1900s/2012/2020 Cigar Box 4/4 Violin

Update 2020: This came back in via trade and so I've updated this post entirely.

I originally made this in 2012 out of a neat old cigar box (with "fancy lady" decal on the back) and a 1900s-era Stainer-copy 4/4 violin neck. The tailpiece is cut-down from a tenor guitar, the bridge is new, and it originally had some sort of salvage acoustic pickup installed and the usual friction pegs at the headstock.

This time around I swapped the junker pickup for a K&K "hot spot" with a Switchcraft jack, fit a second soundpost to stabilize the top somewhat more, recut the bridge for a faster setup, and replaced the friction violin pegs with some old guitar tuners that I modified to serve this role.

The result is a practical, great-sounding, plug-in-ready little fiddle that plays nice and easy "from the chest" in old-time fashion. It sound is about like a loud ukulele "unplugged" but it is good and mellow, with a very folksy quality to it. It's great for practicing or walkabout playing when you don't want to drive friends or family crazy.

Setup notes: action is very low and fast and strings are worn-in but ready-to-go John Pearse Mezzos (basically Thomastik Dominants).

Scale length: 13"

Nut width: 15/16"

String spacing at nut: 11/16"

String spacing at bridge: 1 7/16"

Body length: 10 3/4"

Lower bout width: 3 7/8"

Side depth at endpin: 1 7/8"

Top wood: solid cigar-box-cedar?

Back & sides wood: same

Bracing type: "soundposted" tonebar

Fingerboard: ebony

Bridge: maple

Neck feel: medium C-shape

Neck wood: maple

Weight: 1 lb 2 oz

Condition notes: clearly it's a cobbled instrument and both funky and functional.