That makes perfect sense. The open string note is the lowest a string can be. I'm overthinking it for sure. The solution then is to tune in DAA and add more frets to the upper neck. A larger dulcimer body with a longer neck and wider fretboard would help make the spaces. THANK YOU!
Strumelia, your suggestion of arching the fingers is excellent, and I will try to improve on that.
I wrote a blog post on the angling of our fretting fingers that elaborates on that subject a little more- you might find something helpful in it:
https://dulcimer-noter-drone.blogspot.com/2012/07/lazy-fingers.html
Truthfully, I might be misunderstanding your request or your concept here. The bottom line though is that on any string, you cannot play notes lower than that particular string is tuned to... no matter how long the neck is or how many additional frets you put on.
Sorry....couldn't help myself....
Mike, I'm glad to hear that you have your dulcimer playing well again and happy that we were helpful. Enjoy playing both of your dulcimers.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Thanks for the responses, all. John, that "Uncle Eddie" is insanely cool. That's a great suggestion on the long neck banjo. I've reached out to John Knopf with these questions. Dusty, agreed and that is exactly what my Milford Blevins model has (in order to accommodate 8 strings). Strumelia, your suggestion of arching the fingers is excellent, and I will try to improve on that. Regarding your questions: 1) Yes, on both a longer and wider fretboard for finger space and tonal range 2) Yes, I'd like to play notes that dip below the "home" note of D on the melody string. I did try DAA tuning and I enjoyed the ability to hit those lower notes, but I was then limited on the higher octave. I'm looking for both sides of the spectrum.
My primary concert dulcimers are modified to be loud. Both my converted guitar/dulcimer, Milford B. model, and J. McAnulty Weissenborn are very resonant even without an amp. I've added drop A & D strings for deep bass and extra resonance. I use Fender heavy triangle picks and higher gauge strings as I tend to strum and pick aggressively. I've attached a few pics to help illustrate the set-ups.
I'm not at all surprised.
All instruments need to be properly "set up," and this is often left to the retail seller. Amateur builders often don't know how to do the simple adjustments. Many of the string instruments in charity stores are "throwaways" that people got as a gift or as so-called bargains which only need a proper set-up.
One added thing I'd like to just check on-
you say you have trouble with bumping into other strings when you fret and slide with your "large hands", yet your dulcimer has a larger than usual fretboard already.
Are you fretting with the bony TIPS of your fingers, with your hand arched up over the strings, or are you fretting with the fatty PADS of your fingers, with your hand held more horizontally as though you are typing on a laptop? Fretting with te very tips of the fingers can make all the difference in the world when it comes to getting clean sound and not bumping into other strings or muffling your own notes while cutting off resonating notes.
I'm a little confused here and i have questions. You say you like to play the melody mostly all on your melody string while occasionally plucking the middle string, yet you also say you like to play melody on the lower string.
Are you simply wanting a longer and wider fretboard, and will continue to tune to DAd and play in the key of D?...are you just seeking extra space for your large fingers?
OR... are you wanting to play notes that dip below the 'home' note of D on your melody string, as in tuning to DAA for example?
From your question, I'm not really sure of your goal.
I got home yesterday and had a burst of energy and filed down the string slots on my dulcimer "nut!". It was a complete success! I started with the middle A string since that was the one that was the most off and then did the others. My dulcimer sounds great now! 
 The only thing I forgot to do was to put a little bit of graphite in each slot, but I can do that anytime. I want to thank all of you for the help you gave me with this. If I have any other questions or issues with my dulcimers I know where to come!
Another possibility would be a wider fretboard with more space in between strings. Just a thought.
Sending a "long vsl" chart borrowed from Folkcraft...31 3/8 VSL. Is this what you envision? It would take some time to do the math on string gauge etc....To think of what that length looks like, picture a Pete Seger long neck banjo. All you have to do is remove the resonator and slap the remains on an hourglass body....voila!
This other fella on FOTMD may be able to help....looks like he builds some big honkin' dulcimores....
This is a question regarding dulcimer build limitations. Is it possible to make an extended range dulcimer? I am envisioning a longer fretboard that would allow for several more frets on the lower end. This would allow the player to stay on the melody string for the low and high octave, without crossing over to the middle string, in DAD tuning.
I am a player with large hands, which makes it difficult to play the middle string without hitting other strings. So far, the Milford Blevins Dulcimer has the largest fretboard I’ve used. It is both wider and longer than a standard dulcimer. For me, that means my fat fingers have plenty of space to slide. I wish it were a tad longer so that I could get the best of DAA and DAD tuning, allowing me to walk down the fretboard on the melody string alone. I play melody exclusively on the first D string, with an occasional pluck of the open A middle string. The middle and lower strings I use for droning rhythms, or to play bass melody.
Thank you for any responses.
Mike
It seems fine now. Thank you. I appreciate it.
I am not familiar with dulcimers made by James Goodall. He seems to have a good following in the guitar world. It appears that his son Luke has taken over the guitar business and continues to build guitars in Sparta, TN. My guess is that any mountain dulcimers he made were from the beginning of his career as a luthier.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
BTW the whole problem was the size of the images- that was also causing the text to stretch in order to be the same width as the giant pictures. Once i downsized the pix, the text fixed itself.
I reduced the photo sizes and deleted the additional threads... see if it's ok now:
https://fotmd.com/forums/forum/for-saleinstruments-music-items-cds-wanted-to-buy/48199/john-stockard-dulcimer-for-sale
(you may have to refresh your browser page to see the new version)
It also posted 3 time. Don't know how yo delete.
I tried. It posted but the photos are too large and the text is stretched out. Don't know how to fix it.
Many years ago I contacted John Stockard about building me a dulcimer. He said he wasn't building anymore, but would be willing to sell me one of his personal instruments. I bought it. It arrived in excellent condition. It is still in excellent condition. It has never left my home. John called it his concert model. It is 38" long. Bouts are 6 3/4" and 8 1/4". Beautiful full and balanced tone with excellent sustain. It was built in 2004 and was build #193. It came with a soft case that appears to be homade. John was know for his excellent craftsmanship and attention to detail. To find one for sale is quite rare. I am asking $2000 or best offer. Free shipping to the lower 48.
@old-dawg, what have you tried? Go to this discussion to learn how to start a new Forum Discussion and then go to the For Sale Forum and post your listing.
Trying to list a dulcimer for sale. No luck. Need help
That's an interesting response.In the 80's electronic tuners took over.I would use them when I was playing in a band then go aside to"make it sound right"...(fiddle,guitar)...I've never understood "tempered scales",being an ear player nor a scientist,laugh....
Being new to MDs, you need to be aware that some-many vintage dulcimers have the frets located using non-equal temperaments. Those will sound good but will not sound right combined with modern equal temperament tuned instruments. You will need to know the temperament to properly tune them using an electronic tuner.
"Could they have purposely installed an actual nut to bypass the zero fret?"
Yes. The problem with that is the locations of each of the other frets is based on calculations using the VSL [Virtual String Length] from the center of the zero fret to the nut side of the saddle.
I am looking into getting another vintage dulcimer and having just dived into this instrument, I am overwhelmed by the number of custom-made models that are out there. I am looking at this model made in the 1970's by somebody in San Diego named James Goodall. From what I could gather online, he also made guitars and maybe banjos! Any of you out there familiar with him or own a dulcimer made by him??
We had a family emergency so I will not be able to do anything with this thing until next week, but all of this is good information! I also remembered that I have a Dremel tool that may come in handy although the manual hand files may be a little gentler on the wood and plastic. I will agree with some of you that somebody has worked or modded this dulcimer. Could they have purposely installed an actual nut to bypass the zero fret? I also did not notice that the saddle also looks like it has been altered. Right now, I have the one that came with it removed and have a bone one made for a guitar in its place. I have sanded it down to lower the string action and I have a few of them in case I mess it up! I was going to sand the original one but of course, do not have a spare. One way or another I will get this instrument fixed up. Thanks again for all the help!
I went back to look at the photos of the spacer and fret. Someone obviously messed it up.
Frankly, if I was dealing with this, I would remove the plastic spacer and throw it away. I would make a new spacer from hardwood or plastic. I would probably then cut a new groove to fit the width and height of the spacer closer to the zero fret. Alternately I would re-cut the spacer hole to square it up, glue in a filler block, and then cut a new slot there to fit my new spacer.
I would also reset the position of the middle string to the middle of the fretboard.
Sorry about misleading you about sloping the grooves. That applies to a nut, not a spacer.
The saddle is tipping towards the nut a bit because of an oversize slot so if it still needs a bit more adjustment after fixing the zero fret try wedging a bit of credit card/toothpick/hard paper on the nut side.
You want to angle the slot so that the high point is on the bridge side to preserve the VSL.
I have a couple of needle file sets, neither was expensive nor diamond coated. They do the job. You can find them at the two places Wally suggested plus Lowes and Home Depot. I've used the welding tip cleaners mainly to expand slots because of binding strings, but not to make new slots. I have a set of Stewmac nut files that I use to start the slots.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I will get a set of those needle files. We are going to Walmart today and I will see if they have them. I bet I have some somewhere but have no idea where they are! I have a few sets of those welders tip cleaners and tried them last night on the A string slot and they just did not work.
You shouldn't need anything fancy. All you are trying to do is make those slots deeper so the strings are in solid contact with, or bend over, the zero fret.
You don't need or want diamond files for cutting wood or plastic. I use cheap (under $5) "needle" or "jewelers" files like these.
https://www.harborfreight.com/needle-file-set-12-piece-56743.html
Unless, of course, you are using something like stainless steel for your nut.
Some recommend using welder's "Tip Cleaners." They provide a round bottom groove. I've tried them, but I think a ve-bottom is better.
I am actually looking at some diamond file sets made specifically for doing this, but most seem to be real expensive. I see a set on Amazon that I would love to get but would run me 120 dollars. If I was a professional, I would not hesitate to get these, but they will not be used often. I do not want the get the cheapest thing out there either. Do any of you know a good set of diamond files that will be good for filing the slots that is a bit cheaper??
To make the slot adjustment, I would use either a triangular needle file or perhaps a welding tip cleaning file. You can do it one string at a time by slacking the string and pulling it to one side while you file while you keep the others tight.
You want to angle the slot so that the high point is on the bridge side to preserve the VSL.
I would NOT "Cut" them with a saw.
I think I will try cutting the slots deeper in the "nut". I really do not want to ruin the dulcimer as I do not have very good woodworking skills! I probably should have invested in a new better brand instrument, but I am just a beginner at this and did not want to spend a whole lot of money. Knowing me though if I saw a good deal on a better one, I would probably buy it! The one I got from Amazon is really nice though, but I know it is nothing high end. I did a little research on the shop that is named on the sticker inside the sound hole. Apparently, the phone number is still good, and the shop may still be in business, but the instruments designer, Jerry Meador passed away in 2018 at the age of 68. I am going to guess this dulcimer was probably made in the 1980's. I was able to find a few other photos online of the same model, and one had a black "nut" and the other was like mine, but I could not tell where the strings were in relation to it. I will keep you all posted of any progress I make!
I agree with Skip about cutting the slots deeper in the false nut before trying anything else. Sometimes I get ahead of myself and forget to do the easier solutions first.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I think I would try cutting the slots in the false nut deeper as a work around for now. Be sure to protect the wood.
Once you get the nut problem fixed the error should be minimal.
An example of splitting the error, Say the note/fret you check is sharp by 10 cents, you can re tune the string to 5 cents flat then when the string is pressed it will only be 5 cents sharp at that fret. The caveat is this affect all the notes/frets. If you have to fudge a bit, a little sharp is more acceptable than a little flat.
Just a thought, but have you tried contacting the makers/builders? your photo of the label shows a phone number and address. they could give you info on the instrument, like if that blue plastic nut-like thing was part of the original dulcimer or added by a former owner, maybe some hints on how to remove it safely, etc. It can't hurt to ask...
Mike, that blue piece is not actually a nut (or shouldn't be). It should be a string spacer to keep the strings in the proper place across the nut which is the zero fret. If it were my instrument I would try to get the blue plastic piece off and replace it with a small piece of wood; maybe one eighth inch square, or perhaps three sixteenths or a quarter inch square depending upon what would look good. I'd saw slots for the strings to provide for double melody strings and four equidistant string spacing. I'd make the slots deep enough so that the strings rest on the first fret. After that, I'd tackle the string height from the saddle/bridge end.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
