Seagull "dolcimer" The Merlin....wow

Taylor614ce · #1 04-05-2014, 01:39 PM

Guys,
I recently played the Seagull Merlin and it was so much fun I bought one. The next day, I bought an other so my girl and I could be dueling dolcimers. I haven't played my regular guitars in over a week and I do not foresee putting down the dolcimer for awhile.

$120...best money I have spent on an instrument.
Highly recommend it.

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

Dru Edwards · #2 04-05-2014, 01:50 PM

I haven't seen one in person yet but I'm interested in playing one. Were you familiar with this before you saw it in the store or do you walk in and see it not knowing what it was? Oh, and Congrats! Sounds like it's made a big impact on you.

Taylor614ce · #3 04-05-2014, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I haven't seen one in person yet but I'm interested in playing one. Were you familiar with this before you saw it in the store or do you walk in and see it not knowing what it was? Oh, and Congrats! Sounds like it's made a big impact on you.

No,
I was not familiar with either a dulcimer or this instrument. The employee in the acoustic room was playing one while I was in there.
I was familiar with the tuning so that probably had a lot to do with making me feel right at home.

Yes, it has had a big impact on me. A great tool for song writing.
Since there are no bad notes b/c the way it is fretted it is really an amazing tool...especially when you slide up and down the neck...you can hear each note and each sounds good.

philjs · #4 04-05-2014, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I haven't seen one in person yet but I'm interested in playing one. Were you familiar with this before you saw it in the store or do you walk in and see it not knowing what it was? Oh, and Congrats! Sounds like it's made a big impact on you.

Dru, I saw one hanging among the mandolins at the Halifax L&M this past week...

Phil

Tacomatoj · #5 04-05-2014, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taylor614ce

Guys,
I recently played the Seagull Merlin and it was so much fun I bought one. The next day, I bought an other so my girl and I could be dueling dolcimers. I haven't played my regular guitars in over a week and I do not foresee putting down the dolcimer for awhile.

$120...best money I have spent on an instrument.
Highly recommend it.

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

I went to GC this afternoon, played the Merlin and bought it too. I had never heard of it, but this thing is fun. For the price, it is well worth it. I am starting to think of getting more for gifts. The projection is great for the size.

Some videos are starting to pop up on YouTube.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pNs-RmMYAnQ

Taylor614ce · #6 04-06-2014, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tacomatoj

I went to GC this afternoon, played the Merlin and bought it too. I had never heard of it, but this thing is fun. For the price, it is well worth it. I am starting to think of getting more for gifts. The projection is great for the size.

Some videos are starting to pop up on YouTube.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pNs-RmMYAnQ

Awesome!
Enjoy the addiction.

icuker · #7 04-16-2014, 02:36 AM

I have a dulcimer but my wife struggles with holding it and playing it. This looks to be just the ticket.

Scootch · #8 05-20-2014, 02:09 PM

I keep playing them at the local MGRs. They each have about a dozen. They are very nicely done, handsome but simple woodwork, fun to play.

The short neck keeps me walking out without buying one. I'd like to some something like a McNally strumstick with a dual string like a dulcimer. Or better yet, a Merlin with a long neck.

But boy they are fun...

Roselynne · #9 05-20-2014, 02:12 PM

Played around with one at GC yesterday. Spruce version; the only one in stock. It allllmooost followed me home.

tbeltrans · #10 05-20-2014, 05:27 PM

Congrats on the new dulcimer! It looks really interesting. I think this would be a great instrument to really get into picking out melodies by ear and coming up with simple ways to adorn them.

Tony

BigMamaJ40 · #11 05-21-2014, 03:55 PM

icuker:
If your wife is having trouble holding the dulcimer, I recommend getting a 2-3 foot length of Rubbermaid shelf liner. She can drape the shelf liner over her lap, put the dulcimer on top, and the dulcimer will stay in place.

Dru Edwards · #12 05-21-2014, 05:51 PM

I played both the spruce and the mahogany ones last week. I really enjoyed it. If one comes up used locally I might pull the trigger.

HeavyDuty · #13 05-22-2014, 07:08 AM

I'm impressed enough by the ones I've seen to consider picking one up. I assume there's zero tonal differences between the two versions, that it's just cosmetic?

rickwaugh · #14 05-22-2014, 07:25 AM

Isn't it just a mountain dulcimer, somewhat reshaped? Price point is good, and it's a pretty little thing, but it's nothing terribly new. They are fun to play. If you have not seen them used much, they were popular in a lot of the folk music scene in the late 60s - Joni Mitchell played them a lot on Blue. And they are still popular in folk circles in the US.

Mobilemike · #15 05-22-2014, 10:06 AM

I just played one of these for a bit at Guitar Center. It's definitely a cool instrument and sounds pretty decent.

Did anyone else think the proportions are way off though? It has an extremely thick neck for its size and a rather thin body and felt very top heavy. I wasn't comfortable playing it for very long because the neck is so thick and so small. Just felt strange in my hands.

-Mike