Psalteries are plucked stringed instruments made in many shapes, sizes and tunings. Generally, all psaltery strings are stretched laterally over a sounding board and play only one note per string. No fingerboards or frets are found on a psaltery. The number of strings and tunings vary greatly according to intended use. Psalteries can be plucked with the soft first joint of fingers, with a quill, or with one or more plectra.

The Susato plucked psaltery has a range of two octaves and one note from -f- to -g"-, the same as an -f- bass recorder. With rare exceptions, plucked psalteries are diatonic instruments. Like folk harps, pitches of individual strings can be raised or lowered one halve-tone interval to allow playing in different keys.