Geriatric Blues

I spent some more time with Hil today working on my fiddle. When I got there, he had already taken the clamps off and was preparing to apply the pre-stain. We applied a generous coat and then set it aside to allow it to dry. I've noticed that Hil is very resourceful. The clamps that he uses are custom-made by Hil out of typical items found in any hardware store. In fact, many of the gadgets he uses to graduate fiddles have been designed and made from his own craftiness. Growing up during the Depression will make you learn to use what you have available. My dad was the same way.

I stained the fiddle after it was dry and then HIl applied several coats of lacquer. Tomorrow, we'll apply the fingerboard and the tuning pegs. It won't be long before the neighbors accuse me of torturing a cat because I can't play the fiddle. Also, Hil worked on a 5-string fiddle he's building with his brother. He said that the gospel fiddlers like to have access to the low C string for playing some traditional songs and he's already made a handful of these hybrid instruments.

Hil has written a song called "Geriatric Blues" that he plays on the harmonica. He cut lose on a few verses today and I started filming. He's written over twenty verses to this song. It's gets funnier every time I hear it. Maybe someday I'll be able to play it when I'm in my eighties.