School me on zithers

Mjukis

So I watched Walk the line last night and I am, as of now, officially shopping for a zither. What confuses me though, is that Reese W plays a small handheld zither (she learned to play it for the role, the internets informs me) but all the zithers I see for sale online look like this: Are the smaller zithers called something else? Do different countries have different zithers (I'm thinking the bigger ones may be the only ones used in Swedish folk music, so they're the only ones you can find for cheap here)? Anyone know how to play it? Anyone with some zither knowledge is invited to step up and drop said knowledge.

LaserWolf

Any string instrument that is not fretted, that is the strings are fixed, is a zither. There is a bowed zither called a psaltry that is cool. Hammered dulcimers and cymbalons are zithers. Autoharps are zithers, kinda. I have not seen the movie. Try international house of music in Tacoma Park. I think that's name, I'll check for you.

LaserWolf

House Of Musical Traditions.

http://www.hmtrad.com/catalog/strings/zither.html#psaltery

http://www.hmtrad.com/catalog/strings/zither.html

http://www.fretlesszithers.com/

deLYS

I'm not sure but maybe you're looking for an autoharp? They're usually on the smaller side. I never played a zither tho, so I don't know whats different.

I do know however, that proper autoharp posture is found by foot pumpin' a loom making textiles to your somber strumming.