thing 28: rotten stick box fiddle
I found the box in the garbage while walking the dog yesterday and I knew I had to make a fiddle. It looks like it was a chunk cut out of a cheap veneer door or something. This was my most ambitious instrument-a-day, coming in at 6 hours.
The bridge is cut from poplar, the strings are nylon guitar strings, the bass bar and sound post are garbage wood, and the neck/fingerboard is, of course, a rotten stick. This fiddle actually leaves mildew on your left hand when you play it.
The bow I made yesterday literally disintegrated overnight - the screws unscrewed themselves and the hairs fell out! So I played the fiddle with a rosin-coated popsicle stick. Bear in mind that (1) this is a horrible, horrible fiddle and (2) i have no idea how to play a fiddle, before you listen to the sound sample.
Last 5 posts by ranjit
- thing 29: dog - February 29th, 2008
- thing 27: awful horsehair bow - February 27th, 2008
- thing 26: rotten stick saxamophone - February 26th, 2008
- thing 25: oak box boo - February 26th, 2008
- thing 24: trumpet saline - February 25th, 2008
Hey you have really done alot of work. You have gone from whistles to some clever and creative instruments. Congratulations on making so much.
hah!
the disclaimer is hilarious, but I actually like the sound of this fiddle. Plus, visually it’s completely awesome.
I agree with the poster above- excellent job this month!
Are you going to compose a symphony now?
This is very cool. I would like to hear a multi-track recording of all your inventions together.
I can’t believe you played this with a rosined popsicle stick. That was some awesome Tom Cora-style playing! Those f-holes rule, and so does the hand-staining mildew!
… are those ikea pegs?