OK, had this odd instrument which my parents got once at an auction about 20 years ago. No clue what it is, and we lost it in a fire; however I can describe it.
It was a rectangular enclosure, maybe 8-12" wide and about 18-24" long. Had strings running along the length of it (approx. 12 I believe), but it also had strings from about halfway across running diagonal to one end from both the top and bottom (about 6--8 strings each) and also was sold with a bow. Look about circa 1930's or older (due to the way it was put together and the discoloration it appeared to be so). Anyone have any clue what it was? Figured someone around here might have seen one.
It's a rectangle box with parrallel sides... Now I wish I had had a picture of it to put up and show as that may make it easier. And yes going from left to right (or I guess top to bottom if you turned it 90 degrees) it looks alot like a bowed psaltry in number of strings and the set up... Thing that keeps throwing me off is the diagonal strings at the top that overlapped the vertical ones. Also the vertical strings seemed more of "bass guitar" gauge while the diagonal ones were finer gauge than that.
I can't quite picture it, but youre description sounds like one of many combo-zither instruments that were made in the neighborhood of late nineteenth century and early twentieth. I've seen several that had a bowed psaltry combined with fixed chords. I actually played a gig once with a friend who played one of them. I think his was called a Ukelin. Claudia Schmidt used to play one. What we know generically as the autoharp came out of this same menagerie.
A lot of the zithers had some kind of melody section and a few fixed chords, so you could pluck or bow a melody and play chords with the other hand. I have a beast in my basement that has a harp section and a few fixed chords for accompaniment.
I used to have one, but they're very though to keep in playable condition because of the string tension on the box. Sooner or later they'll break up on you.
My guess is some type of improvised psaltry, auto harp, dulcimer thang. I see these in the old Gold Rush country of California occasionally, some dating back to the 1850's and 1860's. The hardship of those times generated a lot of musical invention. Perhaps the musical invention immigrated with the Irish to America in that time period.
Any clue on what this instrument is?
Any clue on what this instrument is?
OK, had this odd instrument which my parents got once at an auction about 20 years ago. No clue what it is, and we lost it in a fire; however I can describe it.
It was a rectangular enclosure, maybe 8-12" wide and about 18-24" long. Had strings running along the length of it (approx. 12 I believe), but it also had strings from about halfway across running diagonal to one end from both the top and bottom (about 6--8 strings each) and also was sold with a bow. Look about circa 1930's or older (due to the way it was put together and the discoloration it appeared to be so). Anyone have any clue what it was? Figured someone around here might have seen one.
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by j_dunn
Re: Any clue on what this instrument is?
is it this?
http://www.earlymusic.i12.com/assets/images/products/BOWEDP%7E1.gif
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by Caraaz
Re: Any clue on what this instrument is?
Sounds like a bowed psaltery.
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by s1m0n
Re: Any clue on what this instrument is?
Can it be a crwth? Look at: www.cassmeurig.com
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by anaís
Re: Any clue on what this instrument is?
It's a rectangle box with parrallel sides... Now I wish I had had a picture of it to put up and show as that may make it easier. And yes going from left to right (or I guess top to bottom if you turned it 90 degrees) it looks alot like a bowed psaltry in number of strings and the set up... Thing that keeps throwing me off is the diagonal strings at the top that overlapped the vertical ones. Also the vertical strings seemed more of "bass guitar" gauge while the diagonal ones were finer gauge than that.
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by j_dunn
Re: Any clue on what this instrument is?
I can't quite picture it, but youre description sounds like one of many combo-zither instruments that were made in the neighborhood of late nineteenth century and early twentieth. I've seen several that had a bowed psaltry combined with fixed chords. I actually played a gig once with a friend who played one of them. I think his was called a Ukelin. Claudia Schmidt used to play one. What we know generically as the autoharp came out of this same menagerie.
A lot of the zithers had some kind of melody section and a few fixed chords, so you could pluck or bow a melody and play chords with the other hand. I have a beast in my basement that has a harp section and a few fixed chords for accompaniment.
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by Bob himself
Re: Any clue on what this instrument is?
Sounds to me like what you had there was your basic ukelin:
http://www.geocities.com/~ukelin/
I used to have one, but they're very though to keep in playable condition because of the string tension on the box. Sooner or later they'll break up on you.
KFG
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by KFG
Re: Any clue on what this instrument is?
Yup that's what it was almost to a tee, except for the base being squared rather than a ukelale(sp?) shape. Thanks KFG!
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by j_dunn
Re: Any clue on what this instrument is?
guitarolin musta been what it was. There is a picture in the history section of that site.
# Posted on January 13th 2005 by j_dunn
Re: Any clue on what this instrument is?
My guess is some type of improvised psaltry, auto harp, dulcimer thang. I see these in the old Gold Rush country of California occasionally, some dating back to the 1850's and 1860's. The hardship of those times generated a lot of musical invention. Perhaps the musical invention immigrated with the Irish to America in that time period.
# Posted on January 15th 2005 by CeolCairdeas