Hi Delores,

You can get away with just having one strap button on the tail block as Dusty says - no need for a strap button on the headstock. You can either tie a bootlace around the headstock and quick release to it - or, even simpler, just throw a bootlace loop tied to the end of your strap around the headstock (works best with scroll headstocks).

It's funny, when I first started playing I used a strap all the time. Then I moved to pads, and now I most often play without anything, particularly when playing the Ed Thomas or Charles Prichard replica dulcimers I have. I think that some of that has to do with the fact that painted poplar wood is just more 'sticky' than a modern super smooth dulcimer but I also think I've just got better at balancing the instrument on my lap as my playing has improved!

A strap is really handy though as it means you can sit on all sorts of objects at various heights and the dulcimer stays put!!!!

Robin

Delores, the placement of the strap buttons matters, but not as much as you think. Dulcimers are much lighter than guitars, and even those of us who use straps do not actually suspend the full weight of the dulcimer by the strap the way you do when you play the guitar or banjo.

There are two places where you might want buttons. One is on the very end of the dulcimer. You can see here where McSpadden puts those strap buttons: http://www.mcspaddendulcimers.com/searchresults.asp?cat=49 . The top three pictures there show where the stap buttons would normally go on the bottom of the dulcimer.

The bottom two pictures on that page show strap buttons underneath the head of the dulcimer. Both pictures show dulcimers with flat heads. I don't know if you can still access that spot with a scroll head. But you can probably avoid installing a strap button there anyway. Get a leather shoelace and run it around your dulcimer underneath the strings just to the left of the nut. Loop that leather shoelace through the hole in your strap and tie it tight. If you are nervous, run it around the dulcimer twice.

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Dusty T., Northern California
Site Moderator

As a musician, you have to keep one foot back in the past and one foot forward into the future.
-- Dizzy Gillespie

Delores, the only question is whether your dulcimer already has strap buttons. If it does, then attach the strap to the buttons. If it doesn't you need to add strap buttons.

That is a task you should be able to do yourself, although every now and then you hear of someone botching the job. You will want to pre-drill a tiny hole for the screw that comes with the button. And it can't hurt to put some soap on the screw itself so that it glides more easily into the wood.

If you are nervous about doing this yourself, any guitar shop can do it. Just don't let them charge you more than a nominal fee since it will take them no more than 5 minutes.

My favorites are Sue Carpenter's quick release, adjustable mountain dulcimer straps. Others have copied her design, but I think she was the original. Here is the link tothe catalog page of her website: http://www.suecarpenter.net/catalog.htm . Scroll all the way to the bottom and you will see one of her straps in red. They come in a wide variety of colors.

--
Dusty T., Northern California
Site Moderator

As a musician, you have to keep one foot back in the past and one foot forward into the future.
-- Dizzy Gillespie