After ordering the Simple Mountain Dulcimer plan I received a copy of "Antes Stump Hollow' Style mou[ntain dulcimer, MDP-05, which is a tear drop shaped instrument. I really wanted to try an hourglass shaped instrument so I specifically ordered 'Mountain Dulcimer Hourglass Style', MDP-01. The plans are nice full size drawings but not as detailed as I had hoped for. Using the plans as well as information gleaned from the internet resulted in finishing a dulcimer that sounds very good to my ear. Both of the plans include basic instructions for making a 'scroll' type head. However, I was unable to find compatible tuners so I made a 'guitar style peg head' using information form the internet. The tuners readily available at Folkcraft worked great as did the nut/ bridges, strings and pins, (the 'nails which anchor the strings at the end of the fret board). I used a #49 twist drill to make pilot holes for the pins and #50 drill to make pilot holes for the tiny screws that secure the tuners.) Loop end strings from Folkcraft were used. STD-4-LOOP-BW strings and Tuners Open Chrome (Bone) Four 57-39-09 were used. I made three dulcimers, one for my daughter, one for my son and one for me. The two plans include different Vibrating String Length specifications. The teardrop shaped one uses a 28 inch open string length and the hourglass uses 27 inch. The fret placement numbers included are listed to the thousandth inch marks as in 2.953 (or 75.00mm). I bit difficult to measure with a ruler perhaps, but ideal for use on a CNC machine. 18 fret positions are listed including one at 6 1/2. The resulting pitches seem very accurate. Overall, the plans were very useful and combined with a bit more information enabled me to make some dulcimers that I think are useable. An additional instruction sheet about where to find tuners, strings and so on and what sort to use would, to my way of thinking, be helpful. Also expanded information about what woods are recommended, finishes to use, recommended glues, maybe some notes on clamping and joining would be useful to the first time builder.
