John, Thanks for the video and instructions. I built one for my church based mostly off of your posting as it was the most complete and they performed the song this week. Hardest thing for me to find was the bell but was able to get a "school bell" at an antique store and it worked great. I also was able to find a heavy duty bracket at Amazon to hold the bell. It was a Flagstaff Aluminum "L" Bracket Mount.
Yes, my first one. I looked at videos of Rend Collective Experiment playing live, as well as pictures of stump fiddles from the Party Fiddle Factory, and then just went to a hardware store bought the wood and hardware (brackets, bolts, eye hooks, screen door springs). I ordered the pie tins, jingle bells, wood block, and bell online, and then assembled it all together. The pie tins have unpopped popcorn inside like a shaker, and they are riveted together. A cool project, and really fun to play.
great build- it's sounds a lot better than the other ones i'm finding on youtube. it might also sound a lot better bc u play it very well- great rhythmic execution. : )
I used a rubber chair "foot" - one of those protective things to keep your floors from getting scraped by the chair leg. It doesn't have any spring to it, and I've seen that Fiddle Factory ones and some others have a rubber ball of some sort on the bottom to make it spring back. But I think the pounding on the floor is actually part of the sound I like, and I haven't had a problem with the arm motion required to keep the rhythm going despite the lack of bounce. Personal preference, I guess.
Thx!! I'm also having a difficult time finding the screen door spring. Found one at Reid Supply Company but they only had one in stock. Appreciate your help!
Clayton, for my stump fiddle I got the springs from Home Depot. Any hardware store should have screen door springs like that. Mine were probably 18" long (un-stretched) and 1/2" wide. I didn't have the patience to find used pie tins, so I ordered them online from a restaurant supply store.
Are you asking if this is a tutorial, or requesting one? This is intended as a sort of tutorial on playing this particular song, for my friend who is going to be playing it at camp this summer. I'd consider recording a stump fiddle tutorial if people think it would help. But I'm far from an expert on this instrument. I had never seen or heard of it until this summer, and only started playing about a week ago when I built this one, so I could only share what I figured out from just trying it.
I didn't see the auction show. I heard that they featured one on that show as I was researching stump fiddles, but I found out about this instrument from a band called Rend Collective Experiment, who play the song that I performed to in this video. The percussion instrument below the bell is a real instrument - it's called a Wood Block, or Woodblock.
Jared, for my stump fiddle, I used one of those rubber things that fits over the bottom of a chair leg to protect the floor. The factory ones that they make at [party fiddle dot com] seem to have rubber balls of some kind to give it more bounce, but I kind of like the pounding effect mine has on the floor. A garage door spring might be okay, but it might be a little big - I'd say try it and see. I think my screen door springs were maybe 18" long and 1/2" wide.
I actually got it from costumes4less (.com) - the product is called "Bell Metal 4 Inch Diameter" (ID# VA42). I think it's meant as a Santa Claus bell or something, and it comes with a handle and clapper, but they are easily unscrewed and removed. Then I drilled the hole a bit larger for the bolt I used. It seems a bit thinner than the ones I see in the pictures from the Fiddle Factory, but it actually has a really nice tone when struck.
Christopher - thanks. I'm definitely considering doing a "how to" video on how I made my stump fiddle, based on the feedback that I've received from this video. I'll keep you posted if I do.
I didn't keep exact track, but I estimate it at around $100. If you had the time to find pie tins, a bell, a woodblock, and jingle bells second-hand or at yard sales or something, I'm sure you could do it for less. You might have nuts and bolts lying around as well - I didn't. I needed it for a camp I'm doing this summer, so I just ordered new parts for everything. Time involved was probably about 6 hours or so, spread out over a week, but I'm not a strong woodworker, so you could do better.
Hi Rick. Thanks for the inquiry. I don't really have the time to make these for other folks, but if you're looking to buy one instead of making it yourself, you can order them for $235 plus shipping at [party fiddle dot com]. But you should try making one - it was a fun project.
Wow John, awesome job on this! Any chance that you've written instructions on how you made it? I'm certain you'd get a LOT of interest from those like myself wishing to build their own as well. I'm terribly unhandy so I'd be grateful for any help you might offer on this project :)
Like Jake, I am also wondering how to keep the springs from vibrating on the pans when you hit the jingling johnny on the floor? Is it possible, or does that just come along with the nature of the instrument?
Jason Doepke - The springs vibrating on the pie tins (and the popcorn kernels inside the tins) is all part of the sound. I did stretch the springs fairly tight, so they don't rattle around too much after the initial strike. Also, when I hit or scrape the springs with my stick, they rattle on the tins then as well. Again, part of the sound.
What did you use for the bottom rubber piece? I've got most of the parts I need. I'm looking at using a garage door spring for the spring. What size did you use?
Can your at least make a video on how to make a jingling johnny because that would be a lot of help and I have not found a video on youtube on how to make one.
Hi Dalton. Thanks for the inquiry. I'm flattered, but I don't really have the time to make these for other folks - it was more of a one-off thing for myself. If you're looking to buy one instead of making it yourself, you can order them for $235 plus shipping at [party fiddle dot com] - I don't think I could do much better for price if I did it myself. But I encourage you to try making one - it wasn't that hard, and it doesn't have to be exactly like mine.
Reason 4:13 Music - sorry for the late response. I probably stretched the springs to about 2x their original length. They are pretty tight, but I used fairly heavy duty hooks on each end.
how did you keep your springs from making so much excess rattling when you hit it on the ground? mine just sounds like the springs rattling when i hit it on the ground
McCabe Lowe - sorry for the late reply. I honestly don't remember where I got the bell. Somewhere online. I think it's a 4" bell, and it came with a handle, which I removed. Rend Collective's bell looks heavier and thicker to me, and has a different tone, but mine is okay. I use a percussion mallet to hit it with, but I reverse it so I'm holding the ball end of the mallet and I'm using the stick end to hit the springs, pie tin, wood block, and bell.
John, Thanks for the video and instructions. I built one for my church based mostly off of your posting as it was the most complete and they performed the song this week. Hardest thing for me to find was the bell but was able to get a "school bell" at an antique store and it worked great. I also was able to find a heavy duty bracket at Amazon to hold the bell. It was a Flagstaff Aluminum "L" Bracket Mount.
Yes, my first one. I looked at videos of Rend Collective Experiment playing live, as well as pictures of stump fiddles from the Party Fiddle Factory, and then just went to a hardware store bought the wood and hardware (brackets, bolts, eye hooks, screen door springs). I ordered the pie tins, jingle bells, wood block, and bell online, and then assembled it all together. The pie tins have unpopped popcorn inside like a shaker, and they are riveted together. A cool project, and really fun to play.
Dude! This sounds GREAT! I've never heard anything like it. Great project --
great build- it's sounds a lot better than the other ones i'm finding on youtube. it might also sound a lot better bc u play it very well- great rhythmic execution. : )
Wow! I LOVE this!
I used a rubber chair "foot" - one of those protective things to keep your floors from getting scraped by the chair leg. It doesn't have any spring to it, and I've seen that Fiddle Factory ones and some others have a rubber ball of some sort on the bottom to make it spring back. But I think the pounding on the floor is actually part of the sound I like, and I haven't had a problem with the arm motion required to keep the rhythm going despite the lack of bounce. Personal preference, I guess.
This is the most ridiculous instrument ever seen invented. And I mean that in the MOST positive way! I love it!
Yesica1993 - Thanks! I wish it was my idea, but I can't take credit. It's fun to play, too.
Ok. I'm impressed with your mad skillz on the stumpf fiddle.
Nice job man! I want to give this a go!
Thanks! Go for it. It's actually a lot of fun, and I like being able to say that I built it myself.
Thx!! I'm also having a difficult time finding the screen door spring. Found one at Reid Supply Company but they only had one in stock. Appreciate your help!
I just got these at Home Depot. I'd imagine most hardware stores would carry them. Mine are fairly wide - maybe 1/2" or so.
Clayton, for my stump fiddle I got the springs from Home Depot. Any hardware store should have screen door springs like that. Mine were probably 18" long (un-stretched) and 1/2" wide. I didn't have the patience to find used pie tins, so I ordered them online from a restaurant supply store.
Are you asking if this is a tutorial, or requesting one? This is intended as a sort of tutorial on playing this particular song, for my friend who is going to be playing it at camp this summer. I'd consider recording a stump fiddle tutorial if people think it would help. But I'm far from an expert on this instrument. I had never seen or heard of it until this summer, and only started playing about a week ago when I built this one, so I could only share what I figured out from just trying it.
I didn't see the auction show. I heard that they featured one on that show as I was researching stump fiddles, but I found out about this instrument from a band called Rend Collective Experiment, who play the song that I performed to in this video. The percussion instrument below the bell is a real instrument - it's called a Wood Block, or Woodblock.
Jared, for my stump fiddle, I used one of those rubber things that fits over the bottom of a chair leg to protect the floor. The factory ones that they make at [party fiddle dot com] seem to have rubber balls of some kind to give it more bounce, but I kind of like the pounding effect mine has on the floor. A garage door spring might be okay, but it might be a little big - I'd say try it and see. I think my screen door springs were maybe 18" long and 1/2" wide.
I actually got it from costumes4less (.com) - the product is called "Bell Metal 4 Inch Diameter" (ID# VA42). I think it's meant as a Santa Claus bell or something, and it comes with a handle and clapper, but they are easily unscrewed and removed. Then I drilled the hole a bit larger for the bolt I used. It seems a bit thinner than the ones I see in the pictures from the Fiddle Factory, but it actually has a really nice tone when struck.
Christopher - thanks. I'm definitely considering doing a "how to" video on how I made my stump fiddle, based on the feedback that I've received from this video. I'll keep you posted if I do.
I didn't keep exact track, but I estimate it at around $100. If you had the time to find pie tins, a bell, a woodblock, and jingle bells second-hand or at yard sales or something, I'm sure you could do it for less. You might have nuts and bolts lying around as well - I didn't. I needed it for a camp I'm doing this summer, so I just ordered new parts for everything. Time involved was probably about 6 hours or so, spread out over a week, but I'm not a strong woodworker, so you could do better.
Nice!!!!
This is fantastic! I've been trying to find out what RCE's instrument was, and how to make one, and this video is perfect. Thanks!
Hi Rick. Thanks for the inquiry. I don't really have the time to make these for other folks, but if you're looking to buy one instead of making it yourself, you can order them for $235 plus shipping at [party fiddle dot com]. But you should try making one - it was a fun project.
Daniel - thanks. If I make a "how to" video on stump fiddle building, I'll keep you posted.
Great looking stumpf fiddle! My son and I are making one of these but we can't find the bell. Where did you get that online?
Wow John, awesome job on this! Any chance that you've written instructions on how you made it? I'm certain you'd get a LOT of interest from those like myself wishing to build their own as well. I'm terribly unhandy so I'd be grateful for any help you might offer on this project :)
I working on making a jingling Johnny with a friend, but was wondering where you got the bell on the top?
Like Jake, I am also wondering how to keep the springs from vibrating on the pans when you hit the jingling johnny on the floor? Is it possible, or does that just come along with the nature of the instrument?
Jason Doepke - The springs vibrating on the pie tins (and the popcorn kernels inside the tins) is all part of the sound. I did stretch the springs fairly tight, so they don't rattle around too much after the initial strike. Also, when I hit or scrape the springs with my stick, they rattle on the tins then as well. Again, part of the sound.
What did you use for the bottom rubber piece? I've got most of the parts I need. I'm looking at using a garage door spring for the spring. What size did you use?
Did you make this after watching that auction show , can you tell me is the hollow square piece of wood an actual instrument ? What's it called ?
Can your at least make a video on how to make a jingling johnny because that would be a lot of help and I have not found a video on youtube on how to make one.
Hi Dalton. Thanks for the inquiry. I'm flattered, but I don't really have the time to make these for other folks - it was more of a one-off thing for myself. If you're looking to buy one instead of making it yourself, you can order them for $235 plus shipping at [party fiddle dot com] - I don't think I could do much better for price if I did it myself. But I encourage you to try making one - it wasn't that hard, and it doesn't have to be exactly like mine.
John, how much did you have to stretch the springs ? I got screen door springs to make one and I'm having serious trouble stretching them...
Reason 4:13 Music - sorry for the late response. I probably stretched the springs to about 2x their original length. They are pretty tight, but I used fairly heavy duty hooks on each end.
how did you keep your springs from making so much excess rattling when you hit it on the ground? mine just sounds like the springs rattling when i hit it on the ground
John, also, how much Popcorn seeds did you put inside the pie pans?
Reason 4:13 Music - I forget, I kind of eyeballed it and experimented by shaking them until I got the sound I wanted. Probably about 2 cups.
what size bells did you use?
One more question. What is the white thing on the bottom?
Hi
Excuse me, could you pass me the list of the materials used to create the stump fiddle, I appreciate a lot.
Regards
Where did you get the spring & pie tins from?
Where did you get the bell? And what do you hit the springs with?
McCabe Lowe - sorry for the late reply. I honestly don't remember where I got the bell. Somewhere online. I think it's a 4" bell, and it came with a handle, which I removed. Rend
Collective's bell looks heavier and thicker to me, and has a different tone, but mine is okay. I use a percussion mallet to hit it with, but I reverse it so I'm holding the ball end of the mallet and I'm using the stick end to hit the springs, pie tin, wood block, and bell.
How much did it cost all together to build?
Did you build that?????
I so want one of these can someone make one for me Pleeeaaassssseeeee x
Hi John my name is Dalton I sent you an email about making a JINGLING JOHNNY for my Father's birthday how much would it cost?
So etwas soll heue 100 dollar bringen krass oder??!! ^^