Best Dulcimers of 2025

Hayden Bryant Avatar
Hayden Bryant
Last Updated: 5 Feb 2025

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Dulcimers are a type of stringed musical instrument that originated in the Appalachian region of the United States. They are typically played by striking the strings with hammers, creating a unique and melodic sound. Dulcimers come in various sizes and styles, including the mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, and electric dulcimer. These instruments are popular among folk musicians and are known for their sweet and soothing tones. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced musician, the dulcimer is a versatile and enjoyable instrument to play.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Applecreek ACD100 Dulcimer with Bundle Cover #TOP 1
Applecreek ACD100 Dulcimer with Bundle
ftb score rating icon 9.8
4 String Mountain Dulcimer with Walnut Body Cover #TOP 2
4 String Mountain Dulcimer with Walnut Body
ftb score rating icon 9.7
Mountain Dulcimer with Lacewood and Nickel Hardware Cover #TOP 3
Mountain Dulcimer with Lacewood and Nickel Hardware
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Dulcimers

#TOP 1

Applecreek ACD100 Dulcimer with Bundle

Instrument Alley
Applecreek ACD100 Dulcimer with Bundle Cover
Applecreek ACD100 Dulcimer 4-String Spruce Teardrop Appalachian Mountain Instrument with Bag, Hal Leonard Book, D'Addario J64 Strings Bundle - Made in Romania ACD100K

The Applecreek ACD100 Dulcimer is a beautifully crafted instrument featuring a laminated spruce top, back, and sides, providing a rich, warm sound that enhances your playing experience. With a solid maple neck and fingerboard, it offers durability and a smooth feel, making it easier for you to navigate the frets. The four strings come with geared guitar-style tuning machines, ensuring that you can easily keep your dulcimer in tune. Measuring 31 inches in length, this instrument is the perfect size for both beginners and seasoned players alike.

What We Like
High-quality laminated spruce construction
Durable solid maple neck
Easy tuning with geared machines
Compact and manageable size
#TOP 2

4 String Mountain Dulcimer with Walnut Body

Ivory
4 String Mountain Dulcimer with Walnut Body Cover
4 String Mountain Dulcimer F-Hole Walnut With Nickel Finish Hardware

The Muzikkon Mountain Dulcimer features a solid walnut back and sides, providing rich and warm tones that enhance your musical experience. The soundboard is crafted from solid European spruce wood and includes four "F" design holes, allowing for excellent sound projection. The walnut fingerboard is designed for comfort and ease of play, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced players. With the best quality nickel finish gears, you can enjoy reliable tuning stability, ensuring your dulcimer sounds perfect every time you play.

What We Like
High-quality solid walnut construction
Excellent sound projection
Comfortable fingerboard design
Reliable tuning stability
Includes travel bag and extras
#TOP 3

Mountain Dulcimer with Lacewood and Nickel Hardware

DM4KSLS
Natural
Mountain Dulcimer with Lacewood and Nickel Hardware Cover
Mountain Dulcimer 4 String Knotwork Scroll Lacewood with Nickel Finish Hardware

The Muzikkon Mountain Dulcimer features a solid lacewood back and sides, providing a warm and rich tone that enhances your playing experience. Its soundboard, crafted from solid European spruce wood, ensures excellent sound projection and clarity, making your music resonate beautifully. With a lacewood fretboard, you will find it comfortable and smooth to play, allowing for effortless fingering. Additionally, the high-quality nickel finish gears ensure accurate tuning and stability, giving you peace of mind while performing.

What We Like
High-quality materials
Excellent sound projection
Comfortable to play
Stable tuning
#TOP 4

Muzikkon Mountain Dulcimer with Rosewood Body

DM4TSRC102
Natural
Muzikkon Mountain Dulcimer with Rosewood Body Cover
Mountain Dulcimer 4 String F-Hole Rosewood With Purfling

The Muzikkon Dulcimer is crafted with a solid rosewood back and sides, providing a rich, warm sound that enhances your playing experience. Its solid European spruce soundboard ensures excellent resonance, making each note clear and vibrant. The rosewood fretboard offers a smooth playing surface, allowing you to easily navigate the instrument. With beautifully decorated soundboard edges, this dulcimer not only sounds great but also looks stunning, making it a delightful addition to your music collection.

What We Like
Rich, warm sound quality
Smooth fretboard for easy play
Attractive design features
Quality tuners for precise tuning
#TOP 5

Persian Santoor SAS-302 with Accessories

Persian Santoor SAS-302 with Accessories Cover
Persian Santoor Instrument SAS-302 | Santur Dulcimer

The Santoor SAS-302 is a beautifully crafted Persian instrument made from 30-year-old walnut wood, ensuring both durability and a rich sound. Tuning in the G scale, it offers you a harmonious playing experience. The instrument comes complete with a hard case, providing excellent protection during transport. Additionally, it includes hammers (mezrab) for easy playing and a tuning key, making maintenance straightforward. With extra strings included, you’ll always be prepared for your musical sessions.

What We Like
High-quality walnut construction
G scale tuning for harmony
Includes protective hard case
Complete with hammers and extras
#TOP 6

Portable Yangqin Dulcimer for Easy Playing

Listen
Small
Portable Yangqin Dulcimer for Easy Playing Cover
Small portable yangqin treble dulcimer easy to take string instrument percussion

The Listen Dulcimer is a compact string instrument measuring 48cm by 35cm by 29cm, making it highly portable. This feature is ideal for musicians on the go, enabling you to practice or perform anywhere. Crafted from rosewood, it offers a beautiful sound quality that enhances your music. The shell carving adds an aesthetic touch, making it visually appealing. Additionally, the included bracket provides stability during play, allowing for a comfortable experience while you focus on your music.

What We Like
Highly portable size
Beautiful rosewood material
Aesthetic shell carving
Includes stability bracket
#TOP 7

Muzikkon Mountain Dulcimer with Knotwork Design

Silver
Muzikkon Mountain Dulcimer with Knotwork Design Cover
Mountain Dulcimer, 4 Strings Knotwork Scroll R/W Silver Gear

The Muzikkon Mountain Dulcimer is crafted with a solid rosewood back and sides, providing rich acoustics and durability. The soundboard is made from solid European spruce wood, enhancing sound quality and resonance, making it ideal for your musical expression. With its four knotwork design holes, you can enjoy a unique visual appeal while playing. The best quality 4:1 banjo style tuners ensure precise tuning, allowing you to achieve the perfect sound effortlessly.

What We Like
High-quality materials
Beautiful knotwork design
Precise tuning system
Includes travel bag
Extra strings provided
#TOP 8

Roosebeck Deluxe Noter and Pick for Dulcimer

4354710623
Walnut
Roosebeck Deluxe Noter and Pick for Dulcimer Cover
Roosebeck Deluxe Noter and Pick for Mountain Dulcimer - Walnut

The Roosebeck Dulcimer Noter is a delightful accessory for your Mountain Dulcimer. Measuring approximately 4 inches long with a 3/8 inch diameter, it is designed for easy handling, allowing you to play with comfort and precision. Its fun design makes it not only practical but also enjoyable to use. This tool enhances your playing experience, helping you create beautiful melodies effortlessly.

What We Like
Easy to hold
Fun to use
Perfect for Mountain Dulcimer
Compact size
#TOP 9

Myers Pickups Mountain Dulcimer Pickup with Gooseneck

Grip 3" Gooseneck
Wooden color
small
Myers Pickups Mountain Dulcimer Pickup with Gooseneck Cover
Mountain Dulcimer Pickup with Flexible Micro-Gooseneck by Myers Pickups

The Myers Pickups Dulcimer Pickup is an innovative, all-in-one active pickup designed for versatility across multiple instruments. Its flexible micro-gooseneck ensures that you capture the natural sound of your dulcimer, enhancing your playing experience. With an internally powered preamp, it delivers rich sound quality, making your music more vibrant. The included battery means you can start using it right away, providing convenience without additional setup. Plus, it comes with all the necessary hardware for easy mounting, allowing you to transform your instrument into an acoustic/electric one seamlessly.

What We Like
Easy to install and use
Captures natural instrument sound
Rich sound quality
Versatile for multiple instruments
Includes battery for convenience
#TOP 10

Seagull M4 Series Natural Spruce Dulcimer

Seagull
10785662
Ivory
Seagull M4 Series Natural Spruce Dulcimer Cover
Seagull M4 Series Dulcimer, Natural Spruce

The Seagull M4 Dulcimer features a solid spruce top, which enhances the instrument's sound quality, giving you a warm and rich tone. Its rock maple string-through body ensures durability and stability, making it less prone to warping. The rock maple neck with a drive-through design offers exceptional playability, allowing you to enjoy a smooth and comfortable playing experience. The 1.280" nut width, paired with a Tusq nut by Graph Tech, provides excellent string spacing for easier handling and better performance.

What We Like
High-quality sound
Durable construction
Comfortable to play
Enhanced string spacing
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How much does a dulcimer cost?

As a quick overview, our harps range in price from under $1,000 up to around $7,000. Our dulcimers range from about $700 to about $4,500.

2. Is a dulcimer easy to play?

Dulcimers are the easiest stringed instrument for beginners to play, ideal for children and non-musicians who want to play tunes or accompany singing. Dulcimers are a relatively quiet instrument. Their sweet quiet sound is well-suited to personal relaxation or playing in a cozy environment.

3. What are the different types of dulcimers?

There are three clearly distinct sizes of dulcimers: standard, dulcimette (octave-higher dulcimer), and bass (octave-lower dulcimer).

4. What are the two types of dulcimers in folk music?

A dulcimer is a stringed folk instrument which basically comes in two different varieties: the hammered dulcimer – which has strings stretched over a sounding board with a trapezoidal shape, generally setting on a stand, angled in front of the player who strikes the strings with two small hammers called mallets and the ...

Editor's Notes

During our dulcimer research, we found 19 dulcimer products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 4,446 customer reviews through our big data system to write the dulcimers list. We found that most customers choose dulcimers with an average price of £237.09.

The dulcimers are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of dulcimers, including Instrument Alley, Muzikkon, Listen, Roosebeck, Myers Pickups.

Written by
Hayden Bryant Avatar

Hayden was born in Liverpool, and he never left his hometown until university. In his freshman year at the University of Manchester, Hayden was the group leader of a popular music group. Hayden is responsible for the popularity of his music, and this is because of his natural ability to play with keys and strings. He graduated with BFA in 2016 and returned in 2018 as a lecturing staff in the School of Music.