As far as fingering goes, I often use my little finger for things like this rather than my thumb. I find that less cumbersome. YMMV.

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org

It depends on the sound that you want. You could certainly use an open A string for the A/C combination and it would be a convenient way to do it. You would not be able to add vibrato to the interval doing it that way and on many zithers the open string has a different tone quality to the fretted on...

If you keep the finger in contact with the string when you release the pressure it becomes automatic damping. Ideally, for clean playing, you want the left hand finger and the thumb ring to strike the note at the same instant. If you then release the pressure but keep on the string, you get staccato...

I concur! The Bergfe green are also easiest on the instrument while still sounding very good.

Kewn Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org

Hi Andrea, Zithers are not made to withstand the tension of regular metal strings. One of the reasons that zither strings are so expensive is that they are specially designed to give a nice clear note at low tension and a very short string length. Your instrument sounds like a typical zither of the ...

Hi Andy, Good work. You sound great. Let me give you a caution that has plaqued me. You are going to need the little finger on your right hand. Curling it up and keeping it tensed is not going to help. I've been fighting the same thing for years. Try and keep it relaxed. When you start using the lit...

Getting a tuning wrench for this instrument will be easy since it is a relatively modern one. In a pinch I've even used a modern star wrench that is intended for hammered dulcimer or autoharp but the regular square zither wrench is easier to use. Perfekta zithers are rare and hard to find. I love mi...

What a great insight into a bygone era. I think it's really remarkable that the company lasted as long as it did, through two world wars. Pays great hommage to to Franz Shwarzer's original idea and energy. Thanks for posting.

Ken Bloom
http://www.bpweddulcimer.org

Happy New Year to you Rudi. I remember when I lived in Chicago, Evanston actually, the summers were intensely moist, the opposite of the very dry winters. As the humidity increased I had to remember to tune my zither and bandura down as they began to go sharp as the humidity swelled the wood. My Mei...

It certainly is one of the indications. When the humity is higher, the wood swells up, thus the tension goes up and the instrument goes sharp. When the humity drops, the reverse happens. Tuning pins slip when the wood shrinks. No mystery here. In the old days of skin heads, banjo players were always...