08/26/2026
Spotlight on Devon Claire McLaughlin , maker of mandala decorated diddley bows at KCAC! Many of Devon’s diddley bows have a pickup, meaning they can be used with an amplifier.
🤔 What is a diddly bow or diddley bow? 🎶 “Unlike instruments with a separate soundbox, the diddley bow’s body itself serves as the resonator, amplifying the vibrations of the string.”
🎵🎼🎶What makes it sound like that? “This direct connection between the string and the body results in a unique tonal quality, characterized by a raw, resonant sound. The simplicity of its design, with its single string and basic construction, sets it apart from more complex chordophones. However, it shares the fundamental principle of sound production through string vibration, linking it to a vast lineage of stringed instruments worldwide.”
Did Bo Diddley have anything to do with diddley bows? Their connection is in blues music!
“The diddley bow’s specific characteristics, such as its single string and stick zither construction, contribute to its distinctive sound and its role as a foundational instrument in the development of American music.” From https://organology.net/instrument/diddley-bow/
