Intonation

[kenbloom]

Sometimes worn strings do indeed play out of tune as do dirty strings that have a winding. The bigger culprit is proper compensation at the bridge. I have never seen a zither that has that. On one of mine, the D string was way out so I cut the brdige wire and made a separate one for the D string. I moved this as far back as the bridge would allow. It greatly improved the problem. There are many things I would wish for in a perfekta zither and a compensated fingerboard is one of them. Maybe someday I'll be able to commission an instrument but till then, I just "dance with the one that brung me!"

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org

[quincemothman]

Hallo quincemothman.
First, english is not my first language, so... I have some difficulties to understand what You actually means.

For me as a pipe-church -organ -maker intonation means something else. You can intonate the the sound of an organ-pipe but not a string.
If I understand You right, you have problem with the "overtone"? /color of the string if you have wrong pitch? Or, is the fret-(board?) I do not know the English name, das Grifftbrett in German, is not "good"?
However the bronze strings for D are the best and should be bronze for good sound. Someone wrote they are sensitive for tension, that is not my experience. If it is so, you have got a bad quality.

About to not make tension to it, on the Zither when you "make" "tremolo" like on a guitarr, you should not push the string up/down-light/high pressure,but slide it sideways, and the string must be good enough to do that not changing the pitch.

When tuning the seventh fret up gives the next loose-free string. Tune the D a little-little slightly up compared to the g string. I prefer and teach to make the "fifths" more "clean". listening to the "overtone"s and let the basic ground tone be a little-little swaying. This way the whole Zither will be more brilliant and singing.

Please come back and tell me if I understood your issue wrong.
Greetings from Sweden.
Wilhelm

Thank you Wilhelm, the D string was sounding sharp when fretted so I compensated by flattening it slightly but it sounded bad when played open. Now it appears that the zither was a little bellow pitch so when I tuned it back up again it seemed to rectify the problem. It's not perfect but is acceptable. I tend to tune across the fifth fret while tuning to the open accompaniment strings. I may have to give the two A' s a little tweak. Generally I go for even temperament on any instrument. Best wishes, Quince.

Can we assume that the weight/length properties of the strings are uniform from bridge to bridge? and do not change in specific regions (wear spots) of the string with use??

Are we assuming that the distance from the string to the fret, at rest position, is "zero"? Does the effective length of the string "increase" slightly as the fret is worn down?

Do these "imperfections" give an instrument its unique (slightly imperfect) character?

Hmmmm.

Rudi

Can we assume that the weight/length properties of the strings are uniform from bridge to bridge? and do not change in specific regions (wear spots) of the string with use??

Are we assuming that the distance from the string to the fret, at rest position, is "zero"? Does the effective length of the string "increase" slightly as the fret is worn down?

Do these "imperfections" give an instrument its unique (slightly imperfect) character?

Hmmmm.

Rudi

Hi Rudi, the frets are fine as its a fairly new instrument. I let it drop a little in pitch over a time which is what effected the intonation. Now that I have tuned it back up to pitch It's acceptable though not perfect . I think the intonation on my 38 string zither ( also a wunsche ) is still better as to be perfect, even if I allow it to drop a little in pitch it's still good. It just go's to show how even the best instruments have their own personalities and miner flaws, a bit like us I suppose. LOL. Cheers, Quince.