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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on December 26, 2015 at 7:11am

while some  ideas  for the name  origin   resemble    this  popular  statement ;

"The musical instrument "Diddley Bow" probably got its name from the verb "diddle" combined with the noun "bow" (with its meaning of "a part of a stringed instrument")."

i  submit  my  personal thoughts of  the  originals   mostly  being   a broomstick  or a thin  board , with a string  , thus  resembling a   "bow " as  in  bow and arrow  ."   in-fact   folks have  been known to  play  a bow(weapon)  pressed  up against a crate   etc  .  combine that  with  diddly  meaning  "cheat / falsified  ,  and    "playing around with".   a homemade  "bow/ guitar  makes sense  "   

diddly bows are  not  well  known  for  being  played  with a bow  . altho  some    folks  have, and do play it   with one  . 

that's my 2 and a half cents  , and   probably  worth every penny  ;-)

  

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on December 26, 2015 at 8:02am

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/video/the-first-string-instrument-mou...

Here's my take on this.

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Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on December 26, 2015 at 2:44pm

Could look at it threw physics. If you take an unseasoned piece of wood. Attach it to a box. Then attach a taunt string to it. The wood would bow. Probably the reason it's known that players used a slide to create the notes. And a striking tool or hard plucking action to create the vibrations. Just a guess.

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Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on December 26, 2015 at 7:50pm

found your answer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tys6dmEMyRk

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