I have a mountain dulcimer I want to "amp". I am thlinking of using a mic and build the amp advertized on CB Gitty. I have no idea what I am doing. Can in one give me some advice or point me to a source where I can learn about this topic? Thanks
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There's 3 main ways to do it.
You can amplify the sound it makes, a mic.
The vibrations it makes, a piezo.
Or the vibrations the strings make through a magnetic field, a pickup (also known as a pup).
The first two do have problems with feedback, or background noise, or sounds coming from your fingers and body touching or bumping the instrument.. But you can do this without changing the instrument in any way. And also they do give a more realistic representation of the instrument.
The third option may be considered the best but.. You loose most of the 'sound' of the instrument and trade it for the sound of the strings on the instrument. There's less feedback, and these days they are relatively easy to fit even without opening it up and putting holes in it.
My advice would be to get a piezo disk from somewhere (they cost very little) and try out by sticking it onto the outside of the soundboard and testing it out with your amp (also test out a mic if you can) before you get a pup.
There's many discussions in this forum on how all this is done, have a nosey about the place
To "amp" your dulcimer, perhaps checkout the FlatCat pickups, or a version there of. https://www.etsy.com/shop/Wishbringer
The Gitty amp kit is pre-wired. Just hook it up to a speaker, and a 9volt battery and you're ready to go. If you can mount the speaker, and drill a hole for the mic input, it's a no brainer.