What the heck is a Stumpf Fiddle?

Good question!

The stumpf, or stump, or stomp fiddle is an instrument popular with the polka, bluegrass and country bands of the Upper Midwest, USA.

So, how do you play this thing?

The answer is pretty simple: with a drumstick, in just about any manner you choose.

Believe it or not, it took us about 12 years to figure that out. It wasn't until some recent searches that we saw some pictures of people playing. Until then we'd been plucking the springs, and pretty much wearing the skin off our fingers in the process!

What does it look like? How does it sound?

If you see a kind of walking stick with a bell, horn, woodblock, springs and tin pan drum attached (like the image on the left), that's it!

Why am I here?

So if you ever see a real stumpf fiddle player, you can be impressive as you approach and say, "Hey! Nice axe! Is that an official stumpf fiddle from the Fiddle Factory, or did you make it yourself?!