Hi, Nate, I'm the other Ken. Here is a link to an NPR segment on the Lego dulcimer made by Peter Alway: https://www.npr.org/2005/02/06/4487244/lego-my-dulcimer As far as I know Peter was the first person to build a mountain dulcimer out of Lego blocks.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song.:
The original pegs were rosewood viola pegs, by the way. If you prefer them, the pegs need to be hand-fitted to the peghead. A violin string shop could supply the pegs and fit them properly. If you do not have the fine tuners I can supply them.
Cardboard dulcimers have been around close to 20 years, I'd guess. They sound remarkably good and are a great inexpensive choice as an entry level dulcimer for folks who aren't sure whether the dulcimer is right for them... The important thing is that the frets are set true, the body material is of secondary consideration. In fact the fretboards can be easily transferred to an 'after-market' wooden body which almost anyone can easily construct. I've played plexiglass and Lego(tm) dulcimers that sound good as well.
Yep, build and play psalteries of several kinds.
Sure, it promises to please, adorned with inlays of wood, pewter, and mother of pearl.
Hi Dwain, I didn't say that the tuners were mechanical. They are, as you noted, Grover Stay-Tites which are friction tuners. I think they came in banjo and ukulele sizes. Those on Curt's dulcimer appear to be banjo size.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
A slight correction, Ken, Backyard Instruments began selling cardboard dulcimers in 1980. I don't know if they were the first, but that's 44 years of cardboard dulcimers.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Those are not banjo mechanical tuners at all. They are the dreaded Grover Stay-Tites. They weren't fitted them with the grace of fitted small end peg hole plugs properly made cross-grain to make a good finish for such a fine instrument.
I would recommend having them replaced at a string shop (not a guitar repair shop!) with Pegheds or Witmer mechanical pegs. I prefer Pegheds for their adjustable holding friction.
Walt Martin occasionally-fitted Schaller banjo pegs. But they were customized, cut down to match the pegbox wall thickness. He also re-sculpted and crpss-drilled the stem's string-hole to match, so the strings weren't pulling on the pegs unsupported and destructive to the planetary gears.
Cardboard dulcimers have been around close to 20 years, I'd guess. They sound remarkably good and are a great inexpensive choice as an entry level dulcimer for folks who aren't sure whether the dulcimer is right for them... The important thing is that the frets are set true, the body material is of secondary consideration. In fact the fretboards can be easily transferred to an 'after-market' wooden body which almost anyone can easily construct. I've played plexiglass and Lego(tm) dulcimers that sound good as well.
How do you play the dulcimer? String side up.
I'll need to check my files on Sunhearth later today to be certain, but I don't think Walt Martin was offering those Grover banjo pegs as an upgrade in 1975. If you send me a private message with your email address I will send you pdfs of the 1974 Sunhearth flyer. I also have two magazine articles on Walt Martin and Sunhearth that I can send as well if you are interested.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
That makes 3 of us. A basic dulcimer but it might have a good sound. I too have not encountered this maker.
Like my brother Ken, I have never heard of this maker. I agree with his assessment.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
What's the difference between a fiddle and a violin, you can spill porter on a fiddle you can't on a violin.
The idea of spilling porter on a fiddle but not on a violin adds a charming and down-to-earth touch to the age-old debate.
Hello all...having just won an auction for a gorgeous psaltery,
I'm anxious for it to arrive. I'm not totally new at psaltery,
but didn't get a very long period to play mine before gifting it
to a grandaughter. If you play psaltery, I'd love to hear from you.
Pix to follow.
Thanks Ken...what you say sums up my thoughts as well.
I had no idea that cardboard dulcimers exist.
Don't think that would suit me at all.
What little I've played on this unit sounded good,
and after all, it has lasted 20+ years.
I'd hoped to return into the family of the maker.
Yep pretty basic instrument. Builder was probably one of the hundreds who were gonna make it big building dulcimers in the Dulcimer Revival... but didn't. No Internet footprint for Danmont Dulcimers. Trapezoid shape was fairly popular 20+ years ago. Nothing special. Sort of a wooden version of today's cardboard dulcimer. No frills, no "modern" 6+ fret, plywood top has a tear-outs on edges, straight stick fretboard/tuner head. At least the action doesn't look too high!. Nice beginner instrument for someone who wants to play Noter & drone style. Twenty years ago it would have sold for maybe $100-$150. If you can get $50 today that would be good, IMHO and buyer would have a wooden, not cardboard body dulcimer..
You've got a beauty! Regardless of what you do about the tuners, I hope you enjoy it. 
I have a nice chromatic but I seldom play it.It's too easy to make mistakes,laugh.
If you will excuse me for saying so, I think those pegs look like cheap banjo friction pegs, not worthy of such a fine instrument. The previous owner probably had tuning problems with the original wooden pegs, and had somebody replace them with these. There are nicer alternatives, including nice-fitting wooden replacements or quality mechanical tuners, such as Wittners or Perfection pegs.
That's a beautiful dulcimer and you got it for a very fair price. If your buyer's remorse is strong enough, just send the dulcimer to me and ease your discomfort. 
I can understand wanting the original tuners, if indeed it originally had tuning pegs. But the problem is that you don't have those tuning pegs, so replacing the mechanical tuners would represent another modification. And mechanical tuners are indeed much easier to use.
Perhaps @Dwain-Wilder of Bear Meadow would know what kind of tuners the 1975 Sunhearth originally had.
Hello,
I'm glad to be a new member of the group. Last week I saw a very nice Sunhearth dulcimer pop up on ebay, and I was able to grab it for $495. I great deal! It was #240, built 12/9/75. I've had a bit of buyers remorse, as I was really wanting an unmodified one, but right after I paid for it, the reality set in that it had mechanical tuners on it. I have since received it, and it is a beautiful instrument, but I have to wonder if it originally had wooden tuning pegs. I would like to hear from someone who knows Sunhearth dulcimers as to the originality of it, and if they were pegs, should I try to replace them. I must admit I would rather have the mechanical tuners, but I am a bit of a nut about keeping things original.
Thanks,
Curt DeBaun III
JAndy -- I avoid squeaking strings by using plain steel bass strings of a slightly smaller gauge than the recommended wound steel.
Somewhat off subject, but in the past couple of years, flatwound or squeakless stings have become availabe for the laarger diameters. I hifghly recommend them as they are squeakless..
If you want the exact gauges that Warren specifies for his instruments, as others have said go to Juststrings.com and order a 12 pack of each of the gauges:
Plain Steel Bulk Guitar Strings (juststrings.com)
At about $3 a dozen you'll have several years worth of strings for about $10...
One basic point in looking for strings. Until about 10 or 15 years ago, there were no "dulcimer strings." Ball end strings were part of the guitar string rack while loop end strings were banjo strings. Either will be more than long enough.
Just avoid violin, mandolin, and ukulele strings or you will end up with something too short.
I hypothesize that many of the early builders bought banjo strings from mail order vendors like Sears. Some would have purchased rolls of piano wire and put their own loops on it, but a roll of piano wire is pretty long and might be a lifetime supply.
GreatLakes 73, the others have given you the advice I would have given. Unless you have a Folkcraft or McSpadden who market specific strings for their instruments, dulcimer players should buy individual strings and make up their own sets. I'm surprised how often in doing repairs and I need to restring someone's dulcimer they are surprised to find that I don't have specific sets but rather have tubes of individual strings in various gauges. Many times they come back to buy strings from me even though I tell them they get the strings from JustStrings.com or from other vendors. Of course, that also means that they want me to change the strings for them. I hope you find what you need.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Hi everyone, looking to buy some strings for my Warren May dulcimer, takes ball end. In his papers that came with the dulcimer he notes .012, .012, .014 and .022 for the string sizes. Most of the “sets” I’m seeing are different gauges or are loop end. I went to d’addario web site to look at just getting individual strings but the options were a bit overwhelming. Any suggestions?
Strings.com or Guitar Center. I go to Guitar Center for odd sizes, or when I run out of the proper string. They have a box of individual strings under the counter, in square paper envelopes, and can usually find me what I want.
I use Just Strings.com. You can get individual strings there. Warren May will sell you a set I am sure. He is still making a few dulcimers at his shop at home.
Hi everyone, looking to buy some strings for my Warren May dulcimer, takes ball end. In his papers that came with the dulcimer he notes .012, .012, .014 and .022 for the string sizes. Most of the “sets” I’m seeing are different gauges or are loop end. I went to d’addario web site to look at just getting individual strings but the options were a bit overwhelming. Any suggestions?
Strumelia:
Hi Mike, I moved this discussion to the forum about specific instrument makers and questions, so people could find it better.
Sorry though i have not heard of Danmont Dulcimers. Perhaps someone else here will have and can respond.
Thank you Strumelia for the proper posting category.
I'm not familiar with the format, first time here.
I will, as Ken suggested, take some pix and edit this post.
My focus is to locate the maker, or someone who has knowledge of same.
Would like very much to get this instrument into the hands of anyone who has
considerable interest in owning it. It's not about money, but rather sentimentality.
I am very much saddened by this news. Rest In Peace Rob.
Great thread!
I'd like to bring up two other points that may not have been mentioned yet-
1) I see a lot of beginner dulcimer players struggle with making chords- having a hard time both making the reaches and also with weak fingers and hands that don't effectively fret. If you have this problem, be sure to check the ANGLE of your fingers as you fret . Many beginners fret with their hands horizontally held low- like a pianist or like someone typing on a computer keyboard. As any violin teacher will tell you, it's important to raise your hands up in an arch so that your fingers come down onto the strings from straight above and you use the tips of your fingers to fret effectively. The mountain dulcimer makes this super easy because it lies flat and we fret it from above already. Fingers and hands held low/flat/sideways and fretting with the fat pad of the fingers make weak sounds and can't make stretches as easily. Read my blog post about " Lazy Fingers " and see if you can improve your hand/finger position and angle.
2) I hope that everyone who is having a hard time making chord stretches is actually utilizing their thumb and their pinky as well? I see some people playing chord style dulcimer using only two or three fingers of their left hand. That really limits the notes you can reach... similar to typing with two fingers.
Guitar, mandolin, and banjo players usually do not fret notes with their thumbs. But we mountain dulcimer players have a huge advantage there, because we don't need our thumbs to wrap around and hold up the neck of our instruments...instead our instrument lies right in our lap or on a table or stand and our entire left hand and all its 5 fingers are FREE to use in making chords and stretches. Take advantage of this gift and USE your pinky and thumb for fretting too! Do a few simple hand exercises every day to strengthen and stretch all your fingers- it works over time and really does make a difference. 
This makes me so sad…….
He was what makes the dulcimer community so wonderful! Prayers for his family and friends 🙏
Norma and I attended a good many sessions by or with Bob in the Morgantown-Fairmont-Fort New Salem, WV over the past eight or ten years. He was always good company.
We now remember not seeing him at dulcimer events over the past year or so.
We will miss him.
This is such sad news. Rob was a great friend to all members of FOTMD, and he liked to greet new members personally when they joined, with a welcoming comment on their page. He did this as a labor of love for many years.
Rob was a great teacher and encourager in music and song. He loved history and tradition and was a treasure trove of knowledge. We are indeed blessed that Rob posted 57 videos here in our videos section. I encourage everyone to listen to some of his songs and tunes .
I know he will be deeply missed by so many of us. Rest in peace Rob.
