Probably not a good idea to just throw on strings for which you don't know the gauge or provenance.
Point taken Ken, in future I'll be mindful of the gauges I use. Thanks for the handy link down there too. In my defence the dulcimer shipped from the luthier with these strings on. The luthier is not a US luthier and I think he's sort of drifting off in his own direction somewhat in terms of dulcimer building.
A 16 gauge string -- even a 16 wound guitar string is verging on too "floppy" normally for a bass string tuned to D3. As others have mentioned a 20 plain or wound to a 22w, 23w, 24w is the most appropriate bass string for for the common VSL dulcimers.
Probably not a good idea to just throw on strings for which you don't know the gauge or provenance.
I'm using (I think) a 0.016 electric guitar "G" string as my bass string. I usually tune DAd. It turns out I was wrong about the "too floppy" though, it's floppy but not so bad as to not be playable. I really didn't think it would work. Thanks for the advice and sorry about the incorrect assumption.
I agree; tuning down just a whole tone shouldn't be floppy at all. What is the vsl of the instrument? A .023 or .024 is what I use on most and I can go from C to E with no problems. Just as aside, I find most folks use strings way to light for the tuning they are using. Oh yeah, what tuning are you using? LOL.
The solution is that you need another set of strings, although standard gauge strings for common 26-28" VSL should readily tune DOWN one note from DAA to CGG or DAd to CGc. What gauges are you currently using?? If it's the bass string, as SKip suggests, just change it out for something on the order of .022-.024 which are the gauges usually found in the ordinary packet of dulcimer strings.
A heavier bass string, about .022-.023. Loosening the strings one tone [step] [ D3 to C3] really shouldn't get that bad, it's only about a half turn of a tuning machine unless you have a really light bass string.
http://www.strothers.com/string_choice.html
This can guide you in your string choices, it recommendations can be a bit light by a couple of sizes.
Hi folks, any solutions to this one? The obvious answer doesn't work for me, that is, tuning all strings back a tone, because it makes my low string too floppy to be useful. Dulcimer viagra probably isn't the answer either.
