A good solution emerged. A luthier who I've bought a couple of guitars from offered to be the go-between with Ameritage so I could get his dealer discount. With the shipping the case will come in around $400 ...still a bit more than I wanted to pay but I own a few cases by Ameritage and they're very good.  I sent along a tracing and the padding will be form fitted to the dulcimer. My Edsel Martin is as much a piece of folk art as it is a musical instrument so I'm happy to have a case on the way that will give it the protection it deserves.

Thanks for the well-intended suggestions.

I am ordering these:

Keyboard case

updated by @elvensong: 08/29/18 05:31:51PM

I appreciate the suggestions but I'm really only interested in a hard-shell case that I can buy somewhere. If the Cedar Creek case turns out to be my only option, I'll go that way.

I also thought of gun cases.  They're durable and long, and might work very well.  The only possible problem might be taking them onto aircraft.  After all, what would YOU think was in that case?  

Other than Dusty's suggestion, just get a half sheet of 1/4" ply and some foam, make one.  

That's a tough one.  The standard "large" hardshell dulcimer case is about 40" long. You can probably get an extra inch or inch-and-a-half since the interior is plush lined, but I'm pretty sure 43" would be out of the question.

If you don't plan on traveling on an airplane with the instrument, you might try one of those gun cases with the adjustable foam.  The foam is pre-cut into small squares, and you remove the ones to fit your instrument.  (I think they call it "pluck to fit" or something like that.) They come in different sizes. One is exactly 43" wide, but if you put the dulcimer in at an angle it might fit.  I think they also come in 46" and 52" lengths.  Here is one at Amazon .

--
Dusty T., Northern California
Site Moderator

As a musician, you have to keep one foot back in the past and one foot forward into the future.
-- Dizzy Gillespie
updated by @dusty: 08/29/18 03:45:45PM

Hi folks, new guy here. I own a few mountain dulcimers, and one of them needs a hard-shell case. It's a 43" long by 7" wide Edsel Martin teardrop. I've looked all over the internet but I can't find a case that's long enough. Back about 15 years ago, Cedar Creek built a case for my other Edsel Martin and charged me $200. I inquired with them on this one and they want $500 now. I'm hoping to find a less expensive option. Does anyone here know of either a case that would fit or of a place I could order a custom case for a more budget friendly price?