Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-03-03
A BARREL FIDDLE.
Ingenious Scheme OF q New Eng
lander to Provide Himself
with Music.

A fiddle made from an ordinary barrel
and a few odd pieces of lumber has just
been constructed by a Massachusetts
genius, and, greatly to the surprise OF
all. himself included, it is q success.
III. II. Heusted is the name of this en-
terprising amateur instrument maker,
who, however, is no amateur musician
but, on the contrary, viollnst and cello
player of no mean order.
1t was the lack of a cello which was
indirectly responsible for the production
of this unique instrument. Although an
enthusiastic player, with abundant time
at his disposal, he had no instrument with
which he could beguilc the long and mo-
notonous hours of his work as assistant
station agent at Prospect Hill, East Som
erville, Mass.
The station is in the residential portion
of the city, and throughout the day there
are long hours when the station agent has
practically nothing to do. lie often
thought of the amusement to be derived
from the possession of q cello, and the
more he thought Of it the more he want
ed one So he finally decided to make
one for himself, and after much planning
selected a barrel as the most promising
thing for the purpose.
known as a half barrel. 1t was of elm
wood which from long standing in the
garnet of the Heusted household had be-
come thoroughly seasoned. In the middle,
just between the hoops, the cello maker
cut an oblong opening about four inches
in length and three in width. The barrel
wcg tLcn scraped and sandpapered inside
and out, after which it was securely head.
ed up and treated to double coat, OF
the best varnish. The body was then
dried was ready for the finishing touches
which were to transform sugar barrel
into a musical instrument.
a small piece of black walnut was,
with very little work and a common
iackknife. converted into a tailpiece. For
the high bridge piece OF we'll seasoned
spruce was used. The same kind of wood
was used in making the finger board;
The neck was made of white pine, AID
the keys were whitfield out of rock maple.
These various parts were then put toGeth-
er with glue and securely fastened to the
barrel in their proper places, after which
the whole affair was put away to dry and
set" before having the strings put IN
place.
Mr.. Heusted had to stand lot of good
natured joking from his many TRENDS
while he was waiting for the time to come
when he could bring forth his barrel cello
and confound the skeptc by producing
sweet sounds from this seemingly crude
product of brains and a jackknife. No
sick child ever watched with more care
Every draft was excluded, and the room
ia which the final drying process was go
ing on was always kept at an even tenn
perature. Finally, however, the strings
were put in place, and the curious lnstru-
ment ready for trial.
It was with no little trepidation that
the creator of this odd looking affair
brought it forth and drew the bow across
the strings. The sound produced was
not at all unpleasant and after the
strings had been properly frightened the
whole was found to be a very respectable
cello. upon which could be executed al
most anything adapted to that instru-
ment. When it is played in connection
with the violin, the music is very enter
tanning. and Mr.. Heusted has no reason
to be ashamed of himself as a musical in
strument maker.
Ordinary cello strings are used on this
barrel fiddle which is not half so I'M
calmly as one might imagine.