Sorry, melanieangel. I did not see your reply until just now. Yes, I have Paypal. If you are still interested, send me a private message with your address and I can get them in the post to you.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
go to any music shop and ask for ball end guitar strings. the sizes ken suggests should be fine
Where in the UK? Our good friend Robin Clark of Bird Rock Dulcimers is up in Snowdonia. Here's his website:
http://www.dulcimers.co.uk/ You can contact him through his site. If the string pin is the problem, he may be able to help.
from your pics i see no problem with the hitch pins
Here are the suggested sizes for a Folkcraft dulcimer: 0.011, 0.011, 0.013, and 0.024. The last string is the only wound string. All the others are plain strings. If you need a set of Folkcraft strings, let me know. I can send you a set (post paid) for $5.00.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
As mentioned, hitch-or-string pins are readily available. If you're breaking a bass string there may be a couple problems. First, you need the correct gauge -- as KenL mentioned a .024 wound string would work for your dulcimer.
You called the bass string the "d (bass) string. In normal dulcimer parlance, a d is D4 an octave higher than the usual bass string D (which is D3). Check out the MusicMakers on-line tuner: http://www.harpkit.com/category/onlinetuner.html
You may be trying to tune the string too high. Which note are you trying to tune to? A .024 wound bass will easily tune to D3 (the usual D) and up to E and maybe F, but it will not tune up to G without breaking. It will never make it to d (D4) without breaking. If you're trying to tune to GDD or GDg you will surely break the bass string unless you use a .016 or .018 bass string.
For the right names for dulcimer parts, you might want to read I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What? that I wrote several years ago. It's an illustrated glossary of dulcimer terms, plus answers to many beginner questions about tuning, playin, care and feeding of your new friend. Here's the version I recently revised:
you can buy hitch pins from Folkcraft. ball end strings work best with these. you probably have the wrong size bass string
or or trying to tune it too high. unlikely but possible you may have a problem with the nut
You need a ball end string. I suggest that you make sure is a 0.024 wound string. You might try phosphor bronze wound rather than nickel wound.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
To add to to the above: Strings come either ball-end (with the little brass piece the end of the string is wrapped around) or looped end, no brass piece. Your dulcimer will take either style. If you have a looped end string, just slide the loop over the little pin and tighten it up.
I suspect you're tightening the string too tight, if you have broken two strings already. That bass string is pretty loose when tuned properly.
Are you saying you broke the hitch pin that goes into the wood or that you lost the small brass piece in side the loop? If its the pin that has broken off a good music shop with a guitar repair guy can fix that, if its the brass piece in the string, ball end strings come with them.......no problem there.
