Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 25, 2017 at 5:45am

Jim,

I too thought of hollowing out a 2x4 (easily done with a router, or several passes with a rotary saw, more difficult with an old school saw, hammer and chisel), but didn't think Shane would want to go to the trouble. Then I realized I have an 8' length of rough cut cedar in the garage, some of which I'll be using for another project, but I'll have about 3 ft left over. Since I mostly have hand tools available right now, except for a jigsaw and power drill, I could shave off a 1/8 soundboard top, have an integrated headstock by doing a Fender style cut-down, do the frets with glued-on Bobby pins a la my SwampWitch, the bridge and nut with available screws or nails, and chop out the soundbox with a combination of the jigsaw, hand saw, and hammer and chisel. Can get some cheapo guitar tuners instead of zither pins...

Yeah, I think I know what I'll be making this weekend. I wonder if it will qualify for the 2x4 lap steel challenge?

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on April 25, 2017 at 9:43am

Doggone it Ron that's pretty close to what I had in mind for the 2x4 challenge. It would be cool to compare what we both come up with. Then again, the 2x4 upright bass I'm thinking about might be the way I go since the strings came in the mail this morning. Might have to wait and see what rules/stipulations there are for manipulating the 2x4 like cutting it into 1/4" thick planks to make into a box. We'll see.

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Permalink Reply by Cigar Box Nation on April 25, 2017 at 1:02pm

THIS IS AWESOME!!!  Yes, go nuts on the 2x4 challenge!

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on April 25, 2017 at 2:30pm

I, for one, will certainly try to do that Shane!

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 29, 2017 at 12:08pm

I won't make the deadline (family stuff intervened into my build time), but will submit a finished product after the deadline anyway.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on April 30, 2017 at 11:34am

Hey Ron, the 2x4 challenge doesn't begin until May. Maybe that'll give you some time. It's the Paint Lid Reso one that ends today. I'll nudge you by saying that I've already got 3/16" planks sawn from the top and bottom so's I can hollow the body out.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 30, 2017 at 12:07pm

Ah! In that case, I need to get busy!

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Permalink Reply by Moritz Voegeli on April 25, 2017 at 5:24am

Zither-like instruments with drone strings are widespread in Northern and Central Europe, but not in France, so it would be interesting to know more about Rooster Reaves' information.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Targett on April 25, 2017 at 5:32am

Rooster Reeves is correct. These are French "Epinette des Vosges", originating from the Vosges area of France. Christophe Toussaint still makes these http://epinettes.fr/. I have built one of his kits, makes a nice very portable "dulcimer".

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Permalink Reply by Moritz Voegeli on April 25, 2017 at 5:46am

Convinced. Found even a photo of an «Epinette des Vosges» with the tin sheet where you pluck the strings as typical for Tennessee Music Boxes:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Épinette_des_Vosges_(1).jpg

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 25, 2017 at 5:54am

Agreed. Gotta build one. Out to the garage...

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Permalink Reply by Peter Faris on April 25, 2017 at 5:53am

These are known as board zithers, and come from a mostly European folk instrument tradition. As you can see they were quite influential in the development of the Appalachian dulcimer. Peter Faris

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