The Cabinetmaker's Zither is an original design for a stringed instrument, made from local woods.

The woods used are: Madrone, Manzanita, Sitka Spruce, Douglas Fir, Pacific Yew and Spalted Holly, all growing within 30 miles of the shop it was built in.

An interest in using local woods led to work with the Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center and the creation of this map using Mapbox.

The sound hole design, coupled with the sympathetic strings, creates a resonance and reverberation with the thirteen main strings on top. 

All the brass hardware is shop made, preventing wear and tear on the wood.

With 38 total strings, there's a lot of metal on the zither. Only the tuning pins and a few brass screws were not made in shop.

Photos by David Welter