Although I didn't have enough fret wire to complete the job, I went ahead and fretted what I could. Since I'm not finished fretting the fretboard, I only temporarily attached the fretboard using tie wraps. I'm using guitar strings 2, 3, 2. Right now its tuned D-D-G. The half length 3rd string does make the drone sound more "banjo-y". It is more mellow sounding than a straight cookie tin instrument since I replace the sound board (sound tin?) with 2mm thick plywood veneer.
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Most of my designs are simple and not flashy. This one was a particularly easy build as its based around a cookie tin for a sound box. This time, however, I cut out most of the bottom of the cookie tin and covered it with a 2mm plywood veneer in an attempt to make the instrument sound more mellow, and it seems to have worked out quite well. If you haven't built a dulcijo or a banjo (both with a short re-entrantly tuned "high" string, then I think you should give it a try. The short string as a drone gives the instrument a bit different drone sound as compared to stick dulcimers. This drone also helps the instrument sound more like a banjo. Next thing I need to do is learn frailing (claw hammer).
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Most of my designs are simple and not flashy. This one was a particularly easy build as its based around a cookie tin for a sound box. This time, however, I cut out most of the bottom of the cookie tin and covered it with a 2mm plywood veneer in an attempt to make the instrument sound more mellow, and it seems to have worked out quite well. If you haven't built a dulcijo or a banjo (both with a short re-entrantly tuned "high" string, then I think you should give it a try. The short string as a drone gives the instrument a bit different drone sound as compared to stick dulcimers. This drone also helps the instrument sound more like a banjo. Next thing I need to do is learn frailing (claw hammer).
-Rand.
I'd sure like to know what it sounds like when it's done. Not flashy, like some of the stuff on here, but it intrigues me nonetheless...