Thanks a lot for the mandolin advice. I never thought about easing into it with one string per course, but it makes a lot of sense. I'll definitely keep that in mind as I continue practicing.

Shooter, I built a cigar box guitar tuned DAD before I built any dulcimers. To me a 3 string CBG is the same as a chromatic strumstick. Cigar box guitars led me to building dulcimers, and I still like building cigar box dulcimers a lot. It's all a lot of fun

PS I recommend that new mandolin players start with 1 string per course while learning the chords, then add in the second string once you have the shapes down. Those strings can really shred up your fingertips and limit the amount of time you can practice when you're first starting, which makes a lot of people burn out on Mando 

Nate

Been awhile ,but I missed fotmd I have not yet started any dulcimers but have made another Cigarbox guitar,this one tuned DAD ,I don’t have a huge lot of songs but am learning,and through forces far greater than me,came into possession of a Mandolin needing restoring and so have been directed down another stringed path,I don’t control these things I just go where I’m pushed I guess. My daughter also indicated she was interested in mandolins when I get it finished! I do enjoy the info contained,here and thanks,I will do a dulcimer eventually.