/ / Introduction

Single-string guitars are called diddley bows. They were brought to the United States from West Afric by slaves and became the cornerstone of blues guitar.

/ / Parts

• American Wood Moulding Pine Board 1"x 2" x 3'
• Dowel
• Match stick
• #10 Eye Bolt
• Metal Bobbin
• 1/8-Inch by 3/8-Inch Rare Earth Rod Magnet
• Rogue 026 Nickel Electric Guitar String
• Ice Pix Stainless Steel Guitar Pick
• Magnet Wire, Enameled Copper Wire, 1lb Spool, 30 AWG
• Hot Glue
• 1/4" phone jack
• 22-AWG hookup wire

/ / Instructions

1. Mark off a dot 2 inches from the end
   
   
   

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2. Draw a line to mark the nut line
   
   
   

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3. Make another mark 25 inches away from the nut line. This will be for the saddle line.
   
   
   

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4. Make another mark two inches away. This will be for the bridge line:
   
   
   

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5. Measuring from the nut line make a mark 3 5/8 inches away:
   
   
   

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6. Make the next mark at 5 7/8 inches away:
   
   
   

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7. Make the next mark at 6 7/8 inches away:
   
   
   

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8. Make the next marks at 8 and 10 1/2 inches away:
   
   
   

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9. Make the next mark at 12 inches away:
   
   
   

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10. These dots, plus the open string should give you a full octave of a blues scale.
    
    
    

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11. Measuring from the nut line, make a mark 1/2 inch in and a 1/2 inch down. This will be for the tuning peg
    
    
    

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12. Measuring from the saddle line, make a mark 1/2 inch in and a half inch up. This will be for the pickup mic
    
    

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13. With the drill make a hole for the tuning peg:
    
    
    

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14. With the drill make a smaller hole at the bridge
    
    
    

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15. Thread the guitar string through the smaller hole, leaving the ball at the back of the guitar.
    
    
    

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16. Place a washer on the eyebolt. This will be the tuning peg.
    
    

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17. Slide the eyebolt through the larger hole with the loop sticking out the front side.
    
    

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18. Add a second washer to the back side.
    
    

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19. Place the screw on the back side and loosely tighten.
    
    
    

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20. Thread the end of the guitar string through the eye of the tuning peg.
    
    
    

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21. Pull the string tight, then add about an inch of slack.
    
    

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22. Bring the free end of the string towards you (counterclockwise). and loop it under the length of the string
    
    
    

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23. Pull the end of the string up and back, crimping it where it crosses under.
    
    

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24. Now turn the tuning peg clockwise and tighten the screw at the back to get good tension.
    
    
    

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25. Add the matchstick near the tuning peg.
    
    
    

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26. Slide the larger dowel to the saddle line.
    
    

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27. Place the pickup mic near the dowel. It should be close to the string, but not touching it.
    
    
    

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28. Test the mic with alligator clips:
    
    
    
    

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29. Plug the mini-amp into the audio jack
    
    

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30. If the pickup works, solder wires from the pickup to the mono jack and add tape to insulate the solder joints
    
    
    
    

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31. Add glue to attach the pickup
    
    
    
    

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32. Add glue on the other side to attach the audio jack to the guitar (on the back side)
    
    

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33. Test the guitar.
    
    
    

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Pickup mic

1. Wind the magnet wire around the bobbin about 1500 times. Twist the ends together. Add a little glue to the wound bobbin to hold the wires in place.
   
   
   

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2. Sand off the enamel from both free ends.
   
   
   

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3. Glue the magnet inside the wound bobbin.
   
   
   

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