Hi

Nice to see some interest in the dulcimer. I've been playing 'em since before the flood.

Some useful info tucked away here, so I'll just chime in on a couple of points:

1) String gauges depend on your preferred tunings and scale length. I use .026, .014, & .012 for DAD, CGC and related tunings on a couple of dulcimers and adjust up or down for others.,

2) Tunings are not modes. That is very old, and very misleading nomenclature.

A mode is an arrangement of diatonic intervals; a tuning relates to the pitches of the strings.

In DAD tuning, for example, you can play in D major (on the middle string or on one of the D strings if you have the 61/2 fret), D Mixolydian, E Aolian (aka Natural Minor) by using a barre or capo at the first fret, G major (barre of capo at the third fret), and A Dorian (another minor) by doubling up the two outside strings at the fourth fret and going up or down from there.

Ditto you can play other modes from other tunings.

3) RE: Friction pegs. Alternatives exist that maintain the look of the original wooden pegs. I have PegHeds Tuners on one of my dulcimers, a banjo uke, and my fiddle and they work great. Disclaimer: no finical relation, just a happy customer.

Have fun playing your dulcimer!