All Technical articles – Page 20
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FocusAnalysing the surprisingly complex geometry of the fingerboard
M.J. Kwan discovers how luthiers prefer to tackle the many questions of curvature and ‘scoop’ involved in creating a violin fingerboard
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GalleryCremona Triennale: the Olympics of violin making
Virginia Villa, director of Museo del Violino, previews the 15th edition of Cremona’s Triennale competition, which begins in September. Photos from the 2015 edition
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FocusTitanium: the perfect material for instrument fittings?
Tough and light, titanium is thought to be the leading material for stringed instrument adjusters and fixtures, but does the metal have acoustic benefits too? Peter Somerford investigates
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FocusGeared pegs: why isn't everyone using them?
Geared pegs have their advocates and detractors but, as Tom Stewart finds out, the innovation has benefits for a broad range of players, from young students to seasoned professionals
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FocusMy Space: Benedict Puglisi, Melbourne, Australia
A peek into lutherie workshops around the world with The Strad. From the May 2018 issue [click + to zoom]
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FocusA beginner's guide to identifying a Stradivarius
Figuring out the maker of an unknown violin takes a trained eye and a detective’s skill, says luthier John Dilworth. Here he gives his personal perspective on the clues and processes of elimination that help experts pinpoint an instrument’s origins. From the July 2010 issue
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FocusBuilding bridges: a photo essay
Have you ever wondered who makes the world’s stringed instrument bridges, and how? In this gallery, we follow the process from tree trunk to blank bridge
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Premium ❘ FocusDid the Cremonese have access to wood with unique special qualities?
Were the old Cremonese luthiers really using better woods than those available to other makers in Europe? In this article from 2013, Terry Borman and Berend Stoel presented a study of density that suggested otherwise
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FocusWhy is the thickness of the front and back of Stradivari's instruments so unpredictable?
Although there is no record of how the Cremonese makers finished their instruments, Dirk Jacob Hamoen argues that the final scraping was done after they had been strung up and played in the white
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VideoA real Stradivarius vs its faithful copy – Can you hear the difference?
Esther Abrami plays a violin by Stradivari and its faithful copy by Florian Leonhard side by side. The video was filmed by Wright Music Media at Florian Leonhard Fine Violins in London. The pianist is Alison Rhind.
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VideoThe Violin's Voice | Die Seele der Geige (Trailer)
The trailer for a new German language documentary featuring violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann and luthier Martin Schleske. The film, a coproduction by EuroArts and BR (Bavarian Broadcasting), follows Zimmermann in 2016 has he reunites with the ‘Lady Inchiquin’ Stradivari, after a period of nearly two years where its ownership was ...
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NewsLuthiers sans Frontieres back on the road with Philippines project
UK chapter of charity based at Newark School of Violin Making makes its twelfth overall mission and first visit to Bataan over Easter
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NewsPetition to save Indiana University's violin making and restoration programme
Responding to the retirement of the current director with no apparent replacement, students and alumni are concerned the Jacobs School of Music intends to quietly shut down the Violin Shop
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VideoCollaborative violin making - LIVE!
This is a live stream from the Violin Makers project at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK, during its Strings Festival. Luthiers Kai-Thomas Roth, William Castle, Marc Soubeyran and Tibor Szemmelveisz are collaborating on building two violins in seven days (2-8 March) - one is based on ...
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FocusTrade Secrets: Christian Bayon’s method for making a bass-bar
The French luthier shares his design for a new type of bass bar which is both a strong support and allows the top plate to vibrate more freely
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NewsPlans unveiled for Tokyo Stradivarius Festival
Blockbuster exhibition, supported by The Strad, will feature over 20 instruments
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FocusCT scanning for luthiers: an essential guide
Increasingly, researchers are using technical CT scanners to examine instruments for construction secrets to woodworm and previous repairs. Rudolf Hopfner presents a guide to the technology and the microscopic details it can reveal
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FocusLuthiers' favourite gadgets from ancient plant matter to the latest tech
We asked some top makers and restorers to share their favourite labour-saving devices, and got a fascinatingly broad range of responses
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VideoFinding Bespoke: The Violinmaker – A film by Michael Bernard featuring Benning Violins
Filmmaker Michael Bernard’s short film in his ‘Finding Bespoke’ series visits Benning Violins, a four-generation lutherie workshop in Los Angeles. Eric Benning is featured in the December 2017 issue of The Strad’s ‘My Space’ column – to read the full article, download the issue on desktop computer, ...
