Monday, August 06, 2012

Practice Fiddle

I am now on my second practice fiddle. I realized a few years ago that I could practice more if I had a practice fiddle that was easy to carry and did not make a lot of sound. I made my own practice fiddle by simply gluing or attaching a 2x2 piece of hardwood onto a neck with a fingerboard. Then  of course I added the other hardware and the result was practice fiddle that easily fit in a suitcase. I could play it in hotel rooms and at home without annoying anyone. Lets face it, it can be an annoying sound to someone else when learning a new tune. I easily practiced for 2 hours a day as it was so convenient. However after a few years the fiddle broke a the join. I am now designing a new and improved version using PVC pipe.  The resulting sound from both versions was a sound loud enough to hear and practice and yet quiet enough that the sound was not loud. I used an electronic pickup to attach to an electronic tuner. I bought a 3/4 bow as this fit easier into a suitcase.