Primitive blues instrument.

[Paul Childs]

Sometimes on documentaries about blues music there are old film clips in the Southern States showing a wooden shack with a string attached very basically to the porch so the shack resonates it and it is played with a bottle slide fashion. This is more basic than a teachest bass in the skiffle era.
Would be interesting to know if this instrument of sorts had a name and does anybody know what it was called?
No good trying it here in Britain as the string would go rusty in no time.

[cockroach]

Diddley bow.

[Paul Childs]

Thanks John, I have found a few clips on You tube but these are home made guitar type instruments and I was referring to a string that was attached to the wooden shack. I don't know if this kind of set up had the same name?

[cockroach]

It was also colloquially known as 'one strand on the wall'.

[Paul Childs]

I might make one as a novelty when I have the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBmK4eaZVuM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi1tJc__ ... feature=iv
I do have real Fenders in the meantime.