Piddling with Fiddles

So, I had planned on going to the fiddler’s convention in the Plemmons Student Union today, but they said it wasn’t going to start until 7:30 tonight and I wasn’t going to be on campus then and cannot go tomorrow because of work. I would have come to see Rick Ward if I hadn’t thought that the convention was all day Friday. However, I have been to the fiddler’s convention before here at ASU with my father and grandfather. All three of us play bluegrass instruments (I play mandolin, Dad plays banjo, and my grandfather plays the fiddle/mandolin/guitar) so it was interesting to see people crowded together for the sake of bluegrass music, musicians and luthiers alike!

What I can remember is that Dad took a particular interest in the banjos made by a man named Clancy Mullins from Tennessee. His banjos were beautiful; he made different sizes and he had them stained all sorts of colors. Dad’s attention was mostly focused on one with a green hue to the wood (since green is his favorite color). A few weeks after we went to that convention, Dad eventually got in contact with Mr. Mullins to trade in his old banjo for that green one. This would eventually inspire my father to undertake a project like nothing he had ever done before!

I haven’t mentioned this in class yet, but Dad is a very gifted carpenter/woodworker. He recently built his own workshop where our old woodshed used to be. He spends most of his free time out there working on birdhouses, mailboxes, and even the popular “corn toss” game boards for anybody wanting some. However, some time after buying that banjo, he decided to make an actual fiddle! He was able to get in touch with some luthiers (makers of stringed instruments) and find online videos to teach himself how to construct a fiddle. He used a very pretty leopard wood and ordered the neck and chin guard from Taiwan. Finally he finished the fiddle after 6 whole months! I have provided a picture of it and the banjo made by Clancy Mullins below.