Do dulcimer strings break easiy?
 

How long do they last? Are they delicate like mandolin strings?

E-mail the manufacturer, take his word for it, and enjoy playing your dulcimer...

What makes you think mandolin strings are fragile???

The e string. How delicate are dulcimer strings?

Standard gauges for bluegrass mandolin are 11-40.

Three .012s and a .020 is a common set for mtn dulcimer.

That probably depends on how you play it. I play with a combination of fingerstyle and strumming but I do it all with fingers and my nails. I've never broken a string. If you're using some kind of plectrum, I suppose that would increase your chances.

Yes they are. Don’t put them on your guitar. ;)

I've never had any trouble and I use a pick most of the time. The strings on mine are fairly loose as it is.

The problem is that there’s very little that’s standardized about mountain dulcimers. I use an exceptionally heavy set on my stage dulcimers: .014’s on the double unisons, a .017 on the middle string, and a .026 wound on the bass. I have zero problem with breakage.

So not only do string gauges factor into this, so does scale length, and again there’s great variation in that.

If you use the wispy little gauges that most mountain dulcimer players use, yes, breakage can become a problem, particularly if the strings are on the instrument for months and months. But if you keep them at least somewhat fresh and use beefier gauges, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

Since our local music stores don't carry dulcimer strings, I use medium banjo strings. I use the first and fifth for the first course, the second for my middle string and the fourth for the bass string.
Of course I have a pile of spare banjo 3rd strings.
I have never broken a dulcimer string, but have broken many guitar strings.