Treatment With Fungi Makes a Modern Violin Sound Like a Stradivarius

[strad]

Andy,
Your model is certainly different than the standard issue but there's a variation that was very popular back in the Renaissance
called a Pochette that's a similar design to yours. It's also referred to as a Dance Master's violin and was carried in the pocket of a great coat
in a container that resembles a quiver. Lightweight, compact and always in pocket making the musician ready for action no matter where or when.

Here's an URL where you can see one: http://www.owenmorse-brown.com/pochette.htm
I would've uploaded the pic but couldn't get it do so.

 

[CarvedTones]

Andy,
Your model is certainly different than the standard issue but there's a variation that was very popular back in the Renaissance
called a Pochette that looks like yours. It was also referred to as a Dance Master's violin. I'm hoping the pic I uploaded shows up!

That was the inspiration for it; I am drawn mostly to medieval and Renaissance period instruments. I made it as a variation of this plan:

http://www.vintageprojects.com/woodshop/RebecFiddle.pdf

substituting a single carved piece as body and neck. I have another in progress rebec that is embarrassingly close to being done but has been lying around the shop for a long time.

 

[strad]

Andy,
I'll bet you anything that I've got projects that have been lying around the shop longer than you do! :embaresse

 

[ErnieM]

Andy,
I'll bet you anything that I've got projects that have been lying around the shop longer than you do! :embaresse

I'm helping a fellow (through e-mail) finish building a double manual harpsichord. He started building it 28 years ago.

 

[strad]

28 years! Even I can't beat that (although I'm "working" on it)! :notworthy:

 

[jdulaney]

[video=youtube;FazmeaYdyvo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FazmeaYdyvo[/video]

That's my cousin on the violin.

 

[strad]

Hi John,
Never got to meet your cousin but I did do some work on his previous violin back in the early '90's when I worked for Jacques Francais.
I remember the instrument distinctly as it was a beautiful early 18th century Milanese violin in excellent condition.
I put on a new fingerboard and bridge right before Robert's solo engagement with the New York Philharmonic later that week.
No pressure!

Now it looks like he's made it to the big time, violin wise, as the violin he's playing in the clip is a Guarneri Del Gesu.
I'd heard he'd put together an interesting consortium of investors in order to purchase it.

 

[ErnieM]

Hi John,

Now it looks like he's made it to the big time, violin wise, as the violin he's playing in the clip is a Guarneri Del Gesu.
I'd heard he'd put together an interesting consortium of investors in order to purchase it.

Strad - Out of curiosity, what is it about the violin that allowed you to identify the maker?

Ernie

 

[strad]

Hi Ernie,
Nothing looks like a real Guarneri Del Gesu excepting an exact copy and that violin doesn't strike me as a copy.
That's a beautiful sounding violin that really suits McDuffy's character.

 

[ErnieM]

Hi Ernie,
Nothing looks like a real Guarneri Del Gesu excepting an exact copy and that violin doesn't strike me as a copy.
That's a beautiful sounding violin that really suits McDuffy's character.

So I take it your main clues were visual based on your experience with the real thing. I envy you. I have barely been able to even see an original harpsichord up close - and I've never been able to hear one. Most of them found in museums are closely guarded and access is severely limited. In addition, most of those still capable of being tuned are tuned at least a fifth low to eliminate as much tension on the case as possible. Therefore, the tone of these instruments (tuned at such a low pitch level) would be difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain. As a result, many modern builders, like myself, are forced to build an instrument whose true tonal qualities we have never heard.

Ernie

 

[jdulaney]

I can tell the difference between instruments. I do not always prefer the older one over the new. In fact, I will prefer different instruments depending on what mood I'm in. I have a three nice mandolins; a bowl back from the 1880s, a 50 year old Gibson, and a new Laplant. Of the three, I usually prefer the sound of the Laplant; it has a real light, sweet, pretty sound. The bowl back is nice and dark, and I like it for playing classical. The Gibson is about in the middle in tone, but I prefer it the least, despite it being the more expensive of the three. However, it is less temperamental than the bowl back, and easier to replace than the Laplant, so it is my 'road' instrument.

The bowl back resonates very nicely. In fact, tuning is difficult if there isn't almost complete silence due to the fact that it picks up every tiny sound and just rings, throwing off the tuner. It also doesn't hold a tune very well; the neck is slightly warped. Despite all this, when I have it going perfectly, I love the sound it produces, especially for playing classical and old time.

I love the sweetness of the Laplant for playing 'courting' songs and ballads. The only problem is that if something happens to it, it would be supremely difficult to replace. I wouldn't be able to get an exact replacement, anyway.

 

[strad]

Ernie,
When I tried out for Jacque's, two weeks work for free being mandatory for anyone wanting to work there, on my second day we had laid out on the bench seven Del Gesu's that happened to be in the shop that day. By the way after my 2 week trial I was hired but alas with no pay. I didn't see a paycheck for 6 months. Ended up working as an usher at Carnegie Hall 6 nights a week in order to pay the bills. This turned out to be excellent training for my understanding of sound.

Bummer about not being able to hear what the old harsichords sound like.