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Here you have my latest instrument. And its mine for now. Few instruments, if any have I enjoyed as much as this one. It really fits me and is a joy to play. I hope to be able to build one more. I would like to make the main frequency of the plates just a few hz higher. Just to compare and learn. Its a bit of topic, I know, but since this is called the Lutherie section and not the guitarmaker section, I chosed to upload anyways. There are more photos and an extra video on my blog.
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What a nice instrument you made! Beautiful! What do you use for material on the nut? It is very nice black. The sound of the violin I like a lot. And the expression on your face too while you play. You look so much more relaxed playing violin instead of playing guitar.
Nice, the varnish look a bit different this time. It's better and the color is nice. It's a Strad, are you sticking with that or are you going to also make other models?
I hear the 1703 Barbero is a good model.....I mean 1743 Del Gesu.
For now I stick with this shape. Its a generic Strad, but not a direct copy. I have built 4 violins and I wont change shape for now. I have a ton to learn. Just like in guitarbuilding, its not really the plan that matters, but what you do with it. And if I changed shape now, then I would loose track of what I have already done. The varnish is the same as before. Just another color mix. Its has less patina.
I have tried copys of Il Cañone, the 1743 Del Gesu you mention. They are very typical classical solo instruments. Powerfull and not the easyest to play. Very different from what I´m looking for. Back in the 80th I had classes with the concertmaster (is that the word?) of the Royal Chapel (symphony orchestra) of Copenhagen. In the orchestra he played a very expensive French made Del Gesu copy. It was not his. He didnt like playing it to much and never used it for practising or playing chamber music. He let me try it and it was a very high piched and nervous instrument that had to be dominated all the time. Good for playing solo because it easily put itself on top of everything, but not specially good for blending, which is what you need in chamber music. A more mellow violin blends a lot better with deeper pitched instruments like violoncellos and violas. Il Cañone had a pretty thick soundboard with a very special graduating of the top. What I build is closer to early Stradivarius which is thinner and more even in the lower and upper bout. I do, of course, build the center of both the top and the back thicker than a original strad. Because if not, the violin would not be able to cope with todays string length, string tesion and pitch. THis one has come out really well. It is very well balanced and a joy to play. It suits what I want to do. Its very good at making double stops. (playing two notes at the time for the non violin players) It blends both notes very well. Its strong in the basses and lively in the top which will open up a lot more with the years. I hope to find the energy and time to see if I can build a violin very similar, but with just a few herz higher main frequency. I know it´ll make the blending and the double stops less easy, but I think it would be worth it. Anyways, we always need some new goals in life, and this is one mine.
Yes it looks like a pre 1700 Strad that has a lot of Amati influence.
Cellos are more or the same in terms of powerful instruments, some can be difficult to handle. I wanted to make a more relaxed cello, but mine end up being a bit edgy. It needs a French bridge in stead of the brighter Belgian and different strings to settle it down, but it is is the best one I have owned. I'm going to make another on the same pattern, but work differently on the arching as is engages the ff holes. And lower. It's a challenging thing to build, I prefer it to making a guitar some ways. I have a Gasparo-ish viola in process but it has stalled due to guitar projects. But I'll probably start another cello before i finish it.
I didn´t know you had finished your cello. Lots of digging I can imagine. People have to try it, but hollowing out strongly figured maple by hand is hard work. Any pictures and sound?
I dont think there´s much Amati in my violin. Its very typical strad. When I compare it to my Viotti strad poster, its very close in the shape. Its definately flatter than Amati. I would like to make an Amati model one day. They are very pretty IMHO.
RobJe. I cant remember any easyread on different violin shapes right now, but if I remember, I will post it.
I do, of course, build the center of both the top and the back thicker than a original strad. Because if not, the violin would not be able to cope with todays string length, string tesion and pitch.
Hi Anders, pretty beautiful work! Beside my work on the guitar i started with a violin as well. I'm curious what you wrote about the top and back thickness. Sacconi wrote in his book "stradivari's secrets" that the original plate thicknesses match perfectly with the modern string tension. In his opinion it is enough to fit a new, stronger bass bar to the violins (and that's what almost every strad has been converted to). To me it sounds logical, the converted strad's don't seem to be out of balance.
Which belly plate frequency do you reach with attached bass bar?
Sacconi wrote a lot of things, but if you talk to real life violinmakers, everyone makes the center thicker, which makes totally sense to me. There is a lot more pressure on the top today, than there were 300 years ago. Some of Stradivarius violins were not much more than 2.3 around the stick. I just make it a little bit thicker and I use a tupical 2000 sized bass bar.
quote:
Which belly plate frequency do you reach with attached bass bar?
This one 338hz and 60 grams ready to be assembled. The back is 8 hz higher and weighs 95g and the final violin, stringed but without chinrest is 398g.
I crippled my hands carving out the back arching out of that tough maple. It took 6 to 8 weeks for my hands to recover. Next one I will dig out most of the back with a hand grinder with a wood cutting attachment.
I hesitate to play in public, I hate the idea of letting people hear how I mangle Bach. But I'll see what I can do soon. Maybe a section of one of the suites or jazz tune. Lately I have been working on lots of double -triple stops to play chords....it takes so much time.
Hey, listen to my playing. Its not directly bad, but I trained myself a lot in being shameless..
Compared to a violin, a cello is enormous so i can imagine the impact on the hands. But then imagine carving out a double bass by hand.... Thats terror.
Thanks for posting this, it's great to see. I'm not a violinist, I leave that to my wife, but I know enough to appreciate a thing of beauty. Best of luck with it.
Yes, its easy to go to thin. Especially if you try to copy a Strad. Many do that error. I´ve tried a few first violins that were very sweet and nice but had little treble, volume and projection. I used True oil for the 4 violins I´ve made so far. True oil is not an oil, but an oil varnish based on linseed oil and with some hardening additives. It smells totally like old fashion linseed oil varnish. Its very easy to work with. You can even varnish with your fingers.
I used True oil for the 4 violins I´ve made so far
I love tru-oil. Used it for the first time on an electric guitar earlier this year and I was impressed with the ease of use, finish and repairability of it compared to poly or nitro paint. Nice job, Anders.
Why are you afraid of using steel strings? They dont bite.. The tension in steel strings is not higher than perlon or composite strings and besides, they come in different tensions.... Your violin is not going to collaps during your lifetime unless you made it VERY thin (less than 2mm where the soundpost is)
Yes, True oil is really nice old fashion laid back varnish and it looks gorgeous. Very soft shine. BUT its only for very patient persons. It takes a long time to dry completely. My violin number 2 is now close to 2 years old and it still smells a bit of linseed oil when I take it out of the case. So... some more years before its dry. Old fashion yacht oil-varnish is very good as well and I think it dries just a tad faster.
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Its not directly bad, but I trained myself a lot in being shameless.. 
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