Nice job, Diddley Bows are great fun, I've one I made from a beautiful NIcaraguan, Jaime Garcia, My Father's Cigars cigar box. It's of similar dimensions to yours. The wood is gorgeous, especially the back. That's really thin. I used that as the front of the Diddley Bow. The neck I made from a garden rake handle and the nut from a hose clamp. I hand crafted the bridge from a piece of European oak. I've fitted lengthwise, a Warman telecaster single coil mag pup with a treble bleed on the volume control. The electrics have been grounded with a piece of beaten copper attached to the rear of the box. The scale length is 25". I've inlaid markers on the rake handle as reference points for playing. All the bare wood is finished with 12 layers of BirchWood Casey Tru-Oil. The box is finished with three thin layers of oil based polyurethane. This preserves the paper labels and tax tags on the box. I bored out a large sound hole in a similar position to yours. I backed the hole with some screen door mosquito netting. The instrument plays beautifully acoustically. The box resonates really well. It's loud and has a great tone. Plugging it in and running it through a Joyo Sweet Baby overdrive pedal and a spring reverb pedal, it develops some serious grunt. I've found it sounds great with a ceramic slide. The imperfections in the glaze adds character to the sound. This simple single stringed instrument, produces so many tones and sound textures. Yeah, Diddley Bows are great fun.
Sorry for taking a little too long to reply been working long hours at work. Now that is said and done Thank You! for your comment! Your description is almost seeing your diddley Bow build live, and your one of a kind, father's cigar box diddley gives it a more personal value and when you play it. knowing the history of it, i pet a joy of the fact that new music is always inevitable of coming out. I am glad that every time you play it the joy as one may imagine on the build and that it once was your father's cigar box will always bring you memories as you strum the string with your slide to produce tones into music that can give joy to the ones that are listing as well. I would like to say that i am grateful and to say thank you once again for sharing your comment with us it is one of my favorites.
Very nice work..I have box very similar to that and I was wondering how I was going to cut the lid for the neck ..your video just made it very simple for me. preciate it keep up the great work
absolutely stunning instrument, sir. it's really a work of art, especially with that jeweled end-piece! well done! I bet a few days playing had you sliding like a champ. I only screwed my first broomhandle together about two weeks ago and it already sounds like i was born to play the thing. one-strings are forgiving, indeed.
You may not know how to play the diddley bow but you are one good craftsman, that came out really nice, i would be proud to own it, thanks for the video 👍.
OG it has been a long time my friend it is good to hear from you and thank you for the thumbs up. By the way are you working on any wooden projects would love to see them on UA-cam you know hat you are missed.
Hey Chris I have the shakes from Diabetes & a bad phsyc med, ontop of that I can't scale or read music. Blues rifts are the easiest to play & very enjoyable. I also enjoy your posts as well. Holler a me, might be able to show you somes sounds that are really fun & easy to master. Denson Di Rosa.
You've elevated the humble DB to a new level with a luthier's skill! I heard Scott Ainslie last Friday, and got a chance to talk to him and fiddle with his cigar box...I haven't stopped thinking about them since.... When I expressed interest in perhaps building one, Mr. Ainslie suggested Googling or UA-cam, and ask Questions. If you will indulge me, where do I start? How long, wide, thick should a neck be (Mr. Ainsley was of no help, his neck was made from a recycled pool cue)? I've the neck contact the body (a cookie tin, "national Steel sort of instrument), and I've seen pass-through and contact boxes. What note string? What else should I ask? Thank you in advance, hope to hear from you!
+Paul Drowns Paul thank you for your comment if you would like, this takes a little bit of time to explain we could exchange phone numbers and I could go into a more detail while you take notes
Yeah, like we all have a well equipped workshop! Defeats the whole object of making your own Diddley bow from stuff you might have lying around,don’t you think?
Wow, beautifully done. I wouldn't have thought to add decorative elements to the heal. Nice job.
I acquired over 100 cigar boxes from a shop that closed and was looking for ideas - Thank you! Time to makes some Diddley Bows!
That's really lucky, glad you're putting them to use!
Great and creative build !!!
Brilliant! What a beautiful instrument!
I love your innovations !
Very special build, well done. Thanks
Beautiful work
Just a beautiful job.
Howdy it's really amazing to watch a master craftsman at work
Thank you for sharing this cool video
Looking forward to see what your gonna build next
ha! what a great build Chris. You rocked at the end too.
Ken
I love your bow!!! I learned how to play a Didleybow from the vids from Shane Speal and Justin Johnson....
Keep on goin!!! ✨👍✨
Me too 💯💚
Nice job, Diddley Bows are great fun, I've one I made from a beautiful NIcaraguan, Jaime Garcia, My Father's Cigars cigar box. It's of similar dimensions to yours. The wood is gorgeous, especially the back. That's really thin. I used that as the front of the Diddley Bow. The neck I made from a garden rake handle and the nut from a hose clamp. I hand crafted the bridge from a piece of European oak. I've fitted lengthwise, a Warman telecaster single coil mag pup with a treble bleed on the volume control. The electrics have been grounded with a piece of beaten copper attached to the rear of the box. The scale length is 25". I've inlaid markers on the rake handle as reference points for playing. All the bare wood is finished with 12 layers of BirchWood Casey Tru-Oil. The box is finished with three thin layers of oil based polyurethane. This preserves the paper labels and tax tags on the box. I bored out a large sound hole in a similar position to yours. I backed the hole with some screen door mosquito netting. The instrument plays beautifully acoustically. The box resonates really well. It's loud and has a great tone. Plugging it in and running it through a Joyo Sweet Baby overdrive pedal and a spring reverb pedal, it develops some serious grunt. I've found it sounds great with a ceramic slide. The imperfections in the glaze adds character to the sound. This simple single stringed instrument, produces so many tones and sound textures. Yeah, Diddley Bows are great fun.
Sorry for taking a little too long to reply been working long hours at work.
Now that is said and done Thank You! for your comment! Your description is almost seeing your diddley Bow build live, and your one of a kind, father's cigar box diddley gives it a more personal value and when you play it.
knowing the history of it, i pet a joy of the fact that new music is always inevitable of coming out. I am glad that every time you play it the joy as one may imagine on the build and that it once was your father's cigar box will always bring you memories as you strum the string with your slide to produce tones into music that can give joy to the ones that are listing as well. I would like to say that i am grateful and to say thank you once again for sharing your comment with us it is one of my favorites.
Very nice work..I have box very similar to that and I was wondering how I was going to cut the lid for the neck ..your video just made it very simple for me. preciate it keep up the great work
I Love it, gotta build one!
First video of your's I've seen; some damn fine craftsmanship. Thanks for posting it. Be well!
Thank You Thom Hill I wanted to make something different with the CBG neck and my wife's hair-psc came out alright. ;-)
Its beautiful !!! Incredible skills!!😎👍
absolutely stunning instrument, sir. it's really a work of art, especially with that jeweled end-piece! well done! I bet a few days playing had you sliding like a champ. I only screwed my first broomhandle together about two weeks ago and it already sounds like i was born to play the thing. one-strings are forgiving, indeed.
Thank you for your nice words believe it or not still practicing on one string. ;-)
You may not know how to play the diddley bow but you are one good craftsman, that came out really nice, i would be proud to own it, thanks for the video 👍.
A very nicely detailed and thoughtful build...
+micky rooney thank you I'm glad you like it. ;-)
Nice build. 👍🇦🇺.
The neck and headstock were especially awesome
+Spooby Thank you very much. ;-)
Nice Diddly Box Chris! Thanks again for the Bumble Bee Plans! Later, Murph
You are welcome for the plans I should have more to come real soon Thank you!
Nice one Chris, Thumbs up.
OG it has been a long time my friend it is good to hear from you and thank you for the thumbs up. By the way are you working on any wooden projects would love to see them on UA-cam you know hat you are missed.
Nice woodworking skills ,well done
Thank You! for your comment. :-)
Thank you.
Hey Chris I have the shakes from Diabetes & a bad phsyc med, ontop of that I can't scale or read music. Blues rifts are the easiest to play & very enjoyable. I also enjoy your posts as well. Holler a me, might be able to show you somes sounds that are really fun & easy to master. Denson Di Rosa.
it came out great well done!
Takis thank you for your support by the way have you started on the bumblebee for your daughter?
Chris, you deserve it. I haven't started it yet. Not free time but when I start it, can I upload a video of it?
+Takis Margaritis Kailos I have the same problem time that is why I haven't been able to make a video once a week
Nice build. With a string or two more you could start competing with seasick steve. I really want to build a diddly bow some day. Nice!
William it is a good way to start it is a learning experience my next one would be a 4 or 3 string I can't wait to see how that one may turn out. ;-)
You remind me of me...if you're going to build something, add some beauty to it ! VERY good job !
Thank You for your kind words I'm very happy with the way it turned out.
Nice instrument. But to be fair most of us do not have all those great machines in our workshops.
you can use EFX pedals on those too.
Awesome build man! :)
Coming from you my friend means allot to me you are the master of build musical instruments. Thank You!
If mine takes more than a half-hour to build I'm chucking it!
It's only one string, it's supposed to be 'rough & ready'!
you mad me jealous good job. building one too t y
+macrylon1
Thank you for your comment can't wait to see your build
Good 😊
You've elevated the humble DB to a new level with a luthier's skill!
I heard Scott Ainslie last Friday, and got a chance to talk to him and fiddle with his cigar box...I haven't stopped thinking about them since....
When I expressed interest in perhaps building one, Mr. Ainslie suggested Googling or UA-cam, and ask Questions.
If you will indulge me, where do I start? How long, wide, thick should a neck be (Mr. Ainsley was of no help, his neck was made from a recycled pool cue)?
I've the neck contact the body (a cookie tin, "national Steel sort of instrument), and I've seen pass-through and contact boxes.
What note string? What else should I ask?
Thank you in advance, hope to hear from you!
+Paul Drowns
Paul thank you for your comment if you would like, this takes a little bit of time to explain we could exchange phone numbers and I could go into a more detail while you take notes
That would be great! you can email me at pdrowns@gmail.com and then we can exchange numbers.
Thank you!
Vell work
Yeah, like we all have a well equipped workshop! Defeats the whole object of making your own Diddley bow from stuff you might have lying around,don’t you think?
Never played eh?.........................sure!