restoring an old zither

[mike clifford]

Hi

I'm new here and I'm looking for some advice regarding a recent auction purchase - see pic.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Tuh6Dp6T43esgN8Q7


I'd like to restore this instrument if possible. The major problem that I can see is a crack or gap on each side of the frame where the tension in the strings has caused the instrument to warp slightly:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/vcfKEqGxy4sX2PF57

The strings (and tuning pegs) are rusty and many of the strings are out of tune. There are a few missing strings

My best guess is that to restore this properly, I'd need to remove all of the strings, glue and clamp the sides to straighten it out, give it a gentle clean, de-rust the pegs and restring it. I guess that if I remove the existing strings, the metal would be rather too brittle to be able to clean and reattach them. Plan B is to clean / de-rust the existing strings in situ and retune as best as I can, without messing with the frame.

Questions...

1) I'm interested in finding out the approximate age of the zither - any guesses? There's the following 1894 patent refered to. The label in the sound hole is details of a Leicester music shop who supplied the instrument, rather than the manufacturer. (I'm in the UK, by the way.)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kGXPPyBqoR1cDrzz8

2) Any tips on the restoration? Is this too much of a specialist job to attempt? I've fixed a few guitars in my time, but I'm new to zithers.

3) Would you like to guess what I paid for it

Anyway, any advice would be very welcome!

Mike

[NutmegCT]

Hi Mike - the pictures are slow to load, but from the first one, I'd say you don't actually have a "true" zither.

In addition to all the single strings, most zithers have a long black fingerboard, with frets under the "melody" strings similar to a guitar.

Tom M.

[mike clifford]

Thanks, Tom.

Further research online suggests it's a guitar zither, so maybe I'm in the wrong place here

[Rudy Mueller]

Wrong place? Naah. One in a while even the "experts" have no answers.

def: An expert is a guy from out of town .....with slides....or power point...

r

[joelgardner]

Hi Mike, i just saw your post.

I have a thread going called Restoring my 1930s Chord Zither on this forum that I hope you found. Your zither is similar to mine but yours is a mor expensive model. I had the same problem with the strings pulling the old horse glue apart when I tried to tune it. I wound up doing a full restoration, separating the back, cleaning all the old glue off and re-glueing. Horse glue is smelly nasty stuff.

Let me know if you have questions, I am happy to share what I learned.

[Rudy Mueller]

Recently, I has the opportunity to examine an older zither. Old? there was an empty slot in the accompaniment (#0 ?) where the some older zithers kept an ab in front of the eb.

There was a "bow" or cup shape to the top, with the center of the top being about 5 mm "below plumb". In addition, the Bb bass was missing, and the F, C, G, D, and A base strings had apparently been switched out to Kontra strings.

Will substitution of Kontra for normal bass strings cause a belly to appear after long time storage?

Rudi