My first Mtn. Dulcimer was procured by me during my college days for $7 in the bargain basement of the local DAV thrift shop. It was an extremely poor quality kit that was put together by somebody who evidently did not know how to place flap A into slot B, use paste correcly, or color between the lines in their coloring book. Yet, it was far superior to the ones now sold at wallyworld aka maulwart. I have 2 McSpaddens, one I got used which was built in 1976, and one I special ordered to my specs about 5 years back. They were made & signed by the same person.
One can also get a cheapie cardboard mtn dulcimer for about $60 which sounds & plays much better than the maulwart abomination. I saw one that a feller made with a rectangular plastic food storage container from a dollar store as the sound box. What's even more fun, is to make one. Try making a 3 stringed Canjimer-the finger/fretboard of a mtn. dulcimer attached to a can like a "Canjo." You can play it with the can sitting on your lap or a table with your fingers coming from behind the fretboard--sort of like a strumstick. All of the above are by far superior to the maulwart $60 + tax down the drain.