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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on June 5, 2018 at 2:51pm

Yessir Hubert, I've made a couple dozen cigar box fiddles. Here's a recent one

https://youtu.be/AmocRyA47_k

The tuning is usually GDae from low to high string which differs from guitars but is the same as a mandolin. The bracing is also different from a guitar. It consists of a bass bar and a soundpost which is very important for the tone of the fiddle but also supports the top. You can find info on these with a bit of internet research. Another big difference is that a fiddle is played by drawing the hairs of a bow across the strings rather than using a pick or one's fingers. Other things include a very pronounced radius in the bridge and fingerboard which enables the bow to play individual strings. 

Here's the CBN group where you can get more info

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/cbfiddles?commentId=2592684%3AC...

Oh, by the way, I saw your post about the Middleton's Scotch box. I've got one of those and I don't think I'd recommend it for a fiddle since the box needs to fit under the player's chin and that box is a bit deep from top to bottom. However it'll make a fantastic guitar.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on June 5, 2018 at 4:00pm

On further reflection, some old time fiddlers use a much lower hold and the Middleton box may well work if one were to use a hold like this!

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on June 5, 2018 at 4:04pm

Oh, and I realize Middleton's is Irish Whiskey not Scotch. I was typing too fast!

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on June 5, 2018 at 5:04pm

Hi, the waist in the violin shape allows for the bowing action to contact all strings, so keep this in mind.

Some fidderers play with the fiddle tucked into their armpit area, but as Jim says if played like violin it my not work if a high sided box is used. Just noticed in the picture above, dah!

Taff

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Permalink Reply by Kirk on June 6, 2018 at 3:11am

I love your builds, and I love your playing!  Especially the bluegrass, and old mountain music.   If you take requests, I'd love to hear Old Joe Clark on your next banjo build.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on June 6, 2018 at 4:01am

If you're directing that at me Kirk, thanks! Old Joe Clark was the 2nd tune I learned on banjo long ago. Cripple Creek was first. I'll keep that request in mind for the next banjo.

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Permalink Reply by Hubert on June 6, 2018 at 8:45am

Thank you for all the info.  I watched the video you shared, awesome sound.  I actually have the same box as well.  Did you make the bass bar and sound post as well or were those purchased separately?

the Midleton box, I’m holding off on doing anything with it.  I have a great story behind the box and want to turn it into something worthy of that story.  I’ll keep getting ideas for it and hopefully something will jump out and I’ll know what to do.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on June 6, 2018 at 9:18am

The bass bar and sound post are both made in my shop. The sound post is nothing more than a round spruce dowel cut to length and the bass bar, also spruce, is about 7 x 1/4" glued to the top's underside length wise under the bass foot of the bridge.

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