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Technical
Premium ❘ Feature
In Focus: A c.1750 violin by Michele Deconet
Peter Koerner examines the French maker’s mid-century instrument
Premium ❘ Feature
Trade Secrets: Preparing the wood surface before varnishing
Samuel Peguiron shares a method involving a bespoke mixture and wood shavings
Premium ❘ Feature
Trade Secrets: Purfling and edgework after closing the box
A method that allows for more aesthetic freedom than completing the plates before finishing the soundbox
Premium ❘ FeatureCentre of attention: centring and alignment
Inspired by the work of the Cremonese masters, David Folland explains his method for finding the centre line of an old instrument
Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: A 1796 viola by Sebastian Dalinger
Rainer Michael Cocron examines the Austrian maker’s late 18th-century instrument
Premium ❘ FeatureWhere science meets art: Positioning the f-holes
Inspired by the work of the illustrious Cremonese masters, Alvin Thomas King presents a practical method for modern-day luthiers to position the f-holes on an instrument
Premium ❘ FeatureTrade Secrets: Bow tip replacement – part two
How to shape the new tip after having replaced the ebony and ivory
Premium ❘ FeatureRaising the bar: Bass-bar experiments
Joseph Curtin reports on a series of experiments at the 2023 Oberlin Acoustics Workshop, which attempted to ascertain the acoustic effects of altering the height and scoop of the violin’s bass-bar
Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: A 1969 viola by Gio Batta Morassi
Yuri Pochekin examines his own mentor’s viola
Premium ❘ FeatureTrade Secrets: Bow tip replacement – part one
Jenelle Steele explains a detailed method to remove an old tip and fit a new one, before shaping
Premium ❘ FeatureA closer look: Examining the ‘Salabue, Martzy’ violin
The Strad’s lutherie consultant Philip Ihle put together this month’s poster of the ‘Salabue, Martzy’. Here he points out several extra details to help luthiers make an exact copy of the instrument
Premium ❘ FeatureTrade Secrets: A workshop facility to measure violin family acoustics
Creating an apparatus for routine quick and easy measurements while making and setting up the violin and related instruments
Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: A 1927 violin by Evasio Emilio Guerra
Andrea Schudtz examines the Turin maker’s early 20th-century instrument
Premium ❘ FeatureTaking acoustic measurements from internal vibrations
Normally, acoustic measurements are taken from outside the instrument – but the internal vibrations can reveal even more. Colin Gough presents a method for listening inside the soundbox and demonstrates what it can tell us about the sound
Premium ❘ FeatureDecorating a bow frog: let the flowers bloom
A very specialist part of the bow maker’s craft is the addition of decorative inlay into a bow frog. Vladimiros Sorokin-Andreou presents his method for this intricate and delicate part of the process
Focus8 tips for perfecting your violin varnish
Advice from The Strad Archive on preparing, applying and drying varnish for best results
FocusAsk the Experts: protecting your instrument in hot and humid temperatures
Four luthiers and restorers advise a musician on how to care for her instrument during the hot summer months. From August 2014
NewsHarry Mairson to speak online about digitally curating and studying the Italian violin making tradition
The computer science professor and amateur luthier will discuss his ’Digital Amati’ project using digital methods for understanding the structure and interpretation of classical stringed instruments, with digital curation, in a free Zoom talk to be held on 15 May 2024
FocusAsk the experts: What should a luthier look for when choosing tonewood?
For a beginner luthier, choosing the perfect spruce and maple for an instrument can be a confusing process. Three experts in wood selection offer some guidelines
Premium ❘ FeatureTrade Secrets: An alternative rib construction method
Luthier Alan Beavitt shares an option that can guarantee an accurate overhang at the end of the process
Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: A 1759 violin by Joseph Marquès
Jordi Pinto examines the Spanish maker’s mid-century instrument
Premium ❘ FeatureTrade Secrets: Making a decorative fleur-de-lys
Luthier Evan Davenport illustrates a method to add a striking decoration to the back of a Baroque instrument
FeatureAsk the Experts: protecting your instrument from chips and nicks
A panel of luthiers give their thoughts on some unusual marks that have appeared on the surface of a violinist's instrument over the course of his playing career
Premium ❘ FeatureCello bridge design: X marks the spot
For many years the design of the cello bridge has remained constant – but could it be improved? Sebastian Gonzalez presents the results of a comparison between the standard French bridge and a newly designed model, while Gaian Amorim tracks the development of the bridge
- Premium ❘ Feature
Centre of attention: centring and alignment
Inspired by the work of the Cremonese masters, David Folland explains his method for finding the centre line of an old instrument
- Premium ❘ Feature
In Focus: A 1796 viola by Sebastian Dalinger
Rainer Michael Cocron examines the Austrian maker’s late 18th-century instrument
- Premium ❘ Feature
Where science meets art: Positioning the f-holes
Inspired by the work of the illustrious Cremonese masters, Alvin Thomas King presents a practical method for modern-day luthiers to position the f-holes on an instrument
- Premium ❘ Feature
Trade Secrets: Bow tip replacement – part two
How to shape the new tip after having replaced the ebony and ivory
- Premium ❘ Feature
Raising the bar: Bass-bar experiments
Joseph Curtin reports on a series of experiments at the 2023 Oberlin Acoustics Workshop, which attempted to ascertain the acoustic effects of altering the height and scoop of the violin’s bass-bar
- Premium ❘ Feature
In Focus: A 1969 viola by Gio Batta Morassi
Yuri Pochekin examines his own mentor’s viola
- Premium ❘ Feature
Trade Secrets: Bow tip replacement – part one
Jenelle Steele explains a detailed method to remove an old tip and fit a new one, before shaping
- Premium ❘ Feature
A closer look: Examining the ‘Salabue, Martzy’ violin
The Strad’s lutherie consultant Philip Ihle put together this month’s poster of the ‘Salabue, Martzy’. Here he points out several extra details to help luthiers make an exact copy of the instrument
- Premium ❘ Feature
Trade Secrets: A workshop facility to measure violin family acoustics
Creating an apparatus for routine quick and easy measurements while making and setting up the violin and related instruments
- Premium ❘ Feature
In Focus: A 1927 violin by Evasio Emilio Guerra
Andrea Schudtz examines the Turin maker’s early 20th-century instrument
- Premium ❘ Feature
Taking acoustic measurements from internal vibrations
Normally, acoustic measurements are taken from outside the instrument – but the internal vibrations can reveal even more. Colin Gough presents a method for listening inside the soundbox and demonstrates what it can tell us about the sound
- Premium ❘ Feature
Decorating a bow frog: let the flowers bloom
A very specialist part of the bow maker’s craft is the addition of decorative inlay into a bow frog. Vladimiros Sorokin-Andreou presents his method for this intricate and delicate part of the process
- Focus
8 tips for perfecting your violin varnish
Advice from The Strad Archive on preparing, applying and drying varnish for best results
- Focus
Ask the Experts: protecting your instrument in hot and humid temperatures
Four luthiers and restorers advise a musician on how to care for her instrument during the hot summer months. From August 2014
- News
Harry Mairson to speak online about digitally curating and studying the Italian violin making tradition
The computer science professor and amateur luthier will discuss his ’Digital Amati’ project using digital methods for understanding the structure and interpretation of classical stringed instruments, with digital curation, in a free Zoom talk to be held on 15 May 2024
- Focus
Ask the experts: What should a luthier look for when choosing tonewood?
For a beginner luthier, choosing the perfect spruce and maple for an instrument can be a confusing process. Three experts in wood selection offer some guidelines
- Premium ❘ Feature
Trade Secrets: An alternative rib construction method
Luthier Alan Beavitt shares an option that can guarantee an accurate overhang at the end of the process
- Premium ❘ Feature
In Focus: A 1759 violin by Joseph Marquès
Jordi Pinto examines the Spanish maker’s mid-century instrument
- Premium ❘ Feature
Trade Secrets: Making a decorative fleur-de-lys
Luthier Evan Davenport illustrates a method to add a striking decoration to the back of a Baroque instrument
- Feature
Ask the Experts: protecting your instrument from chips and nicks
A panel of luthiers give their thoughts on some unusual marks that have appeared on the surface of a violinist's instrument over the course of his playing career
- Premium ❘ Feature
Cello bridge design: X marks the spot
For many years the design of the cello bridge has remained constant – but could it be improved? Sebastian Gonzalez presents the results of a comparison between the standard French bridge and a newly designed model, while Gaian Amorim tracks the development of the bridge
-
A subscription to The Strad brings you:
- Monthly issue in print and as a digital edition
- Three special supplements and The Strad Directory
- Archive of digital issues from January 2010
- Unlimited access to all premium subscriber online content
- Two detailed instrument posters a year
- Interviews with star string players
- Masterclasses with commentary
- Sheet music annotated by international concert artist
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