new Seagull Merlin: a dulcitar
 

On the Seagull forum, someone pointed out that Seagull has introduced a dulcitar, which they call the Seagull Merlin. It's a neck-and-body instrument with half of a dulcimer scale. Sometimes these are called strumsticks.

Elderly has listed it, but I don't see it anywhere else yet.

I've never played something like this. I do like my plain old dulcimer.

In spruce and mahogany:

http://www.seagullguitars.com/guitar..._spruce_sg.jpg http://www.seagullguitars.com/guitar...ahogany_sg.jpg

Weird, I wonder why the didn't design it with a second octave?

I looked at several other similar instruments made by others. Most don't have a full second octave, but have about half an octave more of frets. A real dulcimer can have two full octaves since the fretboard is the full length of the instrument.

Speaking as someone whose first instrument was mountain dulcimer, cutting off the fretboard where they did really cripples the usefulness of the instrument. There are an awful lot of songs that need the notes from the 7th (octave) up to the 10th frets of a dulcimer.


Wade Hampton Miller

Hi !

This is not a dulcimer, but a guitar for children (inspired by dulcimer). :)

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/index.php

See a 1mn45... M. Godin talk about this new serie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGSXdfDiqSI

I have a strum stick and find it awkward to play with the long neck, this might be easier to handle and has a bigger box. would have been nice if they continued the fretboard over the body so it could be played like a regular dulcimer too

I read about the Merlin for the first time just a few weeks ago. I've never seen one before but would be interested to try one.

Has anyone played one before?

I just saw one of these for the first time and had to ask what it was. Artichoke music has one, though it's apparently not for sale. I was told it was just for demonstration. I strummed it while it was hanging on the wall. I couldn't really give you any kind of opinion on it. Looks fun!

They are kind of fun, but I played one for about 10 minutes and got bored of basic diatonic nature of the thing. If you like making up sea shanties and jigs, it's like a gift from God. If you think Loreena McKennit's early albums are the best music ever.... buy one of these things.

But if you require the ability to do things like play in more than one key.... it's a no go. Interestingly, it is a neat instrument for learning modes because of how it's set up.

I played with one at NAMM and it was fun. It is what it is so multiple keys are not really possible (true of lots of instruments). I would love to have one, realizing how limited it is. I think all of the online vendors have them now. The question for me would be the spruce or the mahogany top...

I'll start with full disclosure, Godin is one of the sponsors we have for Guitars In The Classroom. I first saw the Merlin at the NAMM show and immediately had to have one. As Robert said in the video, this is an ideal instrument for children (and teachers) to play in the classroom and write and sing new words to familiar songs to enhance learning. I've also used mine as I've played out in the last month and have had non-playing adults playing simple songs in minutes. It's easy and fun to play and makes music playing very accessible to all.

But it's not just for beginners. When I first saw it, my friend, Roger Hurricane Wilson, was with me and immediately starting playing blues riffs and tunes. I'm using it as I play at retirement and nursing homes, chording and playing melodies like You Are My Sunshine.

Godin is currently planning for additional models. One will have frets at regular 1/2 step intervals and they will also have one with a built in pickup.

As you can tell, I really like and am having fun playing and teaching others to play my Merlin.