My mahogany-top Merlin is on the way!

[kvehe]

Elderly called this morning to tell me that the Merlins are in and ready for delivery:

http://www.seagullguitars.com/seagull_merlin.html

http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/MERLIN-M.htm

It was kind of funny - the woman said, "May I ask - what are you going to do with it?" I said I had no idea, but it looked cool.

She then said that she thought it was way cool, and she was going to buy one too.

 

[connor013]

Ooooooooooooo -- that looks pretty interesting. Congrats.

Maybe you'll give us a review?

 

[coolkayaker1]

Interesting, Kathryn. Tuned DADD. wow, you wont even need a tuner--just tune three strings the same and one a little off.

 

[kvehe]

Thanks, guys. I read about it and pre-ordered it on Christmas Day - I decided I deserved a little extra something since I couldn't get to Chicago for the holidays. It should be fun.

 

[PhilUSAFRet]

Wow, if I want a "strumstick" type of instrument, I guess this is going to have to be it. A Seagull, has to sound better than it's competitor's models. There are alternate tunings that can be used as well.

 

[kvehe]

The Seagull name is what sold me. I love their guitars.

 

[Macmuse]

The Seagull name is what sold me. I love their guitars.

I'll be interested to hear what you think of the sound. I can't find any clips of it (so far). I have a walnut dulcimer and wonder how this compares.

 

[DaleR]

bouzouki lite...

 

[PhilUSAFRet]

I'll be interested to hear what you think of the sound. I can't find any clips of it (so far). I have a walnut dulcimer and wonder how this compares.

Here's one, wait for the chatting to end and the playing to start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgyPG_91HaQ

 

[DaleR]

That is cool!!!

 

[PhilUSAFRet]

So how's that Merlin working out for ya?

 

[kvehe]

It's a fun instrument. As they say, there are no bad notes, so it's easy for uncreative me to compose little tunes. I'm having a great time, but I understand that it's not for everyone.

 

[coolkayaker1]

Is that tuning odd? Do you use the familiar ukulele chords, Kathryn?

 

[ramone]

Is that tuning odd? Do you use the familiar ukulele chords, Kathryn?

I'm not Kathryn, but I feel I can answer your question. mountain dulcimers are usually tuned D A Dd but there are different tunings that can be used. they don't have all the frets that a ukulele has so the chord shapes are different.

http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/articles/11/how-to-tune.pdf

 

[we tigers]

a friend of mine has one and I played it when I visited him. It was a fun instrument. We called it a Brüko no.6 that had an little encounter with a truck...
Super fun, cool sound and a very reasonable price tag.

 

[HeavyDuty]

I just broke down and bought a mahogany topped one myself - I want it for Celtic.

 

[YogenFruz]

I have one as well. It's so much fun and like others have said, impossible to play a wrong note on, except the 7th all the way up the fretboard.

 

[HeavyDuty]

I'm still enjoying mine, but not having a bag is getting annoying. Has anyone found a gigbag that works for these?

 

[coolkayaker1]

I'm not Kathryn, but I feel I can answer your question. mountain dulcimers are usually tuned D A Dd but there are different tunings that can be used. they don't have all the frets that a ukulele has so the chord shapes are different.

http://www.everythingdulcimer.com/articles/11/how-to-tune.pdf

Thanks, ramone. I'm still learning the regular uke chords, so learning all new chords makes my head ache.

Heavy, what does it sound like, this case-less, uniquely chorded and uncommon instrument? Thanks.

 

[HeavyDuty]

Heavy, what does it sound like, this case-less, uniquely chorded and uncommon instrument? Thanks.

It has a light, airy tone with moderate volume. I'm miserable at describing sounds with words, so I'm going to suggest YouTube for a better description - there are quite a few videos of these.