Congratulations to everyone! Many years ago I lived only a few miles away, in Lake Mills Wisconsin. I lived in a zither heaven - but never knew it!

Tom in Connecticut

Thanks very much for the suggestions.

As a follow up - is there a chart or guide to the wire size and material for each of the strings? My Schuster came with about two dozen strings - mostly wound - all coiled up, and of course not labeled as to where they should be placed.

Tom in CT

I'm glad this topic is active. My own Schuster zither arrived with fingerboard strings as follows: A - single strand steel A - single strand steel D - single strand steel G - wound (brass?) over steel C - wound (brass?) over filament (silk?) When tuned to pitch, those very thin A A D strings are &qu...

Just my "new guy" thoughts, but there are many materials, as well as sizes, of instrument strings. Iron, red brass, yellow brass, nylon, etc. Plus plain and "wound". Different materials, different densities. Wouldn't replacing a metal string with a nylon string change the "t...

One technique I use when rebuilding clavichords (which have an enclosed sound box) - I use aerosol compressed air, sold as "computer keyboard dust remover". http://www.oppictures.com/SINGLEIMAGES/500/112887.JPG I just aim the small plastic tube through the sound hole, press the button on t...

Thanks Ken. That's exactly what I needed. What a difference after cleaning and oiling - and a little polishing of the plate. Also spurred me to clean and polish the frets (0000 steel wool) and fingerboard.

Tom in Connecticut

Thanks Dave. Is there any help posted on exactly how to remove, clean, and lubricate those five melody string tuners? I'm guessing there is some sort of gear mechanism under the nickel plate cover - but I don't want to damage something just randomly removing screws. And those five ivory (?) tuner he...

Good morning all. On my Schuster zither I can tune all the accompaniment strings easily with the tuning key. But the five melody string tuners are *really* hard to turn. Difficult just to get my fingers on the ivory/bone "buttons" on the inner three tuner heads, and all five tuners are tig...

Is this Narcissus for one zither? or two? I see the "Zither I" on each page.

Thanks.
Tom in Connecticut

Note to Don - I emailed you this morning about having to change our Monday zither session. But Juno.com rejected my message saying "mailbox unavailable". So I'm hoping you read this. Note to all: I've actually made progress in the right hand chord adventure. Not much for you experienced fo...