Hello, what is the purpose of having two strings ( or three if double melody) in DAA as oppose to DAD.
Doesn't having these two strings at the same pitch rob the instrument of the possibility of different notes on the same fret unlike DAD. If this is a dumb question let me know as I am starting and trying to learn as much as I can.
Ronald
Thanks, as for too many frets, they do have chromatic dulcimers which I absolutely do not wish to start with, if ever.
What I would do to my guitar is highlight the frets that are corresponds to the dulcimer with a sharpie. and be careful when learning
Ronald
Thanks for the info. It’s amazing it sounds relatively melodic for 29.95!
Your conversion won't be a dulcimer, of course -- dulcimer's don't have necks that extend beyond the body. Which tuning you choose is, at this point, irrelevant. The first step in to do the conversion of strings as detailed by @Ken-longfield.
You don't mention whether you are going to play your instrument upright -- like a guitar -- or flat on your lap like a dulcimer. With the dulcimer, the strings are "backwards" to a guitar. That is -- the heaviest strings are farthest away when the instrument is flat on your lap (if playing vertically the heaviest string is on the bottom).
As Ken mentions, if you intend to play a diatonic dulcimer, all those extra frets that make up the chromatic fretboard of a guitar will undoubtedly cause you issues when it comes to learning/unlearning fingering positions and other things on a diatonic fret pattern. All that to say, we won't say "don't do it", but converting a guitar to three strings and trying to use it as a dulcimer may not be the "best" thing to do if you really want to learn to play dulcimer.
I forgot to answer your other questions. I am not sure to which of Mel Bays books your are referring to in you question. Some of the Mel Bay books offer both DAA and DAd tunings. These being the most popular tunings. Other books also include DAc and other tunings. Currently, DAd is the default tuning for most dulcimer festivals and clubs, although folk are beginning to discover and appreciate DAA and other tunings.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
As I think was mentioned before you started this thread, you will not have a doubled melody string unless you want to rework the nut and bridge on your guitar. If you choose to do a three string configuration, take off the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings. You will need to restring your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd strings. The bass D string (in either DAA or DAd) should be a wound 0.022 or 0.023. The middle string would be a plain steel 0.014. If tuning to DAA, the middle and first string (melody) are the same gauge. The first (melody) string for DAd tuning is a plain steel could be 0.011 or 0.012. You may need to modify the slots in the guitar nut to fit the these string sizes. Another possibility would be to buy and inexpensive guitar nut, slot it yourself, and run your strings down the center of the fretboard. Also, you will not be playing a traditional diatonic dulcimer by doing the this. The guitar fretboard is fretted for chromatic playing.
You did not say what style of dulcimer playing you want to do, but if you are going to play a traditional diatonic dulcimer, trying to learn on the chromatic fretboard may cause you fits when moving to the diatonic fretboard.
Best wishes for your project. Let us know if you have more questions.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Hello, I am not getting a dulcimer till' late winter.
How can I convert my guitar to a three string dulcimer.
It is a Yamaha folk size witha 25 inch string length. I am getting the book Complete dulcimer method Mel Bay. Should I convert to dad or daa, what is more common, or what tuning would work best for the book.
Thanks, Ronald
Ron, welcome to fotmd! i suggest you start a new discussion in our general Forums area for your guitar tuning question, rather than asking about it in this "Introduce Yourself" discussion.
Go to the general forum area and use the plus button+ to start a new discussion. :)
(When you, be sure to give us the scale length (length in inches between nut and bridge) of your guitar. You'll likely have to change some strings and maybe remove other strings from your guitar. Remember too when you ask about a '4 string dulcimer'...that a guitar does not have a pair of closely set strings like most 4 string dulcimers have on the melody string.)
Please do start your new separate discussion in the forums, so we can help you further there in it. :)
Hello, Thank You for the welcome.
I cannot get a dulcimer until late winter, in the meanwhile, is there a way to tune a guitar to at least a three string dulcimer
preferrably four in the usual aadd?
Thanks, Ronald
Found this site: shows the sears page - back click a few pages shows another sears page of instruments
https://www.flickr.com/photos/humbugs_and_oddities/5064034869/in/photostream/
Sears Dulcimer #1 These dulcimers were made in Korea.
I saw a uke under Sears Harmony
Not being a good archivist, I did not write down the years of these three pages from the Sears catalog. The other attachment is a similar dulcimers marketed by Fretted Industries. Note that the Fretted Industries dulcimers have a rectangular end to their scrolls.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Coming a little late here, but...
When my wife and I play "Hewlett" (she accompanies me on MD), I play the first pass plucking with two guitar picks, and the second pass with hammers. I also have a pair of hammers with guitar picks installed at the end of the handles, and I play part of "Riu Riu Chiu" plucking with the picks. So far, that's all I've experimented with plucking with guitar picks. If your strings do not rest in groves across the bridges, you might have difficulty plucking them as they will move around on the bridges.
Yeah, this is really good stuff. I wish we could separate the audio and hear each instrument separately. Or maybe just get a camera solely on the dulcimer's fretboard. The dulcimer is not playing exactly what the fiddle is, sometimes a simplified melody and sometimes pure accompaniment. I know it's not traditional, but I like the use of the bass string that begins around 1:14. It really adds a nice contrast to the fiddle.
I have a 1930's Kay tenor banjo. I'll bet the same tuning would work on it! this would be a better alternative than the seagull stick dulcimer i tried and did not like.
Oscar Schmidt was a separate label, dulcimers made by the same company that made thousands of autoharps.
I have a (maybe) Hondo dulcimer sold by Sears for Christmas, has 'clover' sound holes. It needed some work but with the help of some great members years ago, I learned a lot about this dulcimer.
Every instrument is different, each one has their own personality .
Enjoy yours
Hi Don, there is more than one tuning possible- you'll find lots of info and discussions of tunings and fingerings for 4 equidistant string setup in our Group of the same name:
https://fotmd.com/heidi-muller/group/27/four-equidistant-strings
Remember you'll need to click the "join group" button in order to see the discussion replies and comment wall of a group. (You can always click the same button to easily UNjoin later.)
How do you tune your dulcimer with four equidistant strings?
Matthew, happy to hear you're making music again!
Enjoy that beautiful Appalachian dulcimer, Susie!
Thanks, I am!
Enjoy that beautiful Appalachian dulcimer, Susie!
Thanks! I did a short concert for my husband this morning. 
That's a beauty, @Susie! Congratulations.
Thanks Dusty, I appreciate it.
That's a beauty, @Susie! Congratulations.
Just received this yesterday. A Folkcraft Custom Baritone Dulcimer in Cherry, with a galax back. East Indian Rosewood fingerboard and accents. The cherry adds a little sparkle and volume to the overall lower tones. A beautiful instrument in tone and looks. Love it!
Depending on how the string slots have been cut and whether or not you can get the nut and bridge out cleanly without damage, you may be able to reuse the same nut and bridge by simply reversing them 180 degrees. This will reverse the position of all the string slots, positioning the widest string slot farthest away from you and the narrowest string slot closest to you.
Of course, if the string slots have been modified for better intonation in one specific tuning (as is the case with most McSpadden dulcimers), it may not be possible to rotate the nut and bridge 180 degrees successfully.
All it takes to "convert from right to left handed" is a new bridge, a new nut and a new set of strings. They sell the micarta nut & bridge for $1 each, and strings for about $5 a set.
Staylor, I'd advertise it here on FOTMD and ask $325.00 with the understanding you may need to negotiate down a bit. I think it is easily worth that amount. Many times McSpaddens sell more quickly than others and with Christmas approaching some dulcimer player here may be wanting his or her Santa to bring them a nice dulcimer. It may be one of those that takes a month or more to sell. Just be patient. If this does not bring success you always can see if the Dulcimer Shoppe in Mountain View will consign it for you. That is so nice of you to help out your friends. So many times nice dulcimers can be bought for almost nothing because people do not know their value. Then some sellers who don't know their value price them as if they are a Strativarius. Best wishes moving it for your friends.
The dulcimer avoided the estate sale, and since I know a little about them and offered to help my friends learn its true value, I'm its current caretaker. Which, of course, means I've spent less time lately playing guitar and banjo and more time playing this right-handed dulcimer left-handed.
Of course, it's beautiful and sounds great and I'm bonding with it. I know it wouldn't cost much to convert it to left-handed, and--of course--I still don't really have the spare cash to give our friends what it's worth. They've been out of state and lovely wife will see what they want to do with it later this week.
They could consign it to the music store in Mountain View, post it on this site or maybe make me a deal I can live with, guilt-free.
In the meantime, it's been a very pleasant addition to the music room in our house and, if nothing else, has confirmed that I really need to add a mountain dulcimer to our collection of stringed instruments! Thank you all again for your help.
I agree with the others, it is beautiful!
Beautiful! Happy Birthday, John!!!
Thank you so much, friends! I had a wonderful day. Even squeezed in a great prime rib lunch in Ann Arbor!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you John. I wish I had your phone number and I'd sing a bunch of birthday songs. soooooooo lovely is walnut. Will this be a possum board that can be removed or are you going to attach it to the dulcimer? aloha, irene
Happy birthday John, you just gave me an idea for my replica you made for me. Will treasure it for a long time.
