Search found 212 matches

by kenbloom
Thu May 06, 2021 8:08 am
Forum: Zither Makers and Models
Topic: Franz Schwarzer Perfecta Zither - Style B
Replies: 3
Views: 7544

Re: Franz Schwarzer Perfecta Zither - Style B

I'm wondering how it sounds. The way it is constructed seems to me to be more solid than the usual method used for perfektas. The weak spot is the arm for the contra basses. I have two perfektas and they both have pulled up at ;the end of the bass arm. Could anyone out there compare the sound of the...
by kenbloom
Tue Apr 06, 2021 8:23 am
Forum: Zither Makers and Models
Topic: Johann Jobst Zithers
Replies: 2
Views: 12404

Re: Johann Jobst Zithers

That is one of the nicest older zithers I've ever seen. I especially appreciate the slight flaring of the bass and accompaniment strings. They are usually further apart at the bridge. This looks to approximate more the feel of a more modern instrument. It certainly has been cleaned up and restored t...
by kenbloom
Fri Apr 02, 2021 8:47 am
Forum: Repairs and Restorations
Topic: harsh sounding griff a strins
Replies: 2
Views: 3890

Re: harsh sounding griff a strins

Hi Rudi, I know that my instruments are sensitive to the relative humidity. When the air is dry, my instruments do sound "harsh", by which I mean there is excess treble to the tone. As the humity goes up, I find that both Meinels sound richer. This could be the source of your problem. If i...
by kenbloom
Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:25 am
Forum: Zithers and Resources
Topic: Source for strings in US
Replies: 9
Views: 11838

Re: Source for strings in US

The fretboard strings are steel and phosphor bronze. You can get a D string which is either bronze wond on a steel core or the plain phosphor bronze wire. I prefer the bronze wire myself. I wear through the winding on the steel core wond string too quickly and I like the tone of the plain bronze wir...
by kenbloom
Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:09 am
Forum: Zithers and Resources
Topic: Source for strings in US
Replies: 9
Views: 11838

Re: Source for strings in US

I've been getting mine from Anne Prinz. You can e-mail her at atozthatisme@aol.com. I've always used Bergfe strings and they do very well on my zithers. These days it's Bergfe green. Grreat sound, lower tension. There are other places but Anne is reliable. When you e-mail her, she may not get back t...
by kenbloom
Mon Mar 15, 2021 9:34 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Intonation
Replies: 11
Views: 19511

Re: Intonation

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 ...
by kenbloom
Thu Feb 25, 2021 10:23 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Intonation
Replies: 11
Views: 19511

Re: Intonation

Hi Quince, Those plain phosphor bronze strings area very sensitive to tension. If they are tuned below tension, then the stretch from the at-rest position to the fret can actually pull the string sharp. Keeping a good zither right at pitch is important. You have a very short string length and string...
by kenbloom
Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:56 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Intonation
Replies: 11
Views: 19511

Re: Intonation

Is your D string a wound D or a plain phosphor bronze wire D? Switching from one to the other might help. Also, if the action of your D string is too high, that could also casue the problem. As you probably know, this is a compensation problem. If your string is fretting sharp, that means that the d...
by kenbloom
Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:16 am
Forum: Getting Started
Topic: New to the Zither
Replies: 7
Views: 5856

Re: New to the Zither

I tried using other thumb picks since I came from bluegrass banjo and fingerpicking guitar. The metal thumb picks that are traditional for zither I found gave a much better tone. The other thumb picks gave me a dull lifeless tone so I went back to the metal ones. Catching the ring on the backstroke ...
by kenbloom
Sat Jan 30, 2021 9:54 am
Forum: Getting Started
Topic: fixing strings to machine heads.
Replies: 3
Views: 4607

Re: fixing strings to machine heads.

I do it just like I do on the guitar or other similar instruments. I leave about 1/4" sticking out from the hole in the post and then make sure there are at least two full turns around the post before the string begins to tighten up. Different people take different approaches. This has worked f...