A CHINESE FIDDLE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 June 1929, Page 7

A CHINESE FIDDLE

MADE WITH ONE STRING. A one-string fiddle does not seem to he much of a musical instrument When compared with a regular violin, yet- a surprisingly mellow tone may be obtained from a Chinese fiddle. With a little care and patience anyone can make the Chinese fiddle which Truman R. Hart describes in Popular Melianics.

The body consists of a pasteboard tube seven or eight inches long and four inches in diameter. It is shellacked inside and out to prevent absorption of moisture. The neck is a 2T-incli length of three-quarter-inch hardwood one inch wide, which is braced by means of a piece of three-quart-ineb of hardwood 12 inches long, curved at one end to fit the tube. 'Hie brace is fastened to the neck with wood screws and the curved part is glued to the tube. Care must be taken that no parts are loose, as they would then rattle •from the vibration when the instrument is played. The prong or floor rest is a length of one-eiglit-ineli brass rod, about • ? in i lies lontr, th’earhd -»ljt nt two -ir hi s at one end. it 4s held on the tube securely by means of two wooden blocks, two washers and two nuts. Heavy pasteboard discs are cut to fit snugly in the end of the tube, shellacked on both sides, and carefully glued in place. One of the discs is perforated to accomodate a child’s toy trumpet, which is inserted in the whole after the glue holding the disc in place has dried thoroughly, the reed being, first removed from the mouth-piece, either a curved or a straight horn may be used for this purpose.

The bridge is cut out of hardwood or bone, and is about one-eighth inch thick, one inch long, and half an inch wide.

Some experimenting will show the position to place the bridge in order to elevate tbe string so that it is parallel to the face df the neck for easy fingering. The peg at the head of U neck is qp ordinary violin peg, and, it is fitted into a’tapered hole of corresponding size, iyhich is drilled about two inches from the end. The spring used is an ordinary gut vioJin . E'string.,

To improve the.appearance of the iv strument stain the neck ebony or walnut and paint Qie body and horn witf) bright-coloured lacquer, such as “mandarin red,” allowing sufficient time for the lacquer.to dry thoroughly.. I) fore handling.

The instrument is played in t)ie manner of a cello; or as a -Violin. • In both cases an ordinary violip how is used. '