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Annonymous Buggy

Pick and Buggy were the first builders I remember doing this. Mine is fretted and tuned DGB.

It was briefly fretless and GDG, but I prefer a longer scale for fretless slide. (This is pretty short, 18.5 inches / 47CM)

It sounds and plays well with adequate intonation. (I have been known to get poor intonation on short scale builds.)

I attempted to think about the best strings to use and ended up using electric strings - the 5th, 4th and third strings from a standard six set tuned like the 4th, third and second (DGB). That idea worked out well.

This was a 30 dollar violin off ebay. I tried to learn to play it and could see it was going to be a long long time to make the bowing hand work right. Then the instrument kind of fell apart and waited for me to get inspired to 'CBG' it.

Neck through build, yardstick fret board, bolt nut and saddle - saddle filed down into the body. Home made tail piece from sheet metal. I sheet you not.

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Location: West Cornhole, Iowa

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Comment by Uncle John on June 15, 2017 at 1:21am: That is a good name, Bug.

Comment by BUGGY (C) on June 14, 2017 at 5:21am: Nice job John!!

Have you ever seen the video on youtube of a man making a violin? It's quite amazing how they do them.. see my old joe clarke song for how mine first build sounds,

Also see Diglydog's fiddle stick, he built me and Bemuzic one from my badly built one that is now awesome.

John I can recommend Putting a flat pup on it they sound great and it wont destroy it (hopefully)! we call them Fiddlesticks in the UK

Comment by Uncle John on June 14, 2017 at 12:02am: Yeah, Jim. Your wife just called me and burned my ears good. Such language. But after she blew off steam, she was pretty nice.

Wow, that is like the deal of the century. In the right crazy mood, I think a lot of us would give a hundred bucks for that lot. I am certain you will get some good and arty pieces out of these. One already has the neck off. It's the cello that intrigues me most. To me, it would be a bass with a leg support. Who knows what you will come up with. Wait for inspiration then show us what you are doing.

Comment by Jim_N on June 13, 2017 at 1:03pm: John > Earlier this morning on my local craigslist, a new ad appeared: the "salvage" instruments pictured in my attachment, priced at $50 for everything. Hmmm... interesting parts and a good deal, I suppose, but needing 'em like I need the proverbial hole in the head, I passed.

Later, however, I discovered this nice vio/git of yours, and it got me thinking. I just happen to have both a tenor uke neck and baritone uke neck sitting around, waiting for off-beat bodies, maybe, so another look couldn't hurt, right? I checked craigslist again, and whatcha' know, already, the price had been lowered to $30! Well... who'da thunk it? > Here I am a little while later, owner of the whole bevy/flock/bunch of 'em (for even less money- the seller accepted my offer of only $20).

Finally, and most importantly, I'm in the clear! > It's YOU that my wife is holding personally and fully responsible for me bringing all this stuff home, because it was your build that put this idea in my head in the first place! ^^

Comment by Uncle John on June 13, 2017 at 8:37am: Thanks, Jim!

Comment by Jim_N on June 13, 2017 at 7:42am: Fun-looking piece! Good job, UJ.

Comment by Uncle John on June 13, 2017 at 1:53am: Thanks, Jerry. I will go look through your photos.

Comment by Jerry Jordan on June 13, 2017 at 12:36am: super cool UJ.,.,i'm enjoying mine. I went with a 24" scale, and mine still fits in the violin case that came with the $28 violin.! I really like yours.,,.