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Unprofitable Instruments of the Internet

Just "stumbled upon" the Unprofitable Instruments page. Lots of ideas to steal^H^H^H^H^Huse in smaller and bigger projects...

BTW: I created the discussion because there was apparently no place for dropping links to strange, interesting, silly or plain stupid instrument designs found on "da Net".

The title of the thread may be a bit misleading, with the proud prices they should really be profitable.

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on January 3, 2012 at 5:27am

Kozobas

(from http://www.mfa.gov.ua/mfa/en/publication/content/13146.htm)

Many folk instruments are deeply rooted in the hoary past. The kozobas, in contrast, appeared in the late 1960s. The first model of it was made in Hryhoriy Veriovka National Ukrainian Folk Choir. Almost at the same time a similar chimera was contrived in Kyiv orchestra of folk instruments.

The word “kozobas” consists of two words – “goat and “bass”.

There was such a custom in Ivano-frnkivsk province: after musicians left a wedding party, but the guests still wanted to dance, they took a bucket, put a shoulder-yoke in it, fastened a piece of wire to the handle of the bucket and the other end of the yoke, and played it with a stick as a bow. They played such an “instrument” on the 5th-7th day after the wedding party; with this “instrument” they went caroling from door to door on Christmas tide, and led a young bachelor disguised as a dancing goat from house to house on New Year’s Eve. Singing carols was always accompanied with vivid theatrical shows and witty humour. That is how an idea emerged on the Hutsul folklore-ethnographic basis to make an accompanying instrument. The musician plays the kozobas with a short straight bow, or by plucking the strings with the fingers, and striking the plate with a small steel rod.

The kozovas became popular among professional and amateur folk ensembles. The musical workshop in Ternopil region began the production of this instrument, so we became witnesses of the birth of a new kind of folk contrabass.

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on January 5, 2012 at 9:54pm

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on January 19, 2012 at 5:14am

Aero-Uke

Maybe, just maybe an idea for all the odd-sized boxes laying around in our sheds?

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on January 19, 2012 at 5:18am

Key Kord

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on January 19, 2012 at 5:20am

The folks at frets.com have also a Cigar Box Fiddle

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on January 19, 2012 at 5:29am

Uke "Autoplayer"

and it's "innards"

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on January 19, 2012 at 5:42am

Inlay pickguard. How cool is this?!

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Permalink Reply by Seaman Jay on January 19, 2012 at 11:50pm

But the top, back and sides are made of solid hardwood. A perfect example of what killed the American low priced guitar industry. American manufacturers kept on building cheap instruments using solid wood construction and poor design and workmanship. Meanwhile the Japanese companies made plywood guitars with lighter tops and more delicate bracing, and better attention to workmanship. I suppose the moral of that story is that you're better off using cheap materials and a good design.

Stella Guitar