Seagull Merlin anybody?

Barbablanca

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Hi all,

I have just acquired a cute variation on the strum-stick. It's a Merlin made by the Canadian Guitar Maker "Seagull".

It's a fun instrument that has the same "can't put it down" quality our beloved uke has (without the possibility of doing bum notes ;) )

This is the first song I have written on it. Inspired by a heavy episode between me and my teenage daughter.



Cheers,

Berni (Barbablanca)
 
Brilliant. I love it.
I am a high school teacher and a few of my students need to hear this song.
Thanks for sharing.
 
Sounds great Berni - both the Merlin, AND the song!

I love how brutally honest your lyrics are...

Please keep them coming! :music:
 
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I too have a Merlin and like it a lot. I can't stand the jingly jangly sound of the smaller bodied "strum sticks". Been thinking of installing a pickup, but the action is very low and access an issue. Thinking of getting an external violin pickup and jamming the contact between the strings and the body near the saddle but concerned it may not pick up enough low's. Also considering GDGg

PS: Love the song.
 
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Fantastic. This brought me back to these types of "exchanges" between my daughter and me.

It's all great now, but when it was occurring, this seemed so far away...

I have a Merlin, but I don't give it any time. Maybe now, I will.
 
I bought a Merlin a few months ago but honestly don't play it much.
 
What a great tune! For Christmas I got a McNalley strumstick and I loved it. I loved it so much I learned how to make stick dulcimers and made a classroom set for my daughter's elementary school. I think they are a great "gateway" instrument - you get to learn the mechanical basics of rhythm, strumming and fretting, and in the meantime what you are playing sounds pretty good - so motivation stays high!

The one thing I don't care for on the Merlins is the lack of a flatted 7th fret - it is strictly a single-key instrument. That extra note gives a surprising amount of flexibility. Most other dulcimers have that fret, and a few more above the octave as well.

But anyway - thanks for sharing!

P.S. to PhilUSAFRet - definitely give GDG a try. That's how I tune the stick dulcimers I make and even though they are the smaller body types, I think they sound pretty good!
 
What a great tune! For Christmas I got a McNalley strumstick and I loved it. I loved it so much I learned how to make stick dulcimers and made a classroom set for my daughter's elementary school. I think they are a great "gateway" instrument - you get to learn the mechanical basics of rhythm, strumming and fretting, and in the meantime what you are playing sounds pretty good - so motivation stays high!

The one thing I don't care for on the Merlins is the lack of a flatted 7th fret - it is strictly a single-key instrument. That extra note gives a surprising amount of flexibility. Most other dulcimers have that fret, and a few more above the octave as well.

But anyway - thanks for sharing!

P.S. to PhilUSAFRet - definitely give GDG a try. That's how I tune the stick dulcimers I make and even though they are the smaller body types, I think they sound pretty good!

Which strings do you use for that tuning Joe?
 
Hi Phil,

Which strings to use would depend on the scale length. I don't have a Merlin, but according to the internet the scale length is 20.75. I use this handy site to figure out string gauges: https://wahiduddin.net/calc/calc_guitar_string.htm

For a 20lb tension, it recommends a .024 wound for the G3, then .015 for the D4, and finally a 0.11 for the G4. That is pretty close to how I string my Strumbolinas. They have a slighly longer scale length and I use 0.014 and .010.

Per your PM, I have added pickups to a ukulele - I had a nice big sound hole and easy access to the area under the bridge. After that experience, however, I would probably not try it again - it is a lot of work and I don't have the right tools. I've had good luck with those "bottle cap" type contact pickups.

And I do have a little YouTube site - not much there yet, but hopefully over time I'll be able to create some more content. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHgEmF2jjVkJkwlgE1PUDlg. I especially recommend the videos in the "Strumbolinas in Action" by my friend Laurence Diehl - he's good!

Joe
 
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Great song I really enjoyed it. I've played around with Merlin's at guitar center after watching you play I might need to go get one. :)
 
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