Posted on January 14, 2010May 28, 2025 by Dale Phillips Review: Baxter’s Database of Violin and Bow Makers v3.0 by Edward D. Baxter Review: Baxter’s Database of Violin and Bow Makers v3.0 by Edward D. Baxter Reviewed by Randy DeBey Originally published in American Lutherie #84, 2005 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Five, 2008 Baxter’s Database of Violin and Bow Makers v3.0 Edward D. Baxter CD-ROM, 2002 www.violinmakersdb.com. On the rare occasions that I need information about the maker of a particular instrument, I don’t like to spend a lot of time getting it. Due to the ridiculously high prices of violin-maker reference books, I have to get whatever I can from the web, and sometimes that’s a complete waste of time. Now there’s another option that’s less expensive than buying books, and likely more productive than web searching. Edward Baxter of West Camp, New York, has compiled a database from twenty-four violin and bow maker references. He actually started his database several years ago, and the version reviewed here (v3.0) was released in June 2004. It contains information for 19,506 makers. The ViolinMakers Database software was created for PCs running Microsoft Windows (sorry Mac users). It comes on one CD and is easy to install. It includes a stand-alone version of the Microsoft Access database query engine dedicated to searching this database. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on January 13, 2010May 29, 2025 by Dale Phillips Review: Violin Making — Live! Watch Me Make a Cello, Step-by-Step by Henry Strobel Review: Violin Making — Live! Watch Me Make a Cello, Step-by-Step by Henry Strobel Reviewed by John Calkin Originally published in American Lutherie #58, 1999 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Five, 2008 Video: Violin Making — Live! Video: Watch Me Make a Cello, Step-by-Step Henry Strobel, 1997 ISBN 0962067385 Henry Strobel has written a fleet of books about making violins, violas, and cellos, all of which build one upon the other. To use the cello book you should have first read the violin book, and so on. This video set uses the same idea, i.e., to use it to best advantage you must have the cello book, which needs the violin book for complete understanding, and so on, all in the house that Jack built. But if you buy the video set, Strobel will sell you the cello book for $10 instead of $30, which might remove some of the sting. And if you haven’t got a cello guru to run to as you tear into your first instrument, Strobel on tape may be the next best thing. The videos are not intensely detailed or perfectly complete. Almost no operation is carried through to completion on tape. But Strobel has the capacity to make cello creation seem wonderfully doable. The first three hours of tape whiz by with so little effort that even a casual viewer might decide to buy a whacking big gouge and a fistful of teeny planes. Carving the plates often seems like the scariest part of cello making, but Strobel makes it look like fun. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on January 13, 2010May 26, 2025 by Dale Phillips It Worked for Me: Violin Shipping Tips It Worked for Me: Violin Shipping Tips by Keith Davis Originally published in American Lutherie #48, 1996 Helpful hints for shipping a violin: ▶ Place a foam rubber or tissue paper filler under the end of the fingerboard. This should be just snug, not too tight. ▶ Place a similar pad under the end of the tailpiece nearest the bridge. ▶ Using additional foam rubber or tissue, make a pad that will fill the space between the bridge and the end of the fingerboard, and a similar one that will fit between the bridge and the tailpiece and put them in place. ▶ With the padding in place, lower the string tension slightly, the equivalent of about one full tone. The strings should touch the pads. ▶ If a polyethylene violin bag is available, put the violin into it prior to putting it in the case to help protect the instrument from humidity changes during transit. ▶ Place additional foam rubber pads between the case and the ribs of the violin to prevent it from knocking around in the case. Make sure that the neck of the violin is supported and that the bow(s), if any, are well secured. ▶ Close the case carefully after including any necessary documents. Pick up the case in both hands and shake it gently, then with more vigor, listening to see if the violin is well secured. If not, back up and add more padding. ▶ Pack the case in an appropriate corrugated cardboard box. Padding between the case and the box is essential and may consist of crumpled paper in great quantity, foam peanuts, foam rubber. ▶ Whenever possible, ship violins on Mondays or Tuesdays, and rare or valuable instruments via 2nd Day Air. This will prevent long layovers in unheated warehouses. Please Note: People receiving violins in terribly cold weather should exercise caution in unpacking them. The instrument, box and all should be allowed to come to room temperature before opening. Frozen violins, shocked by instant exposure to warm air, can turn into 72-piece violin kits. Take your time and do a nice job. Using these methods we at Davis Instrument Service have never suffered a shipping loss. ◆
Posted on January 13, 2010May 20, 2025 by Dale Phillips Letter: Erikson Letter AL#7 Letter: Erikson Letter AL#7 by George Manno Originally published in American Lutherie #8, 1986 Dear Tim: In response to Mr. Erikson’s letter, published in American Lutherie #7, I’d like to say that just because violin makers focus their talents on one art form, it shouldn’t and doesn't make me feel above any of my fellow lodge brothers or sisters who practice their talents in another form. I felt Mr. Erikson was trying to impy just that when he referred to violin makers as “a special breed.” I also disagree with his statement that the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers lacks unity. Although I am not a member of this federation, I have spoken to its president and secretary on many occasions. Unity within the federation is stressed at all times. The question of work ethics, which I raised in the article entitled “Honesty” (American Lutherie #5), is only a small part of a bigger concern that many violin makers face. In many ways, the G.A.L., with its publication, has helped bridge the gaps that arise due to the lack of information being published by and for violin makers. Tim, I applaud your efforts. American Lutherie #7 was one of the best violin-related issues ever. If you are an amateur maker or a professional maker or repairman/woman who would like to start a new guild for violin and bow makers, with the sole purpose of sharing more information on making, repair techniques, and instrument identification, please contact me. I’d be willing to start some sort of newsletter to help get it off the ground. This does not mean that I am leaving the G.A.L. Sounds great! The GAL loves lutherie info sharing in any form. Also, American Lutherie has good violin stuff in the can for upcoming issues. Thanks to members like you, George, our violin family coverage has improved noticeably. -Tim
Posted on January 13, 2010May 27, 2025 by Dale Phillips Letter: Circles in Classical Violin Design Letter: Circles in Classical Violin Design by Jim Blilie Originally published in American Lutherie #89, 2007 Hi Tim, I’m sure Michael Darnton has infinitely more experience with violin design and a much more sensitive eye for the form of violins than I do (See The Power of Circles). That being said, I was really bothered by his article. Mr. Darnton writes that his theory of circles in the design of classic Cremonese violins seems to be the only one that will produce aesthetically pleasing shapes. I have no doubt that circles were used extensively in the design of violins, since they are much easier to draw than parabolic, hyperbolic, or elliptical curves. But he goes on to say that essentially all the extant violins of the height of the Cremonese school do not follow his plan. He posits various reasons for this, but in engineering, if the data don’t match your theory, you go back to the drawing board and find a new theory! Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
