So, I was afraid to modify my dulcimer and just jammed a KNA AP-2 onto mine. It's been fairly decent. I even got to use it in my regular jam session today rather than my normal flute or tin whistle.
The one caveat is that it was a smaller group, I still have no idea how it will work when we have a full compliment of guitars plus drums (I'm guessing poorly with my concerns from the OP), but I'm happy so far.
Amplification of an acoustic dulcimer
For what its worth, I have used one of those under bridge pickups that i took off an electric acoustic guitar and put it on a dulcimer, and did not trim the excess of the braided wire, but instead just drilled a small hole at the edge of the fretboard under the bridge for the excess wire to be tucked into. It sounds great and in the future i might be glad i kept the bit of extra length
> but also anything that touches your dulcimer like your hands, picks hitting the fret board, and the sound waves hitting it from nearby instruments
updated by @pux0r3: 04/05/25 12:45:34AM
Yeah, this is kind of what I was afraid of
> It does take "some skill," but not a whole bunch. My kit came with paper templates for the holes. Other than a drill, I used only hobby/craft hand tools. The wiring is all plug-in, and the holes you cut for the tuner/controller and battery/jack boxes allow you to pass the wires for hook-up.I even appear to have all the tools needed. It's till terrifying!
updated by @pux0r3: 04/05/25 12:45:34AM
Ukulele fret boards are essentially the same width as those on dulcimers- about 1 1/2 inches. Guitar pickups are wider, but they say they can be cut. That's why I pointed to the ukulele version.
The piezo element itself looks sort of like a black match stick with a wire on one end. As I recall, I think I just cut the height of the "bone" (probably plastic) saddle down, slide the pickup into the slot, and put the saddle back on top. Some ukulele people appear to put it along the outer edge of the bone saddle, probably raising the strings be a tiny amount.
The rest of the procedure is covered reasonably well in a number of YouTube videos. I think this one is pretty good.
Installation of ukulele pickup systemIf you are doing it for the first time, you might want to do it on a cheap instrument.
It does take "some skill," but not a whole bunch. My kit came with paper templates for the holes. Other than a drill, I used only hobby/craft hand tools. The wiring is all plug-in, and the holes you cut for the tuner/controller and battery/jack boxes allow you to pass the wires for hook-up.
The problem with a stick-on pickup is that it will not only amplify the strings, but also anything that touches your dulcimer like your hands, picks hitting the fret board, and the sound waves hitting it from nearby instruments. While the example shared by Wally is attractive, it will take some skill to cut holes in the side of your dulcimer. Not knowing the width of your fret board you need to be careful about the length of the pickup. One thing that would discourage me from using it is where the wire comes off of the pickup. It seems to me if it fits the fret board the wire would be exposed. L.R. Baggs makes a nice bridge pickup for mountain dulcimers in two widths, but it is over 12 times the price of Wally's example. Plus you would have the expense of an end pin jack. Of course, with any pickup, you will an amplifier and cable. This is all food for thought.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Since you have a serious need for a pickup, I would not suggest a stick-on mounted on the face of the dulcimer. Particularly since you say you feel sounds from other instruments on it.
I would suggest a piezo pickup under the "bridge" of the sort shown here.
If installed with the pre-amp/tuner you add many of the features found on electric guitars, etc. I installed a similar unit on a cheap, used dulcimer, and it works. I don't use the pickup since I play quietly in an all acoustic group, but I have tested it with a 10 watt guitar amp and it works well. I do use the tuner - it doesn't get lost in my case.
I play semi-regularly with a small/informal (work) jam band. Not only is my dulcimer impossible to hear over amplified instruments, but I feel their music resonating in my dulcimer more than my own strings.
I've seen those stick-on piezo pickups, but my question is would those even function in an environment where I'm feeling other instrument's in my own soundbox over my own strumming? And if not, what should I look for/ask a luthier to do for me?
