Dulcimer Maker The Craft of Homer Ledford

216 Pages·2015·22.604 MB·English

by  Alvey, R. Gerald

DULCIMER MAKER
Homer C. Ledford
DULCIMER
MAKER
.,
The Craft of
HOMER LEDFORD
.,
R. Gerald Alvey
PHOTOGRAPHS BY
Jerry Schureman
WITH A FOREWORD BY
Ron Pen
THE UNNERSITY PRESS OF KENTUCKY
Publication of this volume was made possible in part by
a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Copyright © 1984, 2003 by The University Press of Kentucky
Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth,
serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre
College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University,
The Filson Historical Society, Georgetown College,
Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University,
Morehead State University, Murray State University,
Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University,
University of Kentucky, University of Louisville,
and Western Kentucky University.
All rights reserved.
Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
Frontispiece: Homer C. Ledford in his shop.
Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from
the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-0-8131-9051-8 (pbk: acid-free paper)
This book is printed on acid-free recycled paper meeting
the requirements of the American National Standard
for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library Materials.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
Member of the Association of
American University Presses
To THE MEMORY OF WM. HUGH JANSEN
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CONTENTS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IX
FOREWORD XIII
INTRODUCTION 1
I.
HOMER LEDFORD:
THE MAN AND CRAFTSMAN 7
II.
THE ANATOMY OF
THE LEDFORD DULCIMER 51
III.
THE LEDFORD DULCIMER
IN CONTEXT III
AFTERWORD 171
AUDEOGRAPHY 176
NOTES 181
INDEX 193
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ILLUSTRATIONS
DIAGRAMS
The Ledford Three-String Dulcimer 24
A Ledford Four-String Dulcimer in C-Major (Ionian) Tuning 90
PHOTOGRAPHS
Homer C. Ledford frontispiece
1. Edna Ritchie Baker with early Ledford dulcimer 20
2. Some of Homer's carvings 22
3. Homer's traditional performing stance 28
4. Homer's first mandolin and recent fancy mandolin 33
5. Homer's banjos 36
6. Homer's guitar 37
7. Homer's sweetheart and teardrop dulcimers 39
8. Homer's dulcitar 49
9. Homer's dulcibro 49
10. Tracing pattern of dulcimer top 57
11. Tracing pattern of sound hole 58
12. Drilling peg holes in pegbox 60
13. Pegbox slots to receive sides 61
14. Tracing pattern of end block 62
IS. End-block slots to receive sides 63
16. Notch in end block for ballad end of strings 63
17. Old-style end-block assembly with stationary bridge 63
18. Under side of hollowed-out fingerboard 66