Zither Shopping Happiness
Jun. 2nd, 2022 06:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellerBought a sh*tload of zithers! :D :D :D
That is: yeah, because chord zithers - especially bad chord zithers (and most chord zithers are, let's face it, pretty bad: we are talking about plywood boxes with some wire, after all) - are dirt cheap, I randomly ordered four of them on eBay. Going by the pictures, none of them are obviously trashed beyond repair (though one is missing a string), but that doesn't mean they're actually playable... If one of them is okay, I'll be happy. (They're different types of chord zithers, too - my only criterion was 'possibly okayish'.) One of them has wonderfully inappropriate zither art. (I will have to make a separate post about typical zither art when the things arrive!) Oh, and I also bought a 3-chord zither for children because, hey, it's cute, and I have small hands anyway, so I will be able to use it.
But, the thing I'm reeeeally happy about? I found a Scheitholt! A real one, in the old way of building these things. From Lower Saxony. (Coincidentally, it's from Bassum, the place my dad was born, but that's only an added bonus. LOL) It looks... Um... Hard to describe, but it looks pretty bad, because the construction of these things is a bit unfortunate. XD Anyway - someone found this in their attic (the usual fate of sh*tty old instruments) and wanted to be rid of it. That instrument should probably be in a regional museum or something, not in someone's home, but hey, at least it gets to stay within its original cultural context? ^^ I'll definitely post pictures when that one arrives!
Also, I found an American maker of "German-style" scheitholts on Etsy, which is amusing. There's nothing wrong with this instrument (and it has retained the old log shape, at least), but I'd like to point out I've never seen one like that in Germany. First issue: this thing is clearly intended to be played like a dulcimer. (I know the dulcimer has developed from the Scheitholt, too, but when compared to the instrument evolution in Northern Germany - which resulted in the smaller, box-shaped, multi-stringed chord zithers - it's not quite the same thing. Also, playing technique is not the same!) Second issue: This looks really well-made. Is it weird to criticize good craftsmanship? XD But, anyway, I listened to the sound sample (good service by the seller! ^^), and, because the maker got rid of all the original design flaws, it's an excellent instrument, no doubt... But not quite a log of firewood anymore. ;) Basically, I don't doubt the technical improvement, but it's squarely in the uncanny valley of German zithers. (I'd totally buy one anyway if I thought it could survive the transport...)
When it comes to log-shaped zithers, incidentally, I've just finished reading Mo Dao Zu Shi and started watching the series. (The one with real actors - It's super funny because, hey, magical zither! XDD Sure, it's a guqin, not a Scheitholt, but the general idea it's based on seems to be the same: take a log of wood and put some strings on it. There's a bit of a cultural difference, though: the guqin is taken very seriously indeed. It seems to be a proper, socially acceptable, musical instrument in China! I verified this by looking at the English-language homepages of some guqin makers. (I don't covet an instrument like that, I was just curious about the construction.) And, yeah, they're discussing everything, down to the acoustic properties of different types of varnish. I don't think Northern Germans ever cared about details like that... We're just not civilized enough. :D :D :D Also, I don't doubt the guqin is the better construction. I respect that! Still: my inner troll kind of wants to walk into the workshop of a guqin maker, ask for a log of firewood, and watch the reaction... (No worries. I won't.)
That is: yeah, because chord zithers - especially bad chord zithers (and most chord zithers are, let's face it, pretty bad: we are talking about plywood boxes with some wire, after all) - are dirt cheap, I randomly ordered four of them on eBay. Going by the pictures, none of them are obviously trashed beyond repair (though one is missing a string), but that doesn't mean they're actually playable... If one of them is okay, I'll be happy. (They're different types of chord zithers, too - my only criterion was 'possibly okayish'.) One of them has wonderfully inappropriate zither art. (I will have to make a separate post about typical zither art when the things arrive!) Oh, and I also bought a 3-chord zither for children because, hey, it's cute, and I have small hands anyway, so I will be able to use it.
But, the thing I'm reeeeally happy about? I found a Scheitholt! A real one, in the old way of building these things. From Lower Saxony. (Coincidentally, it's from Bassum, the place my dad was born, but that's only an added bonus. LOL) It looks... Um... Hard to describe, but it looks pretty bad, because the construction of these things is a bit unfortunate. XD Anyway - someone found this in their attic (the usual fate of sh*tty old instruments) and wanted to be rid of it. That instrument should probably be in a regional museum or something, not in someone's home, but hey, at least it gets to stay within its original cultural context? ^^ I'll definitely post pictures when that one arrives!
Also, I found an American maker of "German-style" scheitholts on Etsy, which is amusing. There's nothing wrong with this instrument (and it has retained the old log shape, at least), but I'd like to point out I've never seen one like that in Germany. First issue: this thing is clearly intended to be played like a dulcimer. (I know the dulcimer has developed from the Scheitholt, too, but when compared to the instrument evolution in Northern Germany - which resulted in the smaller, box-shaped, multi-stringed chord zithers - it's not quite the same thing. Also, playing technique is not the same!) Second issue: This looks really well-made. Is it weird to criticize good craftsmanship? XD But, anyway, I listened to the sound sample (good service by the seller! ^^), and, because the maker got rid of all the original design flaws, it's an excellent instrument, no doubt... But not quite a log of firewood anymore. ;) Basically, I don't doubt the technical improvement, but it's squarely in the uncanny valley of German zithers. (I'd totally buy one anyway if I thought it could survive the transport...)
When it comes to log-shaped zithers, incidentally, I've just finished reading Mo Dao Zu Shi and started watching the series. (The one with real actors - It's super funny because, hey, magical zither! XDD Sure, it's a guqin, not a Scheitholt, but the general idea it's based on seems to be the same: take a log of wood and put some strings on it. There's a bit of a cultural difference, though: the guqin is taken very seriously indeed. It seems to be a proper, socially acceptable, musical instrument in China! I verified this by looking at the English-language homepages of some guqin makers. (I don't covet an instrument like that, I was just curious about the construction.) And, yeah, they're discussing everything, down to the acoustic properties of different types of varnish. I don't think Northern Germans ever cared about details like that... We're just not civilized enough. :D :D :D Also, I don't doubt the guqin is the better construction. I respect that! Still: my inner troll kind of wants to walk into the workshop of a guqin maker, ask for a log of firewood, and watch the reaction... (No worries. I won't.)
no subject
Date: 2022-06-02 06:47 pm (UTC)I look forward to your pics of zithers! :D
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Date: 2022-06-02 06:52 pm (UTC)AHAHAHA, yes, I noticed. XD XD XD I'd be scared to even touch one of those things.
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Date: 2022-06-02 07:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-06-02 07:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-06-02 07:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-06-02 07:48 pm (UTC)