Vintage zippy zither
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Kelly knox
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:13 pm
Vintage zippy zither
Hi, I’m hoping someone can help with this.....I have a zippy zither that has two broken strings. I purchased 11 gauge guitar strings to try to replace them but the bridge is soldered and I can’t get into it. I think I hear what could be an internal nut rolling around on the inside but as I mentioned...I can’t get to it. Is anyone familiar with this instrument or is anyone able to offer any ideas? I bought this as a gift for a friend who had one as a child and I really would like to give it to her in working condition. Any help will be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance and Cheers!
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Mark Wybierala
- Posts: 469
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 10:14 am
- Location: Central New Jersey
Re: Vintage zippy zither
I had to google "Zippy Zither"...
I really don't understand what the problem would be with replacing strings on this. Any reasonable music store ought to be able to address this and probably do it as a walk-in service -- real inexpensively. If you get any other response, take it to another music store. My guess is that it probably uses loop-ended strings like on a banjo or mandolin. A good photo of your exact problem might get you some help here.
I really don't understand what the problem would be with replacing strings on this. Any reasonable music store ought to be able to address this and probably do it as a walk-in service -- real inexpensively. If you get any other response, take it to another music store. My guess is that it probably uses loop-ended strings like on a banjo or mandolin. A good photo of your exact problem might get you some help here.
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Clay Schaeffer
- Posts: 1674
- Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:04 pm
Re: Vintage zippy zither
If they soldered the bridge cover (which should be removable?) you could try heating and remelting the solder to remove the cover.
Another possibility might be to slip the (loop end) strings between the front edge and bridge cover and try to catch the nut that they hook over. It looks like it uses a variation of the Preston tuner for tuning. If the nut has come off the screw you will probably need to remove the cover, but if that was the case I think the screw would have fallen out.
There are pictures on the net which might help you see how the bridge and tuners work.
Another possibility might be to slip the (loop end) strings between the front edge and bridge cover and try to catch the nut that they hook over. It looks like it uses a variation of the Preston tuner for tuning. If the nut has come off the screw you will probably need to remove the cover, but if that was the case I think the screw would have fallen out.
There are pictures on the net which might help you see how the bridge and tuners work.