Buying a dulcimer online

I know this is a much discussed topic. I thought I'd start a new discussion to go with the new year for people shopping in 2014. I recently spent a few weeks trying to decide how to move from a traditional instrument to one with a 6.5 fret. Here's some things that I decided/discovered:

Ebay is for more experienced players than me. Details matter. This is not different from my other passion of quilting which has led me to buy a sewing machine or two (or three . . .). A knowledgeable person can scoop up a deal -- but a greenhorn may plunk down bucks plus shipping for something that is basically a large paperweight. You can't go by bidding levels. Some things present with a great photo and bids go nuts. Other times the lack of bids may indicate something wonderful overlooked . . . or a real stinker.

The dulcimer online forums (FOTMD and Everything Dulcimer) were very helpful to research makers. I can see where it makes good sense to start with a quality instrument from a known maker. I concluded that a McSpadden, a Blue Lion, or Clemmer would all be very safe online buys for me. I know there are more makers that also have solid, long histories of online sales. I decided to look further because of my budget limitations.

I ended up buying from Ron Gibson of gibsondulcimers. I agonized over whether or not it was smarter to just go with a McSpadden, but I am not a big fan of the heart sound holes. They are lovely, but not really "me." I also like the look of a light top and a dark fretboard. I knew I wanted nice geared tuners.

What swayed me was that Ron had posted audio clips of each dulcimer he has for sale. Other makers also do this and it is extremely helpful. I had my face mashed against the speaker for days as I clicked on various sound files repeatedly. Ron had an instrument that combined the look and the sound I wanted.

I was a nervous mess for the few days between placing the order and the arrival of the instrument. She arrived on Christmas Eve and I am thrilled with her.

Bottom line: I'd suggest a first time online buyer look for audio files and also look at makers who have been in the business awhile. Even then, reading the forums for history/current satisfaction can help. Honestly, if I lived in the Southeast or Midwest, I'd drive all over to visit and strum candidate instruments in person. The weight, "feel" and "personality" of an instrument are hard to judge on a computer screen. I ended in a very happy spot, but boy, I could see it could ending differently for online buyers who aren't careful.