitar and strum it. But in your video you mentioned some say it sounds backwards because the melody strings are strummed last. Is that an issue or is that like saying the best flavor of ice cream is X but I am lactose intolerant so I can’t have ice cream. Meaning it’s opinion more that fact.
BanjoLemonade I’d like to send a video to you of the instrument. Might record me playing it and post a link to it in a reply. Thanks for your time and these videos. God bless.
I think you may have misunderstood what I was saying. Guitars and anything that is upright like that you strum down. Something in your lap like a dulcimer you can strum it away from your or toward you. I would recommend you string it like a regular guitar and merlin is strung up.
Sure you can send me a link, I’ll have to approve it once you post it but you can put one in. God Bless you also!
I strung my mountain dulcimer like a stick and play it like a guitar not a lap guitar. Lol
I have both a wooden mountain dulcimer and a cardboard mountain dulcimer. The cardboard is louder and has a tone that I like better.
I also have a McNally Strum Stick ( similar to the Merlin) ---for me making those chords is much more difficult.
Yes chords are harder on the stick dulcimers.
why, because it has less frets? Although I thought that the strumsticks had even more frets than a standard mountain dulcimer, whereas the Merlins have less frets...
Have you ever done a video on a wood-top banjo? You should, it is a very unique mountain instrument that oftentimes gets overshadowed by other mountain instruments like the mountain dulcimer and pickin' stick.
haven’t had one in my hands, if I ever do you bet I’d do a video on it. Thanks
@@BanjoLemonade cool!
With the merlin (and later on if I can get a 2-octave roosebeck wildwood), I would like to try to play it 'noter-drone' style, but obviously it would be hard to do so since you play this like a guitar and not in your lap. So I was thinking about using a wooden finger cap (like a thimble made of wood) on the finger you would use to play the paired strings, and then pressing down when moving between the frets, similar to how you use a slide on a guitar, but would produce the 'bumpy' noter-drone sound that you get from a noter-play-style mountain dulcimer. Do you think this would work?( Maybe this is a video idea for you...?? 😜)
Now I want both! Lol
Get them both, so much fun!
AWESOME!!! FYI: I just bought a Seagull dulcimer!!!.... I will be in my hands soon!!! I'm happy to view your demo video!!...(I wish that you'd actually play some/more notes, so we could hear what you're talking about!...)[=> less talk; more music!!]
IMHO: The traditional "mountain Dulcimer seems to be VERY POORLY designed, as far as getting good "volume" out of it! The bridge doesn't transfer much vibration to the soundboard (top).
Can they be played with a "slide/"noter"?!.....
[I'd likely put an electric (or piezo) pick-up on them!.... ]
No need to down other instruments. All instruments have value. The traditional dulcimer is a parlor or lap instrument and wasn’t intended to have lots of volume. I do play both in the video and have dozens of videos playing each. Enjoy your Merlin.
Great video. Thank you for posting. Very insightful. Could a left handed person play a right handed dulcimer?
I’m left handed and play all right handed instruments 😃
BanjoLemonade thanks for your reply. Love the sound and tone of your mountain dulcimer. I’m new to dulcimers and looking for warm tone wood.
Ok yes, walnut is definitely warm. Spruce would be a brighter tone wood. So you would want walnut or cherry in my opinion.
BanjoLemonade thanks again for your assistance. I enjoy your informative videos. Keep them coming. 🙏
Glad to meet other Christians on RUclips
AMEN 🙏
I had a merlin for a little while but i much prefer the Mountain dulcimer . The Mountain dulcimer has a much bigger scale and is way more fun just my 2 cents lol
I like both because they are so very different. Thanks for adding your opinion for others. Blessings.
Love that T-shirt.
Jesus is King!
Stay Blesses My sister in Christ.
🙏🏾
🙏 thank you!
I am missing an index finger, do you think I can learn to play the merlin?
Absolutely!
Please please you got to do a review on the roosebeck do servers from Pakistan they're very affordable under $200 they look real nice one review said that they don't have very much volume as much as a lot of the dulcimers. In a perfect world I'd like to see you compare the cardboard dulcimer that you have to the roosebeck
I think the autoharp, despite all the many, many strings is easier to play.
Good luck tuning it though I bet. Haha.
@@BanjoLemonade hahahaha. Agreed. Just ask my 12 string sittin on the wall untuned. And that’s only 12!
Very nice T-Shirt ;)
"Seagull Merlin" in the middle ages
this instrument was called a *CITOLE.*
I was excited to find the Merlin, a year or so back, but dismissed it in just a few minutes, for two reasons -
1. The scale is too short to play a lot of the songs I have learned.
2. There are no half frets.
ALTHOUGH the G turned Merlin seems like it would lend itself to playing along with a banjo.
To each his or her own. That’s one reason why I try and do comparisons between instruments. Thanks for commenting.
At only $130 more, why not have both?
Of course if you have the $ that is an option. But most people just starting out on lay get one instrument. I have both Merlins, and multiple dulcimers, and multiple banjos hahaha.
BanjoLemonade ...
I know the feeling, only with ukuleles. I’m getting my first Mountain Dulcimer tomorrow.
Don't be silly you can't make a comparison review without showing the pros and cons. Which you absolutely do.
That seagull has a really boxy and closed sound to me. Similar to my parlor guitar. That's really hard to avoid with such a tiny body. I'd go with the mountain all day long. Or maybe look for a stick dulcimer with a larger body.
When played with other instruments the Merlin can hold it’s own because it really puts out the sound though. Verses the mountain which is much quieter overall volume wise. But yes, the mountain is a much richer sound. I still don’t understand how such a tiny thing can put out so much volume though, LOL.
Interesting, could be the spruce vs the mahogany. My spruce top guitars are a bit louder than my cedar or mahogany
I have a mahogany Merlin in the “G” model that I should have brought out for this also. I believe I had it when I made this video. It is deeper and even puts out more volume than the spruce. I suppose I wanted to have a huge contrast in the comparison, since both the mtn. dulcimer and D merlin are tuned DAD. But the G merlin has much thicker gauge strings and is deep and is tuned GDG.
I do enjoy both, but hymns beg to be played on a mountain dulcimer!
There is a technical reason why the dulcimer is strummed towards you. This means the melody string is hit last and therefore tends to be just a bit louder at any given time after all the strings have been hit, and helps bring out the melody better. But it is difficult for someone who already plays guitar to break old habits. Erin Mae is a dulcimer player who can really rock with the “backwards” strum.
Not to argue - but there are many ways you “can” play a mountain dulcimer and all are wonderful in my book. From Jean Ritchie’s noter drone style (which is inwards) to Joni Mitchell’s wonderful style (which is outwards). Erin Mae plays both directions so I’m not sure I follow your point there. If I said you “must” play it a certain way (I don’t think I did but the video is 4 years old) then I definitely misspoke. There is no wrong way to play.
@@BanjoLemonade Did t say you couldn’t but there is a technical reason that, all else being equal, it would be better to strum inwards. What you said was absolutely nothing, and I think the point is important.
Ok, you have your opinion. Thanks for sharing. You are free to play however you’d like of course.
Who is Jesus?
I suspect that you know who he is. But if you are serious I’d be happy to have a discussion with you about Him. You can reach me at banjolemonade@icloud.com.
typical christian, throwing your religion in others facees.... you do realize this is www and not the christian network..I happen to be of another religion and I dont throw it in your face. I do however like your dulcimer views and lessons. I am an amatuer musician with music theory education, I have 7 different instruments to my name. I learned to play several instruments and you can too, if you know theory and the notes (spelling) positions you can play it. the double string comes from mandolin and is a course of strings. one tunes high and the other tuned low to same note. it can be trick tuned as well.
spell the notes = the note name at the nut, top of the instrument guitar EADGBE, standard tuning.
thanks for the lesson.
edit top secret.... some fun things to concider 6 string banjo sounds like a banjo plays like a guitar. banjolele in a euklele that sounds like a banjo plays like a euki. same for banjolin is a mandolin that sounds like a banjo. sky is the limit!
My Christian beliefs teach me to love and respect others and that’s what I do. There is no separation in my life between my beliefs and things that I do (like music). You can choose to be kind to me or not, up to you.
I too play a bunch of different instruments.
@@BanjoLemonade I dont belief I was being unkind ...
Christians are well know for be errogant about their belief. Yall need Jesus is not errogant! Wasnt planning on starting a war here... end of my business here TY
War - seriously? If my beliefs are so offensive to you it’s your choice to watch or not. But trying to belittle another person for their beliefs is not being kind.
get a life
@@jamesharper-wv7jh i have a great one.... part of it is irratating pissants that dont have one! oh eh oh on to the next pissant!!!