I built this loosely based on the "Rawhide" fiddle plans under the "free plans" page. Used a good cigar box instead, and arched the fingerboard to allow more room for the bow to work. This meant a longer bridge which I buttressed with latch strikes from screen door--if I didn't, the string tension would collapse the bridge. Had to also use eyehooks in the top of the nut to properly guide the strings onto the fingerboard. The dowel should have stuck out a bit more at the bottom, though--this to allow it to rest on one's knee or leg when playing (it doesn't play well under the chin or held out at the ribs, best done modified cello style). Machine head tuners and the cotton crochet thread for the bow were the most expensive items! Fishing line (20, 30 and 50 lb test) work well for the strings (tuned CGD) but still needs a bit of seasoning with the rosin. Hint: swipe the strings with sandpaper a few times to roughen the surface, they'll hold rosin much better. Next project hopefully a cigarbox hurdy gurdy, if anyone has any tips to share please advise. I have a "real one" already, but want to try my hand at a smaller simpler model.
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I have several pieces of pine in circular cut (found at Michaels or Hobby Lobby) that are about 5" diameter, and several cedar circles that are used to hang on a hanger in a closet to repel moths--these already have the center hole drilled in them and are about 2" in diameter. Since the trompette and other drone use their own bridges I hope I can concoct at least one of them to be loose fitting to have the "chien" start to bark when needed. I would want a good "S" shaped crank handle though....the straight one you see in the picture here in my profile shot wore out and the guy who made my hurdy sent a new one gratis that was S shaped--action is much better on those.
WM: this is great, gives me some ideas. I saw a small gurdy from one of my facebook friends (being a hurdy player gets you a lot of other friends worldwide, including some of the greatest--can't say that about playing gtr now can ye?). It looked like a small lute shaped model, about size of a ukelele. Still waiting to hear from the guy in Italy that made it. Question: does your "gtr/banjo/gurdy" have a trompette/chien, in otherwords, a buzzing bridge that could be turned on/off? I could not tell if it did by the sound or if that was just the way it always sounded.
You could tune it anyway desired I guess--I chose CBG just because it seems bigger than a usual violin and more the size of a viola. I still say anyone who tries that plan should extend the dowel down maybe 6 inches--or have some other support attached to the "foot" to allow it to sit comfortably on their knee or maybe a little shorter for the neck/ribcage. 2 string would certainly work but you could use a narrower neck...or like a rebab or other Asian instruments, leave off neck entirely. Indonesian/Arab rebabs have a dowel neck, one long string that goes down one side, wraps around screw a few times, then goes back up the other side, tuned differently. You get the pitch just by touching the string in certain spots. Chinese have several instruments like this (all under a general name "huquin"). I may try that approach on a later project.
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I have several pieces of pine in circular cut (found at Michaels or Hobby Lobby) that are about 5" diameter, and several cedar circles that are used to hang on a hanger in a closet to repel moths--these already have the center hole drilled in them and are about 2" in diameter. Since the trompette and other drone use their own bridges I hope I can concoct at least one of them to be loose fitting to have the "chien" start to bark when needed. I would want a good "S" shaped crank handle though....the straight one you see in the picture here in my profile shot wore out and the guy who made my hurdy sent a new one gratis that was S shaped--action is much better on those.
because of the size of the wheel and box i could not install a trompette, a little bit disappointed dough.
maybe i build another one in the future. Actually I'm making a CBukulele at the moment.
That lute model interests me so if there a vid somewhere... Grtz and happy building ! WMP
WM: this is great, gives me some ideas. I saw a small gurdy from one of my facebook friends (being a hurdy player gets you a lot of other friends worldwide, including some of the greatest--can't say that about playing gtr now can ye?). It looked like a small lute shaped model, about size of a ukelele. Still waiting to hear from the guy in Italy that made it. Question: does your "gtr/banjo/gurdy" have a trompette/chien, in otherwords, a buzzing bridge that could be turned on/off? I could not tell if it did by the sound or if that was just the way it always sounded.
not a cigarbox but winebox kinda Hurdy Gurdy thingy : http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/hurdy-gurdy-winebox-guitar-fidd...
this site helped me a lot : http://dennishavlena.com/fiddlegu.htm
good luck ! chrz WMP
Very Interesting !
You could tune it anyway desired I guess--I chose CBG just because it seems bigger than a usual violin and more the size of a viola. I still say anyone who tries that plan should extend the dowel down maybe 6 inches--or have some other support attached to the "foot" to allow it to sit comfortably on their knee or maybe a little shorter for the neck/ribcage. 2 string would certainly work but you could use a narrower neck...or like a rebab or other Asian instruments, leave off neck entirely. Indonesian/Arab rebabs have a dowel neck, one long string that goes down one side, wraps around screw a few times, then goes back up the other side, tuned differently. You get the pitch just by touching the string in certain spots. Chinese have several instruments like this (all under a general name "huquin"). I may try that approach on a later project.
Wow! I would really like to be able to play some cbg fiddle. Good advice rendered here. I wonder how well a person could do on a 2 string?