Technical – Page 17
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FocusThe Cello Maker: Robin Aitchison
The Academy of Ancient Music has produced this film exploring the craft of cello maker Robin Aitchison, focusing on his copies of instruments by Stradivari, Montagnana and Guadagnini. The film is the first in a series called Breaking Down Baroque to be released by the Academy of Ancient Music and ...
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NewsStradivari's forests: ongoing effort to salvage tonewood trees felled by storms
A factory in the Fiemme valley is asking luthiers and the public to buy IOUs so it can quadruple its processing capacity before the wood deteriorates
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VideoMaking fine violins out of fungus-treated wood
In this video we hear from the researcher Francis Schwarze, who, together with a Swiss violin maker has treated wood used for instrument making with Physisporinus vitreus, a white-rot fungus that attacks and destroys certain structures in spruce, in order to build violins that sound as fine as antique masterpieces.
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FocusIs it a real Stradivarius? How to check the authenticity and value of a violin
A reader has inherited an old Italian violin, in this case a Landolfi. In fact, finding a violin in a grandparent’s attic is some people’s first introduction to the stringed-instrument world. What’s the next step regarding authentication?
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VideoIn the workshop with luthier Noémie Viaud
Violin maker Noémie Viaud in her workshop in Denmark, filmed by Nikolaj Lund. Viaud is featured in the Strad’s February 2019 ‘My Space’ column, discussing her workshop and career to date: ‘I’ve been based in Denmark for the past twelve years. I’m originally from France and learnt violin making at ...
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FocusJacob Stainer: Micro-CT analysis of top-block and pins
In the April 2019 issue of The Strad, Rudolf Hopfner explains how the neck root and top-block of a Jacob Stainer violin made after 1650 gives insights into his working methods – and solves a mystery about the maker’s training in the process. This video, made up of hundreds of ...
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NewsWilliam Watson, bow maker: 1930-2018
The Hill’s trained bow maker made a vital contribution to the trade during a long career, writes John Milnes
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VideoThe most exotic violin woods
California-based electric violin maker John Jordan introduces us to some of his most exotic woods, ranging from the pricey Tasmanian tiger rose myrtle to the Swamp Kauri, which is dug up from bogs in New Zealand and is certified to be a minimum of 30000 years old. ...
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NewsNewark's collaborative making competition reveals winners
The School of Violin Making’s ‘Hope’ competition will see four violins and two guitars sold in aid of a charity providing refugees with tools to restart their trades
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VideoMaking a cello from carbon
In this video Tim Duerinck demonstrates how to make a cello from carbon by hand. The music to the video is also performed on the carbon cello. To read his article investigating the possibilities of flax, carbon, aramid and more in violin making click here.
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VideoHow to get a crisp sound out of your instrument
In this video luthier Jacob von der Lippe shares one of the lesser-known tricks of the trade. And there’s more where this came from: The 5+1 common types of violin maker The most common types of violin makers, ep.2
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FocusThe 'Four Circles' system of violin making
Luthier Kevin Kelly explains his ‘Four Circles’ system for instrument design, adaptable to violins, violas and cellos
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FocusPlane and simple: steel bow planes
Taking inspiration from the design of traditional French bow-making tools, these bow planes are constructed from machine-tooled steel that has been ground and flash-chromed for additional durability. The blades are custom-made by Hock tools and are also available separately. Triangle Strings bow plane from $160, blade only ...
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VideoLuca Ruggiero: Spreading varnish with the fingers
The Italian luthier demonstrates his personal technique for applying varnish on a finished instrument
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FocusBlank canvas: unvarnished 5-string instruments
These unvarnished five-string violins and violas are built by a Chinese maker using flamed maple and seasoned spruce. They feature extra-wide necks, extended pegboxes and adjusted bass-bars, and most have one-piece backs. Both designs are based on Stradivari models and include ebony fingerboards, nuts and saddles. While ...
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NewsSaving Stradivari's forests: effort to harvest precious tonewoods felled in storms
A factory in the Fiemme valley has launched a crowdfunding effort to enable it to quadruple its processing capacity before the wood deteriorates
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FocusMaster stroke: Schilbach varnishing brush
The tapered and split synthetic fibres of this brush are designed to absorb a large volume of oil or spirit varnish, to enable its controlled and uniform application. It has an untreated hornbeam wood handle and solvent-resistant plastic ferrule, eliminating the risk of staining to the varnish ...
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FocusAll kitted out: violin accessory set
Manufactured in India to Italian designs, these accessory sets comprise four heart-shaped pegs, a decorative end-button, a Guarneri-style chinrest with Hill-style clamps and a Hill-style tailpiece. They are available in ebony and rosewood with a black trim to the tailpiece and black pin collars and pegs, and in boxwood trimmed ...
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FocusFirmly fastened: the Schilbach Kevlar tailgut
Using military-grade materials to improve set-up stability Kevlar is familiar to most people as a material used inside bulletproof vests. According to German manufacturer Schilbach, however, this strength also makes Kevlar a useful component in the tailgut that fastens an instrument’s tailpiece to the button at the ...
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FocusA cut above: Lee Valley stainless steel pocket plane
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Canadian woodworking firm Lee Valley has produced a limited-edition version of its pocket plane in corrosion-resistant stainless steel and with a nickel-plated lever cap. The plane measures approximately 115mm by 30mm and weighs 285g; its blade measures 22mm across and is set ...
