Mountain Dulcimer: Restringing

Date: Fri, 06 Feb 2004 14:20:26 -0500

Hi Mickey, I really enjoy your site, I am using the dulcimer and mandolin stuff, just need to get disciplined with my time. I have just changed strings on the dulcimer, saw a reference to tying the strings off before winding the pegs, can you explain, thanks Robin

Yes, when restringing your dulcimer, be careful to follow the same pattern already established by the older strings mounted. When changing strings on a dulcimer, or most any strined musical instrument, it's best to keep all strings up to tension while only changing one string at a time...this also assists in imitating the older strings you're replacing...pay close attention to how the strings are wound on the tuning machine shafts...they're threaded through and then wound so that the windings are all aligned as you turn each revolution of the peg...you want to avoid having your windings look like they're all of the place...there's a process to ensure that the strings do not slip after being brought up to pitch...this is why you make sure that you do have plenty of slack on the string before winding...only to make sure that the windings, on the shaft, are at least 3 to 4 full revolutions...

Hope this helps, Mickey