Great posts, love all the responses.

    I love each of my dulcimers but only have 2 hands so some need to wait their turn to play.  I also have a McSpadden FM 12-W, a small Warren May - a ground hog more for travel, a new TK O'Brien I just picked up in the NC mountains, my first dulcimer, a John Naylor and the 'red stain' one - more for the kids to strum on or travel (a good dulcimer to learn all about fixing a dulcimer with). Since I have only been home less than a week, I am spending a good bit of time with the new O'Brien but will be playing at a nursing home in a week with the McSpadden. I did have them all down last night trying out their sound on a possum board, not sure that counts. Interesting discussion since if I was to answer a week ago or next week it may be different. 

    Every dulcimer comes with great stories and their own sweet sounds.

My Blue Lion rosewood hour glass. Beautiful sound and action. 

My dulcimer life is very simple... I only own two (not counting "Stubby").  I do all performing on my Homer Ledford, and play my Warren May around the house.   If I had more dulcimers I would only confuse myself.

Like an herb garden right outside your kitchen door, an istrument hung on the wall near where you hang out is often used.  

Thanks Sam. I appreciate that. 

Whew Bob! that rascal is some kind of purrrrrty!

This is my current "go to" instrument.  Mostly because it is sitting conveniently close to the sofa.  It is all walnut with a Sassafras top.

For stage work my Jerry Rockwell large hourglass, if I want to get jazzy, and old Jim Good set up like Alan Freeman's in Jim's weird G tuning, and for learning new tunes (in DAd) or jamming, a (supposedly) WV made small hourglass.

My Messenger/Tignor repro; just intonation, looks good and sounds better. Proud to own number 2 from the 'production line'. 

James, it was made by Folkcraft.

Goes to every concert and jam:  the 2013 Berg cherry 5-string that appears in most of my videos, acquired in part through the generosity of a dear friend and fellow dulcimerist.

But...

Will be buried with me:  my very first dulcimer, a McSpadden FM12s that was purchased brand new in 1998 for $180, with an apology from the salesman for having to charge so much!

Seems all of my favorite instruments, dulcimer or otherwise, have stories.

John, who made that dulcimer in your picture?

My favorite is the Ron Gibson Jenny Lind that I got last February. I enjoy playing it so much that it greatly dampened my raging case of DAD. (Note that I said "dampened", not "got rid of". It's a beautiful instrument.

BTW, I adore the Sasquatch design, complete with little footprints, shown above.

My favorite...

Same old mongrel I've always played. I've built up a bit of a collection over the years, but nothing else comes quite close to the old '4 of Hearts'.

Maybe the John Pearse should get an honourable mention - small, light and always a delight to play. Use it a lot to work tunes out on.

This is a doozie of a question for me as it just depends on what songs I want to practice.  Some songs sound better in certain keys, so I let that by my guide.

I am a lazy person.  My go-to dulcimer is the one that's most convenient to get to.  Usually that's the dulcimette hanging on the living room wall.  Unless I'm in the kitchen, where the cigar box dulcimer is hanging on the wall.

When I leave the house, I take the McS Ginger because it has the nicest gig bag.

I need a dulcimer that comes when called.  And I want to hire a guy to tune it.

Well there you go then Charles-Thomas, I've learnt something new today, I've always made a new one when I thought an instrument sounded a bit off !!!

JohnH

For the most part my go-to dulcimer is my all walnut Folkcraft FSH. When I'm playing noter/drone it is either my J.E. Thomas or the Prichard reproduction dulcimer I made. Because my Blue Lion has a built-in pick-up, I often use that one when playing out in noisy venues.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

my favorite is usually my latest acquisition. But I do like to play the others also - some sound better in different tunings than others so the tune I am playing sometimes decides which gets played. Also I have my 42 year old project dulcimer that I keep messing with that is starting to sound pretty good after the addition of metal tuners from wooden pegs bridge/nut adjustments.

So, my go to is the June Appple Cellomer, It is so unique, Has such a big voice. It doesn't just speak to you, It preaches to you, so smooth, clear, but almost overpowering. Yet it keeps it in check. A great stage instrument, but sounds even better on the back deck in the evening, here in the Rocky Mountains.

'

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 Everytime I build one I have a new favorite. But I don't usually get to play them long.

My "favorite" seems to change with my mood, have 14 altogether so it gets hard to choose, I guess the go to's would be McSpadden 6 string, ebony fret board. Dan Doty 6 string, Bonnie Carol 4 string ebony fret board, or my newest June Apple Cellomer, really BIG sound.

I find myself picking up my McSpadden all walnut hourglass most of the time. 

JohnH- we,re suppose to "tune" them? Who knew .That changes everything! 

My GoTo dulcimer for Open Mic nights is my Bobby Ratliff  Hogfiddle tuned Bagpipe B -- Bbb, which suits my voice better than C or D.  It's fitted with a stick-on pick up.

My GoTo for un-amplified playing is my John Knopf Thomas replica with its new 1/2" thick balsawood Possum Board.  The dulcimer has 3 feet so the possum board is just a flat plank, and the balsa is super light!

The one that might be in tune, lol !

JohnH

As you can see in my avitar my 2 treasured dulcimers in which I go in between to play sometimes I choose one for a certain song, sometimes it is the one I want to play.  Both are fabulous to play and I love it!

... siiiiiiiigh ... yeah ... I know ... still sometimes think abortion should be an option into the 27th tri-mester .............. 

Oh, I've been tempted. 

... maybe ... except th' hang 'em on th' wall part ......................... 

Isn’t that a bit like having a favorite child? 

Many of us have more than one. If you do, do you enjoy playing one more than the others? It seems that I take this one down off the wall more often than any of the others. 

Do you have particular reasons for your favored dulcimer?

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