The Tristander and Flatstander are the most versatile support options we know of for hammered dulcimers. With three telescoping black aluminum legs (adjustable in length from 15" to 44") that thread into brackets that can be attached to the back of any hammered dulcimer, you can adapt to almost any playing situation and know that your dulcimer will have a secure stance, even on non-level surfaces. There are stories of creatively setting up half-on, half-off of a too-small stage, playing on an uneven hillside at an outdoor wedding, and even fitting around a crowded campfire with one leg up on a log and two legs down in the sand.
The Tristander brackets are angled so that the top rail of the dulcimer can be further from the floor than the bottom rail. You can achieve a wide range of playing angles and heights, and this is our most popular choice.
However, if you prefer to play with your instrument parallel to the floor (either because it's more comfortable or because you want your audience to be able to see what you're doing), you'll want the Flatstander brackets instead. For more details on making that decision, see the "Tri vs. Flat" tab below.
It is possible to switch from Tristander to Flatstander or vice versa, but it may require drilling new screw holes. The legs are the same no matter which type of bracket you choose.
The whole system weighs about 3 pounds, and comes with screws and easy mounting instructions for attaching to any dulcimer, not just Dusty Strings models. We can also install the Tristander or Flatstander for you as part of a new instrument order. Dusty Strings cases have interior compartments where the collapsed legs will fit.
The Tristander is by far the more popular option, since most people are used to playing their dulcimer at an angle. The Flatstander was developed for a specific style of playing where the dulcimer is parallel to the floor. For some people, that works really well and is actually more comfortable, and it has the advantage in a performance situation of making the action more visible to the audience. If you have a large dulcimer, it also puts the highest notes pretty far away from the player, which for many folks can add a bit of strain - both in the arms and the eyes!
The Flatstander can go from perfectly flat up to a max of about a 10-12 degree angle. The Tristander can go from 10-12 degrees up to as steep as we've ever seen anyone play! It's possible to go outside of those ranges, but the stand becomes less stable, due to the leg angles.
