If you want to tell mandolins, citterns, mandolas, bouzoukis etc apart, go to Dan Beimborn's Cittern page at www.execpc.com/~danb/cittern.html, where there is a wealth of information about the cittern and other mandolin family instruments.
Han Speek, who is responsible for the CITTERN mailing list described below, has an excellent Irish Bouzouki page at www.ice.el.utwente.nl/~han/bouzouki/
For information about mandolins, plus lots of links, try the Mandolin Café at www.mandolincafe.com/index.html
You can find a wealth of hammer dulcimer information in the Nonsuch Dulcimer Club's website at
www.nonsuchdulcimer.org.uk, and also
The Nonsuch Dulcimer Club was formed in November 1992, and currently has over 150 members. It is a National Club, which promotes the Dulcimer through a quarterly newsletter, together with local and national meetings and workshops. Membership (annual fee £6) entitles you to the newsletter and a reduced rate for all workshops organised by the club. You are also joining a network of other players, providing ideas, help and friendship. If you want to join, or find out more, contact Christine Fitt, 20 Shepherd Lane, Thurnscoe, Rotherham, S. Yorks, S63 0JS Tel: 01709 894347
Email:- C.A.F@tesco.net
If you want to discuss your favourite instrument, its history, music, players, makes, playing styles and share knowledge, why not subscribe to a mailing list?
CITTERN is a computerized ("majordomo"-based) mailing list for those who want to discuss the modern cittern and its relatives, such as bouzoukis & mandolas.
To subscribe, send a message saying "subscribe" to "cittern-request@icehp8.ice.el.utwente.nl" (in the message body, not in the subject line. Subject lines are not processed.) Messages you want to post to the list go to "cittern@icehp8.ice.el.utwente.nl", not to the "cittern-request" address.
coMANDO is a mandolin mailing list. You can subscribe from the Mandolin Café page.
For a wider discussion, try
uk.music.folk
alt.banjo
rec.music.celtic
rec.music.folk
rec.music.makers.dulcimer
rec.music.makers. guitar
The original and best! For a fine collection of tunes from many sources, go to Richard Robinson's Tunebook at www.leeds.ac.uk/music/Info/RRTuneBk/tunebook.html
Try Birchwood Books - specialising in books on the traditional music of the British Isles. +44 (0)1422 383533
8 The Colonnade, The Piece Hall, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX1 1RE
Find out what the British Musicians Union has to offer whilst viewing ads for musicians wanted. There is also a newly formed Folk, Roots and Traditional Music Section.
