Ken Hulme
Ken Hulme
@ken-hulme
5 years ago
2,111 posts

I re-tune my zither pin dulcimers and other instruments all the time.  As long as you don't pull/push the exposed part of the pin to the side (bending the exposed pin or putting excess pressure on the buried pin) -- and the pins are firmly embedded in a HARD hardwood like Walnut, Maple or harder, then you should have no problem retuning with some frequency.  

Still, if I were you, I would experiment with tunings on an instrument with geared tuners -- until you settle on 2 or 3 tunings that you find useful for most of the tunes you play


updated by @ken-hulme: 01/09/19 06:51:24PM
Lisa
Lisa
@lisa
5 years ago
21 posts
Thanks for the response. I don't think that type of set up will suit my needs right now.
Lisa
Robin Thompson
Robin Thompson
@robin-thompson
5 years ago
1,415 posts

Lisa, I do not re-tune my instruments with zither pins by turning the zither pins.  I think lots of re-tuning would strip-out the holes in which your pins are seated.  

Lisa
Lisa
@lisa
5 years ago
21 posts

Hi, 

I'm wondering if you like to retune often, if zither pins, instead of conventional tuners would be a problem.

I found a travel dulcimer, but it has pins, and I am trying lots of tunings right now.  Would it wad out the wood quickly it I tuned often?

The headstock design would need some major changes to put in tuners.

Thanks, Lisa