When we’ve featured hand-made instruments before, I’ll admit I was surprised by the response. I had no idea how many folks enjoy not only playing their instruments, but also making them.
In hindsight, I suppose I should have expected it. I’ve done some basic lutherie, and I have enjoyed the challenges that accompanied each task. Looking at it from the opposite perspective, you’d be surprised at the extent of contraptions from which you can coax pleasant sounds.
This All Things Strings article details the author’s intriguing efforts to build a crude cello from scrap found in his basement. Nothing fancy, nothing pretty. Pure function, pure fun.
If you’re a real instrument geek – and I say that with great admiration – you’ll likely take away some ideas from your first read. You’ll also likely bookmark it. And why not? Antonio Stradivari had to start somewhere, and don’t kid yourself: if he’d had the internet, he would have bookmarked it, too.
Glenn Donnellan, professional violinist with the National Symphony Orchestra, recently made his own electric violin…from a baseball bat. Yes, you read that correctly! Here is the video of Glenn playing the Star-Spangled Banner on his batolin:
This is one of those cases where the interests of Full-Time Musicians (FTMs) and Part-Time Musicians (PTMs) overlap. Many PTMs enjoy tinkering with their instruments nearly as much as they do playing them. It’s another creative outlet, one that some find stressful and others find relaxing. Go figure.
While I do enjoy tinkering a bit myself, for major tasks and/or adjustments, we take our instruments to the professionals at our local instrument shop. Or the sporting goods store, depending upon who is working that day.
For the percussionist who is handy and has a lot of time on their hands, this is one of the neatest ways I’ve seen to save a few grand. You get an instrument out of the deal, too. Of course, it could definitely cut into your practice time.
Our friends at Instructables show how to build your own marimba. Not for the faint of heart, but definitely up there on the interesting scale!
Gear, Strings | Mark November 5, 2009 | 
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