Jetticovhoplapi (Jeht-tih-soh-vʰohp-lah-PIH)

Thejettivhoplapi is a traditional Lexiconian plucked string instrument (chordophone) belonging to the box zither category and family.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The jetticovhoplapi is an small box zither that has a hollow trapezoidal body which is constructed out of Lexiconian Steel steel, or narsil. The jetticovhoplapi is often heavily decorated with intricate carvings and inlays of various items.
Its strings usually vary in number from five to eleven and are fabricated from catgut.

Playing

The jetticovhoplapi is played by being plucked by the fingers with or without plectra, it's down to the musician's preference. The plectrum is most commonly a finger pick made out of various materials worn on one or both hands.

Manufacturing process

Traditionally, jettivhoplapi are hand-crafted by highly skilled artisans, a practice that still is the norm, as finding manufactured jettivhoplapico is near non-existant. They have a general sound, but due to the various craftsman, each can have variable tones because of that, as one's craftman's jettivhoplapi's tone will be and sound slightly different than the other. Artisans can also easily customize or change the range of the notes and tune the notes for a player if they so wish.
Jettivhoplapi makers heavily collaborate with metalsmiths and forgers due to the instument being comprised mainly of Lexiconian Steel.

History

Jetticovhoplapi literally means 'across strings' or 'through strings' from jetticovhop (strings from jettivhop (string from jetti (rope, strand) + -vhop (a diminitive suffix), so string literally means 'little rope') + -co (plural)) + -lapi (perlative case), and it was called that because of how flat and taut the string lie on the board when stretched.

Item type

Musical Instrument

Raw materials & Components

Lexiconian Steel

Kcedhu catgut