Big fiddle/violin

[VernBrekke]

Hi all,

I just finished a project for Frank Smith, who started TowHaul/Smith Equipment, my day job. He's been retired for awhile but has created Music Ranch Montana, to bring in musical groups and host other events at his ranch.

Awhile ago, Ryan Keplin and his Band from North Dakota played there and toured TowHaul. We have several metal animals that have been built over the years and are scattered around the yard. One was a sea turtle. Ryan liked them but asked if we could do a land turtle (Turtle Mountain Reservation is located in Belcourt, ND) and a fiddle for his music venue, Maple Sugar Ranch, also in Belcourt, North Dakota. Frank was willing to donate them and I was asked to design them.

Ryan is known for left-handed fiddle playing so the fiddle we made is left handed. Here's a picture of the first prototype (small) and the finished fiddle (large). It has inspired me to do a large mandolin in the future ...

I hope that you enjoy the picture (I'm just in the picture for perspective...).

Vern Brekke

[Ranald]

Great, Vern, but I do have to show you the competition from Cape Breton, "The Ceilidh Fiddle". This one's definitely not playable: