Cimbalom

The cimbalom (; Hungarian: [ˈt͡simbɒlom]; also cimbal or concert cimbalom) is a type of chordophone composed of a large, trapezoidal box on legs with metal strings stretched across its top and a damping pedal underneath. It was designed and created by V. Josef Schunda in 1874 in Budapest, based on his modifications to the existing hammered dulcimer instruments which were already present in Central and Eastern Europe. Today the instrument is mainly played in Hungary, Slovakia, Moravia, Belarus, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine. The cimbalom is typically played by striking two sticks, often with cotton-wound tips, against the strings which are on the top of the instrument.