Category Archives: zither

The Concert Zither

1997
AL#50 p.30   BRB5 p.72            
John Roeder                                                                                           

▪ Roeder offers construction advice about the classic German zither, which has 5 strings over a fretboard and as many as 40 open strings used for chord and bass accompaniment. Included are 6 drawings and 14 photos, as well as a shrunken version of GAL full-size Plan #41. Mentions Franz Schwarzer.

A Look at Lutherie in Bubenreuth, Germany

1994
AL#38 p.26   BRB4 p.20            
David Riggs                                                                                           

▪ Sometimes German instruments can look downright, well, German! Not the ones that Riggs captured on film, though. Perhaps the whole world is now one big melting pot.

Building the Prima Gusli

1991
AL#27 p.26   BRB3 p.100            read this article
James Flynn                                                                                           

▪ This instrument is a unique and graceful-looking Russian folk psaltery, a sophisticated version of the lap harp grade schoolers play by sliding numbered sheet music under the strings.

Windows in Time: An Interview with Collector and Harp Guitarist John Doan

1990
AL#23 p.14   BRB2 p.406            
Jonathon Peterson                                                                                           

▪ Doan describes his collection of oddball zithers.

Handmaking Zither Pins

1983
DS#246   BRB2 p.455            
Bruce Day                                                                                           

▪ Tuning pins on antique zithers are different and larger than modern steel pins. Fortunately they are not hard to make. Here’s how, including 2 drawings.