| Violin Photo Gallery |
This is a violin that I built in 2005 and I guess you could say that it is built on my own
model. While not immediately obvious this violin has a golden period Stradivari
outline, the sides were assembled on a 1715 Stradivari mold. The reason this is not
obvious is because much of the "look" of a violin is based on the shape of the corners and
f-holes. In carving the corners and especially the f-holes I have a very personal way of
cutting the wood and it shows on this violin. The arches for the top and back show more
Guarneri influence than anything else.
The top of this violin is two piece Sitka spruce from Alaska. The back is one piece sugar
maple with light figure. The varnish has what I would call an amber color but
depending on the lighting that it is viewed under it can look yellow, brown, amber, or
orange. As you can see in some of these views the varnish takes on slightly different
colors based on the lighting and viewing angles.
This violin has a powerful voice with easy response. The e-string has a very pleasant
sound with no shrillness or harshness.
model. While not immediately obvious this violin has a golden period Stradivari
outline, the sides were assembled on a 1715 Stradivari mold. The reason this is not
obvious is because much of the "look" of a violin is based on the shape of the corners and
f-holes. In carving the corners and especially the f-holes I have a very personal way of
cutting the wood and it shows on this violin. The arches for the top and back show more
Guarneri influence than anything else.
The top of this violin is two piece Sitka spruce from Alaska. The back is one piece sugar
maple with light figure. The varnish has what I would call an amber color but
depending on the lighting that it is viewed under it can look yellow, brown, amber, or
orange. As you can see in some of these views the varnish takes on slightly different
colors based on the lighting and viewing angles.
This violin has a powerful voice with easy response. The e-string has a very pleasant
sound with no shrillness or harshness.
These next few pictures are meant to show the different colors that I can achieve with
my varnish. The colored varnish that I use is based on a colored pine resin recipe of my
own creation. This is not Michelson, Fulton, or Fry style varnish. My varnish is a nice
yellow or amber color when applied in a very thin coat. When the thickness of the
varnish is increased slightly the color changes to an orange. When applied a little
thicker it becomes red or red-brown depending on the particular varnish batch used.
my varnish. The colored varnish that I use is based on a colored pine resin recipe of my
own creation. This is not Michelson, Fulton, or Fry style varnish. My varnish is a nice
yellow or amber color when applied in a very thin coat. When the thickness of the
varnish is increased slightly the color changes to an orange. When applied a little
thicker it becomes red or red-brown depending on the particular varnish batch used.
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This next little instrument is called a violino piccolo. The body size is between a 1/4
and a 1/8 size violin. Even though it is very small it was not meant to be a child's
instrument. It was designed in the baroque period when the rest of the violin family was
created and it's purpose was to play passages higher in pitch than the violin scores of
the time.
The violino piccolo is tuned an octave above a viola. This instrument is based on one
built in 1613 by A&H Amati. The original instrument can be viewed at the National
Music Museum, formerly the Shrine to Music Museum.
If you look closely you might notice that this baroque instrument was not strung up
with period correct strings when I took these pictures. I was curious to see how this
small violin body would function as a fractional sized modern violin so I strung it up
initially with steel strings. The instrument is extremely responsive and fun to play but
because the body is so small the lower pitched strings just don't have the depth or
richness of a full size violin but I do think that this pattern when fitted with a modern
neck would make a very nice child's violin.
and a 1/8 size violin. Even though it is very small it was not meant to be a child's
instrument. It was designed in the baroque period when the rest of the violin family was
created and it's purpose was to play passages higher in pitch than the violin scores of
the time.
The violino piccolo is tuned an octave above a viola. This instrument is based on one
built in 1613 by A&H Amati. The original instrument can be viewed at the National
Music Museum, formerly the Shrine to Music Museum.
If you look closely you might notice that this baroque instrument was not strung up
with period correct strings when I took these pictures. I was curious to see how this
small violin body would function as a fractional sized modern violin so I strung it up
initially with steel strings. The instrument is extremely responsive and fun to play but
because the body is so small the lower pitched strings just don't have the depth or
richness of a full size violin but I do think that this pattern when fitted with a modern
neck would make a very nice child's violin.
This little instrument is called a violino piccolo. The body size is between a 1/4 and
a 1/8 size violin. Even though it is very small it was not meant to be a child's
instrument. It was designed in the baroque period when the rest of the violin family
was created and it's purpose was to play passages higher in pitch than the violin
scores of the time.
The violino piccolo is tuned an octave above a viola. This instrument is based on one
built in 1613 by A&H Amati. The original instrument can be viewed at the National
Music Museum, formerly the Shrine to Music Museum.
If you look closely you might notice that this baroque instrument was not strung up
with period correct strings when I took these pictures. I was curious to see how this
small violin body would function as a fractional sized modern violin so I strung it up
initially with steel strings. The instrument is extremely responsive and fun to play
but because the body is so small the lower pitched strings just don't have the depth
or richness of a full size violin but I do think that this pattern when fitted with a
modern neck would make a very nice child's violin.
This violin is finished in a nice red varnish. You may notice that this same
instrument is pictured further down the page in yellow varnish. I was not
completely happy with how this instrument looked in yellow varnish so I refinished
it in red and I am very happy with the results.
a 1/8 size violin. Even though it is very small it was not meant to be a child's
instrument. It was designed in the baroque period when the rest of the violin family
was created and it's purpose was to play passages higher in pitch than the violin
scores of the time.
The violino piccolo is tuned an octave above a viola. This instrument is based on one
built in 1613 by A&H Amati. The original instrument can be viewed at the National
Music Museum, formerly the Shrine to Music Museum.
If you look closely you might notice that this baroque instrument was not strung up
with period correct strings when I took these pictures. I was curious to see how this
small violin body would function as a fractional sized modern violin so I strung it up
initially with steel strings. The instrument is extremely responsive and fun to play
but because the body is so small the lower pitched strings just don't have the depth
or richness of a full size violin but I do think that this pattern when fitted with a
modern neck would make a very nice child's violin.
This violin is finished in a nice red varnish. You may notice that this same
instrument is pictured further down the page in yellow varnish. I was not
completely happy with how this instrument looked in yellow varnish so I refinished
it in red and I am very happy with the results.
This is a new violin completed in 2007. This violin was built using a Carlo Bergonzi
mold and this can be seen in the outline. Also the f-hole placement is similar to the
practice of Bergonzi because I placed the upper and lower f-hole eyes in the same
location as the originals. These f-holes however do not look like Bergonzi f-holes
because after positioning the upper and lower eyes I connected them freehand without
looking at the original instrument. This led to f-holes that look nice on this violin
without copying the originals.
The first two pictures show this violin after the varnish was applied. After varnishing
this instrument I decided to use it as an acoustics experiment. I took sound recordings
of this violin while fully varnished, then I removed about 33% of the varnish and then
took recordings again under the same experimental conditions in order to look for
differences in sound output that can be directly attributed to the varnish.
mold and this can be seen in the outline. Also the f-hole placement is similar to the
practice of Bergonzi because I placed the upper and lower f-hole eyes in the same
location as the originals. These f-holes however do not look like Bergonzi f-holes
because after positioning the upper and lower eyes I connected them freehand without
looking at the original instrument. This led to f-holes that look nice on this violin
without copying the originals.
The first two pictures show this violin after the varnish was applied. After varnishing
this instrument I decided to use it as an acoustics experiment. I took sound recordings
of this violin while fully varnished, then I removed about 33% of the varnish and then
took recordings again under the same experimental conditions in order to look for
differences in sound output that can be directly attributed to the varnish.