3/4 Ohio fiddle

Posted by the cigarbox table guy on December 29, 2012 at 10:46pm

This is the real deal.  Found at a yard sale in Columbiana, Ohio in 2010.  The best souvenir I could hope for.  I haven't changed a thing except the bridge and strings.  It's 3/4 size and I would think the kid that got it would have been thrilled.  The sound is just ok and, as expected, the work is rough as bags.  I would only be guessing the age.  A loop of string still remains around the sound post.  Anybody know anything about this sort of thing?

Regards from Range View  Bill

 

 

 

 

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Replies

  • Yellowbelly Flatt December 30, 2012 at 9:31am

    I'm glad that you are a player. I've been rasping away at the fiddle for a couple of years now and play some folk stuff and some blues at local clubs and open mic spotss.  I managed to play cigar box fiddle at the 2011 British cigar box festival 'Box stock' open mic event. Although I have a cigar box fiddle, I want to built something more radical in the future.

    Thanks for sharing the Ohio fiddle.

  • Yellowbelly Flatt December 30, 2012 at 8:48am

    That's the problem of looking at a photo' and making a stab in the dark. At least it 'looks' like a fiddle. All of the modern era home made fiddles look like cigar box fiddles. Someone here has made an effort to make a proper looking fiddle, despite the basic woodworking skills - probably about my standard. The finger board is probably made to look like rose wood. I have modern violins with rose wood finger boards and it was common in the baroque era.

    A delightful piece of kit to own. Do you play fiddle or violin and do you play this one?

    • the cigarbox table guy > Yellowbelly Flatt December 30, 2012 at 9:04am

      Someone made an honest attempt and that is its charm.  I have played this one and passed it around but it's not played now.  I have a couple of proper fiddles and have been sawing away for a few years.  I can almost bear myself now.  A cbg fiddle is at the top of the list.

  • Yellowbelly Flatt December 30, 2012 at 5:57am

    Very very interesting. A great piece of history if not a great violin / fiddle. Possibly 1930/1950, perhaps mail order (Sears &), the finger board is most interesting as it doesn't seem to be a hardwood.

    Thanks for posting this example.

    • the cigarbox table guy > Yellowbelly Flatt December 30, 2012 at 8:35am

      Hi YBF,

      This was definitely made out in the back shed or the barn.  The fb has been painted and grained to look like...I don't know what.  The scroll is a stab in the dark and file marks abound.  I rubbed chalk into the tool marks but it came out when I wiped off the excess.  Not much wear in the 1st position but it could have been repainted.

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