Well everybody, I've just spent a week or so away at my parents and I suddenly realised how tired and fatigued I was. Dad got himself a cymera (or something like that) which is a trapezium shaped stringed instrument with each string tuned in a diatonic progression. It sounds really tuneful and would be great with a pick up and a bit of distortion.

I managed to post s pair of photographs of the biscuit tin guitar. A couple of people were kind enough to comment favourably on the solution I came up with in order to solve a bit of a problem with the bridge.

A full size photo of the "cruciform" bridge and of the guitar are

 available on my page on this site.

I've been attempting to really learn the Lincolnshire folk tunes on fiddle as I have the opportunity to play for a few minutes at this Friday's (28th January) Plough Inn, Swinderby Jam night. I'd really like to have the chance to play my cigar box fiddle in public for the first time, It'll be a bit of a pox as I shall be working until 21:00 hours.

Since I got back from my holiday I have composed a couple of fiddle tunes and published the on TuxGuitar. This is a really good site as you can enter the tune note by note on a screen displayed fret board and the programme automatically prints out the music and the tab. To make sure that you've done it correctly it gives you, when wanted, a midi playback of the music you have inputted. You can also define the tuning of each individual string so slide tunings and alternative tunings can be chosen.

Not really cigar box business, but more of a networking thing. I have been asked if I would like to duet on the fiddle with another fiddle player at the Lincoln Drill hall in a few weeks. Hopefully I can somehow get a look in for a future cigar box opener/guest spot