I ran across an instrument called a stroh violin. it is like a violin with no resonating body. Instead it had a resonator and a horn attached to the bridge. A good site with photos is
http://www.notecannons.com/index.html look under STROVIOLS on the left around 4/5 the way down. Here are a couple of pics from the page.
The second pic shows very well how the resonator is attached to the bridge. This is more of a Stroh-guitar then a violin.
I wish I could hear this setup on a CBG, or a diddley bow!!
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http://www.digitalviolin.com/StrohViolin1.html.. after reading this i found that in the diaphram there was a very thin piece of wood used as the sound producer in the resonator. The thin wood acted as the membrane which when vibrated from the bridge produced the sound. The trick here is what wood to use , it would have to be something very strong when sanded down to a very thin thickness to allow it to move back and fourth. Which probably worked like string-bridge- box lid to produce a sound. I know for myself i racked my brain tryin to come up with an idea for the resonator diaphram, i know it can be done thinkin the way we take on a build. Best of luck......................i just membered that i have some paint can lid reso cones that Wade made for me. Now if i can fit two of those together and figure out what to use for the membrane I`ll be set for the resonator diaphram.....and it continues....lol.
http://www.digitalviolin.com/StrohViolin1.html.. after reading this i found that in the diaphram there was a very thin piece of wood used as the sound producer in the resonator. The thin wood acted as the membrane which when vibrated from the bridge produced the sound. The trick here is what wood to use , it would have to be something very strong when sanded down to a very thin thickness to allow it to move back and fourth. Which probably worked like string-bridge- box lid to produce a sound. I know for myself i racked my brain tryin to come up with an idea for the resonator diaphram, i know it can be done thinkin the way we take on a build. Best of luck
"Cary Clements built a Stroh violing using a 6" National tricone cone - which turned out to be too heavy A Stroh instrument works by moving the diaphragm in both compression and decompression from neutral, rather than going from neutral to compression. In other words, there is no tension on a Stroh cone when the instrument is not being played."
So the lever arm is critical in the design and the membrane (and I think amplifies movement)....
that's making more sense now, as I want to out the concept.
Randy S. Bretz said:
It`s all in the resonator diaphram that makes the cool sound plus having the horn to push that sound out. I`ve been researching this for awhile now even back the 3 years ago when the idea first came up. The original Stroh has a patent on the design [ 1902 ]. Inside the resonator diaphram there`s a thin piece of meca which acts like a huge kazoo when the vibration of the strings pass down through the metal bridge connected to a bolt that connects the resonator together. Then the sound comes out the horn, some variations on the Stroh used more then one horn. I`ve also seen where the resonator diaphram was enclosed in the wood frame of the instrument, which might help with condensing the sound better. I`m thinkin 2 small alum. pot lids with some kind of disc in the middle to act as the diaphram might work for the resonator. Barefoot Cajun suggested to me that a model A ford horn might work as the diaphram and with the horn already connected. I even researched violin luthiers looking for parts for a Stroh for the resonator diaphram...no luck. So who ever gives this idea a try i wish them all the luck, I`m sticking with figuring out the resonator diaphram first then the rest of the build will come easy.
I ran some simple tests (just loaded up - jumbo cigar box resonator) on a cone and receptor and some tube idea, I think there's something more in that amplification arm. As with the right lever you could amplify the movement to the cone greatly
(bit like a gramaphone soundbox)
I'm now thinking maybe 2 hubcaps back to back or a banjo type head, as I think you need to push air to get this one to sing.
It`s all in the resonator diaphram that makes the cool sound plus having the horn to push that sound out. I`ve been researching this for awhile now even back the 3 years ago when the idea first came up. The original Stroh has a patent on the design [ 1902 ]. Inside the resonator diaphram there`s a thin piece of meca which acts like a huge kazoo when the vibration of the strings pass down through the metal bridge connected to a bolt that connects the resonator together. Then the sound comes out the horn, some variations on the Stroh used more then one horn. I`ve also seen where the resonator diaphram was enclosed in the wood frame of the instrument, which might help with condensing the sound better. I`m thinkin 2 small alum. pot lids with some kind of disc in the middle to act as the diaphram might work for the resonator. Barefoot Cajun suggested to me that a model A ford horn might work as the diaphram and with the horn already connected. I even researched violin luthiers looking for parts for a Stroh for the resonator diaphram...no luck. So who ever gives this idea a try i wish them all the luck, I`m sticking with figuring out the resonator diaphram first then the rest of the build will come easy.
Think something like a tone arm on a turntable and you will have the idea, well if you are old enough to remember what a record is, Wheeeehew next somebody will tell me it is like winding watch whatever that is.
More like the really old jobs with the horn and the dog. Now even I don't know what I am talking about, you will need some dead clown tools to build it. Love to see it when it is finished.
I think what really makes it work is the 'rocking bridge' design feeding directly into the styrofoam or paper 'horn'...I wonder if anybody in that band tried a tin can or bicycle horn on on one of those yet?
I'm glad to see this old thread (nearly three years old!) revived. Its reminded me of the whole "whacking a horn in the side of a box" dillema. Would a horn that is not in contact with the bridge do much (or anything) for the tone or volume?
Replies
Randy S. Bretz said:
http://www.digitalviolin.com/StrohViolin1.html.. after reading this i found that in the diaphram there was a very thin piece of wood used as the sound producer in the resonator. The thin wood acted as the membrane which when vibrated from the bridge produced the sound. The trick here is what wood to use , it would have to be something very strong when sanded down to a very thin thickness to allow it to move back and fourth. Which probably worked like string-bridge- box lid to produce a sound. I know for myself i racked my brain tryin to come up with an idea for the resonator diaphram, i know it can be done thinkin the way we take on a build. Best of luck
found this on the web:
"Cary Clements built a Stroh violing using a 6" National tricone cone - which turned out to be too heavy A Stroh instrument works by moving the diaphragm in both compression and decompression from neutral, rather than going from neutral to compression. In other words, there is no tension on a Stroh cone when the instrument is not being played."
So the lever arm is critical in the design and the membrane (and I think amplifies movement)....
i've got an idea! ... back to my shed....
web link for above comments below:
http://66.160.167.221/ubb/Forum1/HTML/002682.html
Hi
Have you got a sketch of this or any picture..
that's making more sense now, as I want to out the concept.
Randy S. Bretz said:
I ran some simple tests (just loaded up - jumbo cigar box resonator) on a cone and receptor and some tube idea, I think there's something more in that amplification arm. As with the right lever you could amplify the movement to the cone greatly
(bit like a gramaphone soundbox)
I'm now thinking maybe 2 hubcaps back to back or a banjo type head, as I think you need to push air to get this one to sing.
It`s all in the resonator diaphram that makes the cool sound plus having the horn to push that sound out. I`ve been researching this for awhile now even back the 3 years ago when the idea first came up. The original Stroh has a patent on the design [ 1902 ]. Inside the resonator diaphram there`s a thin piece of meca which acts like a huge kazoo when the vibration of the strings pass down through the metal bridge connected to a bolt that connects the resonator together. Then the sound comes out the horn, some variations on the Stroh used more then one horn. I`ve also seen where the resonator diaphram was enclosed in the wood frame of the instrument, which might help with condensing the sound better. I`m thinkin 2 small alum. pot lids with some kind of disc in the middle to act as the diaphram might work for the resonator. Barefoot Cajun suggested to me that a model A ford horn might work as the diaphram and with the horn already connected. I even researched violin luthiers looking for parts for a Stroh for the resonator diaphram...no luck. So who ever gives this idea a try i wish them all the luck, I`m sticking with figuring out the resonator diaphram first then the rest of the build will come easy.
Think something like a tone arm on a turntable and you will have the idea, well if you are old enough to remember what a record is, Wheeeehew next somebody will tell me it is like winding watch whatever that is.
More like the really old jobs with the horn and the dog. Now even I don't know what I am talking about, you will need some dead clown tools to build it. Love to see it when it is finished.
Cheers Ron
Here's a really inexpensive Stroh-type I found a while back while idly surfing:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Reclaimers-Stick-Fiddle/
I think what really makes it work is the 'rocking bridge' design feeding directly into the styrofoam or paper 'horn'...I wonder if anybody in that band tried a tin can or bicycle horn on on one of those yet?
http://www.strohviolin-shop.com/en/index.php
I'm glad to see this old thread (nearly three years old!) revived. Its reminded me of the whole "whacking a horn in the side of a box" dillema. Would a horn that is not in contact with the bridge do much (or anything) for the tone or volume?
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