Diddley Bows and Other Primitives

Comment

Comment by Arnold Kelly on August 28, 2012 at 10:52am

Really like the experimental build, Randy. :)

Comment by Randy S. Bretz on August 28, 2012 at 9:50am

My 2 favorites..the one in back the body is a hollowed out poplar limb, the one in front is an experimental build...it has a piezo on the bridge and one on the nut, i used a toggle switch to activate them. It also has a fold up leg so it can be made into a 1 string standup bass. Which works awesome with a fiddle bow.

Comment by rusty case on August 26, 2012 at 1:36am

That feller Scott is pretty darn good w that Dbo  :-)

Well, my #1 went through and a, b, and c version, then went from a tuna can on a stick all the way up to sardinas picante.

Big improvement !  HUGE !  lol

Worthy of V2.

Now I've built v3 which is a stick IN a can with a real by golly geared tuner machine stole off my flying V.

I'm quick to learn there's an awful lot I don't know !

I need help and advice.  :-)

This v3 now has a ghost note from the backside of the string that sometimes exceeds the played note.  and the presence did NOT improve even though this is a fair sized enchilada sauce can.

I tried a bolt for the nut, switched to hardwood, and am running cow bone now.

The string was passed through a hole drilled in the center of the can bottom, and the can is held to the neck by a pair of screws.

It's just not working well.  lol

I tried installing a bridge and thus shortening the scale...

Didn't help.

Then I tried a 9millie cartridge as both a nut, then as the bridge.

(figgered it was pretty durn solid and might dampen things a tad.)

Didn't work.

So now I'm running the bone scrap as a nut with the string run direct to the back of the can.

The first Dbo was a fairly heavy, aged scrap of doug fir.

This one is a rather light stave of cedar, or some sort of wood in that family.

It's clear, straightened up well enough, and not too many cracks in the length.

I'm thinking the resonant problem is because the can is fastened securely to the stick, and not more or less floating as the prior can ON a stick was.

Something about dobro's and their tri-cone spider comes to mind but I wouldn't really know exactly how that might relate.

Anyone know how to eliminate the ghost note when it's real obvious while playing?

Perhaps a hardwood neck?

Or maybe fasten the can to the very end of the stick, on the endcap, and not screw the can side to the side of the stick???

I'm ready to try just abt any option short of kindling.  :-)

Tnx !

rc

Comment by Arnold Kelly on August 25, 2012 at 11:40pm

Check this one out: 

Comment by Wade on August 25, 2012 at 11:29pm

mississippi pimp stick

Comment by rusty case on August 22, 2012 at 4:32pm

I must improve my first Dbo.

Hope to find advice here!

thank you!

rc

Comment by chongolio on August 12, 2012 at 4:47pm

Thanks for sharing I am gonna have to start doing some research on gopichands and see if I can gather the stuff to make my own!

Comment by william Joseph mcbride on August 12, 2012 at 3:47pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zWA_zCelq0&feature=plcp

Comment by Jan Willem Hoogeveen on July 16, 2012 at 4:34pm

My first box started with a didley bow, a sweets box 'Pablo Garrigas Ibanes' (almonds) from spain.a small box almost no sound, needs to be played in a special way.very satisfied with the neck,possible to play fretless, and a head I never seen, cos I did'nt visit CBG nation at the time. hope to learn in playing and bilding   

Comment by Wichita Sam on July 15, 2012 at 8:29pm

Willie,

 

Yes, It will be a CB Diddley.  No, I'll probably be using a wound pup, "side winder" style like one of Ottie's.

 

Thanks for the thoughts on working out a melody.  I'm really interested in sweetness, not harshness.

 

I've designed a one string that can be easily expanded to a two stringer if it's needed to make a more playable CBDiddley.

 

thanks,

 

Sam

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• …
• 33
• Next ›
• Page