Zither

Asymmetrical shallow box-zither with five stopped strings and 25 open strings. Soundbox of coniferous wood veneered in rosewood with the underside ebonised, standing on three ball feet of ?ivory; 26 metal frets, seventeen over full width of fingerboard; nut also of fret wire. Three semi-tones omitted at top end of fingerboard: f#3, g#3, a#3. Stopped strings tuned by guitar-style machine screws with ivory pegheads; nuts for all strings formed by vertical pins. Open strings tuned with oblong-headed wrestpins. The strings pass over a wire to define their speaking length, and are hitched to an ebonised comb, which also acts as a bridge, at the other end of the soundbox.