Mountain Dulcimer String Gauges Recommended By Performers And Builders

Here are the string gauges we use on Folkcraft® and FolkRoots dulcimers, along with the gauges some well-known players use on their own instruments. Gauges are in inches. RW = roller wound, BW = bronze wound, SS = stainless steel wound. You'll find all our sets in Dulcimer Strings, String Sets, & Wire.

Folkcraft and FolkRoots Dulcimers

Instrument / Tuning	Gauges
3-String Standard Dulcimer Set, DAD	.012, .015, .024RW, Ball Ends
4-String Standard Dulcimer Set, DADD	.011, .011, .013, .024RW, Ball Ends
3-String Standard Dulcimer Set, DAA	.013, .015, .024RW, Ball Ends
4-String Standard Dulcimer Set, DAAA	.012, .012, .013, .024RW, Ball Ends
Baritone	.016, .026RW, .034RW, Ball Ends
Bass	.024RW, .032RW, .054RW, Ball Ends
LAP-JO® Set	.012, .015, .026SS, Loop Ends
Resonator	May use either ball end or loop end strings. Resonators with clamshell tailpieces use loop end strings; resonators with anchor pins (anchor pins look like copper nails with no heads) use ball end strings.
Folkcraft Mini Dulcimer (discontinued in 2007)	.012, .015, .024 (tuned AEA, five notes higher than standard DAD) .008, .012, .018 (tuned DAD, one octave higher than standard DAD)
FolkRoots Travel Dulcimer (1983–1989, 2008–2016)	.012, .015, .024 (tuned standard octave DAD)

Artist-Specific Gauges

Player / Instrument	Gauges
Bing Futch, resonator	DADF#: .015, .022, .026, .030. From Bing: "I've got this strung like a tennis racket."
Steve Eulberg, resonator	DF#AD: .036 wound, .024 wound, .015 plain steel, .013 plain steel
Dave Haas, standard	.012, .016, .026
Carol Walker, standard	.010, .012, .022BW Carol has her dulcimers set up with a very low action and very light strings. That combination makes fret buzz very easy unless you play very lightly, the way Carol does, so we don't recommend it for most players.

Druid Moon Ukulele

Tuning	Gauges
High G Tuning, Ukulele String Set	.025, .032, .036, .028
Low G Tuning, Ukulele String Set	.025, .032, .036, .029 (wound)