Gadulka; fiddle

Gadulka, fiddle. Rebec-shaped, the body, head and neck are carved from a single piece of wood. There are two semicircular sound-holes on either side of a central strip on the wooden soundtable on which the bridge stands. Five spear-shaped pegs are set from the back to the front of the peg-box. There are two gut and one overspun bowed string, and two thin wire sympathetic strings.There are deep grooves under the treble string on the fingerboard and onto the belly. This feature and the flattish shape of the bridge suggest that the strings were used as one melody and two drones. The strings are attached to a short tailpiece tied with wire to a knob on the end of the instrument. There is a sound-post (loose). From the Pirin Mountain district. The bow is made from a forked twig. The fork provides the grip and an anchor for the hair while the longer side forms the highly arched stick, made of birch (?). The hairs are lashed to the point with string, while at the heel they pass through a hole burnt into the wood and are tied off and secured with cord.