zither tuning

[Duplexdan@AOL.COM]

Tuner/techs

The interest in zither tuning may be as interesting to many tt's as it is to 
me from the point of view of temperament. My first question is, what kind of 
temperament is the most effective for tuning a zither?

The second question is what temperament should stringed instruments in the 
folkloric medium be tuned to?

The third question pertains to tuning celeste pianos of the 19th century. And 
here's the question:

A piano that Fred Hictchcock is rebuilding for Lincoln Center is constituted 
with metal bars ala zxylophone with piano keys. The fifths seem to be 
perfect, not tempered. The thirds seem to be natural, and not expanded. The 
scale seems to be
some form of Historical temperament, but noone in our chapter could 
accurately define the temperament. It seems some hard and fast rules of beats 
were abrogated.
By this I mean that there was virtually no waves between the fifths or 
thirds. Somehow the instrument was in perfect tune with itself, but in 
conflict with the rules of tuning.

Since the tonebars were not strings, this may account for the phenomenon. But 
exactly what is the phenomenon? That is the question?

Before i take Owen Jorgenson's opus to Fred's workshop with a Coleman or a 
Reyburn ETD  I'd like to get some input on the difference between tuning a 
metal barred  instrument and a stringed instrument. Any help out there?