Rule # 2     Play it some more....

If YOU like the way it looks, if YOU like the way it sounds, it means more than ANY makers mark or vintage. A dulcimer that you like is infinitely more likely to be played and not put in the closet.

Of course if this is a hour glass, you'll need to get a teardrop too. And perhaps one with/without the extra frets, and one for....

DAS is real.

Rule #1 for purchasing a dulcimer: If possible, PLAY IT.

Dulcimers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and you need one which fits YOU. Even if you can barely play, putting it on your lap will help you decide whether it fits you.

Don't worry if you can't put it in proper tune, if one string will play you can get a pretty good sense of the tone which the body shape and size provides, and you can check for things like buzzing. Fingering each fret in order can be used to check for a warped stick or high frets. If your ear is decent, you can use Fret 7 (the octave) to roughly check fretting, nut, and bridge problems.

Generally any McSpadden, or other big name instrument, made within the past 20 years is likely to be OK if there is no visible damage, although a good look at tuners, etc. is good advice.

There are no really good price guides for used instruments except eBay and Reverb asking prices. If you can't play it, always check shipping charges, etc. since these are sometimes more than the instrument price.

Don't worry if you don't understand all this, but see if you and the instrument are a comfortable and pleasing match. You should be looking for a "lifetime companion," not a "trophy spouse." You may need more than one date, don't rush it.

My friend Richard has given you some solid advice.  Check the tuning pegs as well, for smooth turning.  And listen for any buzzing sounds as you play it.  Hopefully there won't be any, but if so, they can be fixed pretty easily.  Sounds like you found a treasure!

Thanks for asking. We are here to help each other.

Congrats. That may be a good find. Ask if kept in smoke free home. Also if stored in the main part of the house, not a basement, attic, garage, shed or rental storage unit. Check the date of manufacture. There should be a label in the melody side lower sound hole. Check that all joints are tight without any showing signs of separation. The overall finish and appearance will tell how much it may have been used. and how well it has been cared for.  I saw  one once labeled "as new" that had marks on the lower bout which looked like a cat had used it for a scratching post.  Check the strings for rust/oxidation. They can be changed easily enough. 

Regarding price: look at the McSpadden website and see what a new dulcimer sells for similar to what you are looking at. My personal standard is not to pay more than about 40-50% of the new price if the sellers dulcimer is in great shape.

If you have a dulcimer friend to go with you, sometimes 2 sets of eyes are better than one set. If you have questions about this particular dulcimer, the folks at McSpadden have always been very helpful when I have called them.They will need the info from the label (take a picture of it through the sound hole).

Personally over my time with the dulcimer, I have been fortunate enough to purchase 2 McSpadden dulcimers and one Warren May dulcimer which had been purchased but never played. Sometimes those things happen.

I am sure you will get some further responses as well. Best wishes on your find.

Apologies if this is already posted elsewhere (or should be posted elsewhere on this forum!). I just lucked out and found a McSpadden mountain dulcimer in my area for sale on Facebook Marketplace. It belonged to the seller's father-in-law and she said he kept it in mint condition, but doesn't seem to know much about the instrument. I've arranged to take a look at it on Wednesday night – what are some things I should look for to make sure it's in good shape? Thank you for any advice you might have!