FINAL THOUGHTS If you use a body that has a lip or an edge, like a wooden box or desk drawer, the tines are free to vibrate over the hollow of the receptacle, so a shim isn’t necessary. The inside of a cigar box lid can provide a shallow receptacle that fits well in the hands. Again, no shim is necessary. The tines shown at right are bamboo teriyaki skewers. Below is an example of the grounding bar used on unusual materials but in a conventional way. The tines are spring steel and uniform across the span. The body is aluminum, a ¾"-thick block, and there is an aluminum shim. I wanted to make something sleek that looks machined, but in actuality I just used a cheap, much-abused drill press. I used a tap to thread the anchor screw holes, putting the tap in the drill press and turning the chuck by hand. Surprisingly, the thing is so heavy that a hollow door on sawhorses makes a good resonator for the instrument.

RP Collier is a visual artist, sound artist, and musician currently working in Portland, Ore.