I got this beauty waxed up and strings on and it sounds lovely! Dealing with the wooden pegs was a challenge but we managed to do it. So much to learn! I strung it DAdd and then switched it to DAAd. I've tried a couple of traditional 3-string tunes: Go Tell Aunt Rhody and The Water is Wild. Experimenting with fingerpicking as well as using a pick and noter. I'm looking forward to exploring more!

On another note, the card that came with the uke was signed by Jane Mize and it is numbered J-10. Robert Mize is on the label inside the instrument. Could Jane be a family member? Did she also make instruments? Google was not helpful!

I'm excited to hear it sing! And thank you all for clarifying the string mystery!

Like Nate said, geee is not a dulcimer tuning. The dulcimer you have was meant to be tuned DAAA, but that doesn't mean it has to be tuned in that way. You can use any of the usual dulcimer tunings if you have the proper strings.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Capewavedancer, on another note, it looks to me like you have happened upon an incredible Bob Mize dulcimer!  The top looks like wormy chestnut, which is rare and wonderful.  Get some new strings on it, and ENJOY!  Congratulations!

 
I believe that the pamphlet is intending that you tune your instrument to Daaa, and is suggesting that you use the G string from a guitar for the D, and three high E strings from a guitar for the As. Geee is not a tuning that is used on dulcimer.
Nate

Thank for your suggestions. I'll give the new strings a go and see how they sound. Is Geee tuning somehting that anyone plays now?

Olddog75, I saw your second post after I posted my reply. The 0.10 strings should be good for the d strings. For the A string you probably want something more around a 0.013 or 0.014. The bass string may be a little too heavy, but try it. A 0.020 or 0.022 might be better.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Olddog75 has provided good information.  A good source of strings is juststrings.com . You can make up your own sets. If you find that you don't like playing with equidistant strings you can add notches in the nut and bridge to play with a double melody string. The original tuning from the photo is melody string E, first drone E, second drone E, and the bass string G. If you are tuning to ddAD, the melody string will be d, first drone d, second drone A, and the bass string D. If you find the McSpadden set too loose or too tight you can calculate the ideal strings for your dulcimer using the Strother's string calculator but bear in mind that it tends to be a little "light" with it's suggestions. You can probably go up a gauge or two. http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.html

I hope this helps you. Let us know how the new strings work.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

@olddog75, thank you. Your explanation re: the strings makes sense! My VSL is 26 1/2". Will those gauges in the McSpadden set be OK with the shorter VSL?

I'm relatively new to dulcimers also, I got my first one in the spring of '23.  I'll put my two cents in and tell you some basic info, I'm sure you'll get more posts from more experienced player soon. 

From viewing the photo of the pamphlet, I think that what the maker is telling you is that if you go to s music store to buy ball end guitar strings you should buy 3 high E strings and a G and that is what he originally strung the dulcimer with. He's providing this info so you can get the right thickness of strings for the instrument. I use light gauge strings on my guitars and the high E is .12 and the G is .24. You won't have to do that, though, since you bought a set of dulcimer strings. 

the VSL (Vibrating String Length: the distance form the bridge( toward the bottom of the dulcimer) to the nut (at the top of the neck) is a factor in determining the "best" exact gauge for the dulcimer, though there's plenty of leeway in that regard. The McSpadden  DAdd string set you got is for a VSL of 28 1/2".  If the VSL of your instrument is near that length, they should be good enough.  You wouldn't tune the strings to Geee or Egee, you'd tune them to DAdd. There are many more tunings possible as you will discover, I hope this helps you a little... 

I am brand new to the world of dulcimer and was fortunate to find this beauty at a local estate sale. It has not been played in a long time, but I was able to tune it up somewhat. New strings are on the way! I will have many questions, but my first is re: tuning. It currently has a wound bass string and 3 bare wire strings. The information card states "3 E or 1st, 1 G or 3rd." It has 4 equidistant strings. I have ordered some strings from McSpadden: 

Tuning Key of D Ball End

The wound string in this set has a flat ribbon winding so it has no ridges. 1st-2nd: .010 Plain Steel Ball End; 3rd: .014 Plain Steel Ball End; 4th: .023 Phosphor Bronze Flat Wound Ball End.

Will these strings work on this instrument? What would the string pattern be for the original tuning? EGee? Geee? Can these be tuned DAdd to be able to play with other instruments?

Thank you for sharing your expertise. A new adventure awaits!