What Dan said! And yes, you do get more volume using a possum board. Put your dulcimer on a wooden table and strum it. Do it again, but first set the dulcimer on two pencils sitting on the table (one near each end of the instrument). You will notice significantly more volume, depending on how hard you strum...
"possum board" is a regional term for a tapered board used to stretch animal hides while they dry. I don't know if anyone knows who, when, where or why it is called what it is. I was raised in what is now Louisville Metro, Kentucky and the coon hunters there called them possum board as do the folks in Anderson County Tennessee and the surrounding areas.
Yes you will get a little more volume from an instrument if it is allowed to vibrate freely. (give your instrument a good strum and lift it off your lap)
By the way, I read something interesting a couple weeks ago. The word possum can refer to one of various possum species in parts of the world. But the precise name "opossum" refers specifically to the U.S.'s only native species of marsupial.
I'm sure you'll get many good responses here Homer!
But I'd also like to point out that a site search for the words "possum board" turns up some other cool results as well:
https://fotmd.com/search/results/all/1/25?jr_html_form_token=227cb384a33983011316aec8511948a1&search_string=possum+board
I use a combination string turner/wire cutter made by D'Addario. I actually have a few of them and keep them in instrument cases. They make changing strings super easy.
D'Addario PLanet Waves Pro Winder
I have one of these too, that is part of my travel kit, in case I break a string and need to do a quick change while on the road. My normal cutters and battery string winder stay at home for all my scheduled string changes on all my instruments. Yes Dusty, these do work good.
What is the history concerning the term possum board? Where did it come from? Why is it called a possum board? Does it increase the volume and/or tone of the instrument?
I use a combination string turner/wire cutter made by D'Addario. I actually have a few of them and keep them in instrument cases. They make changing strings super easy.
Wally, that's a good idea.
What I've sometimes done is use one of those clear plastic zipper pouches to hold all the little accessories. Although some pliers kind of need a pouch of their own, because they are clunkier. And now I have a little pick holder I love, that holds my 6 or 8 favorite picks (gleaned from an extensive pick-testing project).
Right now I'm thinking of a pouch to hold a bunch of extra strings and a dollar store nail clipper for emergencies...
I've used "dollar store" nail clippers. Hard to beat the price and they can get lost in a gig bag.
Thanks everyone! This gives me more of an idea of what to look for. I agree that the cheapest won't be necessarily the best in this case.
I did see diagonal cutting pliers online, and they looked like a good tool. But perhaps I'll go to Home Depot and look at the pliers and cutters in person.
As far as nail clippers, I do have a pair that isn't as great for nails, maybe I should try repurposing it!
I don't use wire cutters. I use diagonal cutting pliers. That's not a semantic difference, but a difference in the steel alloy used in the construction of the pliers. A few years ago I purchased a set of small Husky pliers that included a small 4 inch diagonal cutting plier along with a needle nose plier and flat blade plier. They work well for instrument construction. I also have another small diagonal cutting plier that I keep in my traveling gig bag. I've had since 1974. I have a cheap pair that I bought at store called "Ollies" that sells "good stuff cheap" just to have an extra pair around. They work well also.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
i use an end cutter rather than side cutter. Don't buy the gold plated one, but don't buy the dollar-store cheapo either.
I went to my local hardware store and looked at all the choices. I bought the size I wanted and the pair that felt best in my hands and were a quality brand. I change lots of strings on my dulcimers, guitars, etc., etc., etc. and they are still working great. Again, I'd stress a quality brand, RATHER THAN the cheapest set you can find on Amazon. Like they say, you get what you pay for.
You can use just about any wire cutters with steel strings. Harbor Freight Tools sells them, as do dollar stores, admittedly not the best quality, but serviceable for a while. Don't tell anyone, but in a pinch you can use nail clippers too, if you don't care to use them on your nails again!
I have a small wire cutter that has lasted 20 plus years. Most of the small wire cutters are designed for small gauge copper electrical wire which is softer than steel.
The advice not to use for steel wire is likely cautionary on the part of the manufacturer, retailer or both.
Yesterday I changed the strings on a new-to-me vintage dulcimer, and I borrowed my husband's 8-inch wire cutters because I couldn't find mine. Today I was looking on Amazon for some small wire cutters, but most of them say "don't use these for steel wire."
I figure I need some wire cutters small enough to get in there and snip the wires close to the tuner, but strong enough to last. Or should I just plan on replacing the wire cutters every so often? (Admittedly it takes me awhile to get around to changing the strings, so cheap ones might last awhile if I can keep track of them. But I'd like to have some good ones.)
What do you use for cutting strings?
Here's a picture of Jim Good (Mastertone) 5 string with doubled bass.
kristinrichmond -- here's a link to a beginner's guide that I wrote a number of years ago called I Just Got A Dulcimer, Now What?:
It's an illustrated glossary of dulcimer terms (so we all speak the same jargon) plus answers to many beginner questions about tuning, playing, care and feeding your new friend. Feel free to copy and print the booklet.
Thanks everyone! She does not seem to have a preference at this point, so we will give it a go and start with learning right handed. Thanks for all of the helpful advice. 😊
I'm sure you both will have questions not covered or easily found in the books I brought so ask any time and don't forget the huge combined knowledge base here!
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and the great information. You guys always come through!
I have only built a few five string dulcimers, but have never doubled the bass string. Doubling the bass string gives way too much bass (I tried it once on a six string dulcimer). I have always doubled the melody and middle string. So my spacing suggestion is a little different. Outside melody 1/4 from edge, next melody 1/8 further in. Bass 1/4 from other edge. Measure halfway between inside melody and bass. But middle string 1/16 to either side of the center position. If you prefer a little more distance between strings, change to only 1/8 from edge of fretboard to first melody and bass. As always, adjust measurements to taste.
Thanks everyone! She does not seem to have a preference at this point, so we will give it a go and start with learning right handed. Thanks for all of the helpful advice. 😊
Ok, lets all just gang up on the old guy. Nice bunch ... 
Interesting dulcimer, but I have no clue as to who the builder might be.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
With the tuning head to your left, closest to you will be two melody strings, the first one is 1/8"in from the edge of the fretboard, the inner string 1/8" closer to center. On the far side of the fretboard, you have the same situation -- the outer bass string is 1/8" from the far edge of the fretboard and the inner bass string 1/8" closer to center. The middle drone is half way between the inner melody string and the inner bass string. Generally speaking, as Skip mentions, the bass couplet has a regular bass string appropriate for the VSL, and the inner bass string is the same as a melody, and intended to be tuned an octave above the bass string. From bass to melody, the usual tuning setup is DdAdd.
You can buy commercially made nuts/bridges from McSpadden, Folkcraft and elsewhere which already have the notches cut for 3, 4, 5 and 6 string layouts,
It's probably going to be 1/8" from the sides to the outside strings, another 1/8" between doubled melody and bass strings and single middle string. The bass set is probably a bass and its octave with doubled melody strings. My 5 string Blue Lion is 5 equidistant strings, 1/8" sides to outside strings.
Look really close at where the strings connect to the pins also
I'm the new guy here. I acquired a five string dulcimer as a restoration project. It's missing the nut and bridge so I have no idea what the string spacing was originally. I'm guessing it probably had two double strings and a single bass but can anyone recommend the proper spacing for the five strings? The fret board is 1 1/2 inches (39 mm) wide. Thanks for any help you can provide.
I haven't seen that sort of dulcimer before either. There are nice ones offered on Shop Goodwill Online from time to time.
I like to buy old dulcimer kits and put them together, whenever I see a good one on there. Hope you enjoy it!
Ken, I found it on shopgoodwill.com, the auction site. Goodwill organizations from all over the country sell on there. The seller was actually Missouri Goodwill Industries, but you never know how it got there and from whence it came.
There are usually a few interesting dulcimers on that site. I check in every so often.
Haven't a clue as to the builder, but I love the flower-scroll tuning head. Where on the Goodwill site did you find it? What town/state? It has a certain "California" feel about it.
That's a lovely instrument, one made by a person with a lot of skill. Enjoy!
That is really nice looking, good find!
That's a beautiful dulcimer, and sounds lovely!
That's a beautiful dulcimer, and sounds lovely!
That's a beautiful dulcimer, and sounds lovely!
I have this beautiful dulcimer, which I found on the Goodwill auction site. It is diatonic, so I'm guessing it's not very recent, but the style of the bird soundholes looks somewhat modern to me. So I'm guessing possibly 70's or early 80's, early in the big resurgence. The dogwood flower on the peghead of course makes me think of Kentucky, but there are several other states where the dogwood is common and beloved.
It came with ebony pegs, but they drove me crazy trying to tune it, so I had them replaced with geared pegs so I could actually enjoy playing it. The VSL is a little longer than I'm comfortable with--it's 27.88 inches, and my comfort zone is more like 25-26 for fingerdance; I'm going to try tuning it in DAA/DAG so I can play more in the center of the fretboard, and I'm also going to try using a noter.
The style of the soundholes makes it tricky to see inside, but I tried today with a flashlight and I don't see any label in there. Has anyone seen a dulcimer similar to this, and do you know who might have made it? What with all the pretty details, as well as the arched fretboard, I can't believe it's a one-off.
I'm partly curious and I partly wanted to share this pretty dulcimer.
They are trickier to play than they look, for sure!
All of mine have 3 strings. That’s what I fell in love with and that’s what my favorite players use. If you want to hear masterful playing, look for Lassi Logren on YouTube. Rauno Nieminen is also an awesome player and builder. I hope to try one of his instruments one day.
The best decision I made in learning jouhikko was to reach out to an excellent player and arrange lessons. So worth it.
Patrick
I've made several of these pieces. The only ones I can sorta play are the two strings.
Thanks for all the really great advice and suggestions. The bridge is not slanted and I can regroove both the nut and bridge if Sadie opts to play left handed.
And ... Dusty, HEY! 
I too am a leftie who has had no trouble at all learning and playing in the usual manner.
