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 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.
Posted on January 13, 2010May 20, 2025 by Dale Phillips Letter: Hardingfele Letter: Hardingfele by Loretta Kelley Originally published in American Lutherie #8, 1986 Dear Editor: In connection with Hardingfele: People who are interested in this instrument might want to become members of the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America (126 S. Thayer Avenue, Sparta, WI 54656) Members receive a quarterly newsletter containing not only informative articles, but sources for instruments and supplies. The book on making this instrument is “Vi Byggjer Hardingfeler”, by Sverre Sandvik, published by Tiden Norsk Forlag, Oslo, 1983, ISBN 82-10-02357-8 (in Norwegian). Irving Sloan writes about making a hardingfele in “Making Musical Instruments”, Dutton, 1978, ISBN 0-87690-293-X. He is interesting, although his guess that the f-holes are bent instead of carved is wrong, and some of his other assertions are just assertions. Some additions to Mr. Peters’ articles: neither of my fiddles have purfling, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one with purfling, except converted violins. The traditional carving on the top is usually described as a dragon or perhaps a lion. And many hardingfeles have five sympathetic strings instead of four.
Posted on January 13, 2010May 28, 2025 by Dale Phillips Questions: Full Sized Violin Molds Questions: Full Sized Violin Molds by Henry Strobel Originally published in American Lutherie #58, 1999 Pat Montenegro from St. Angelo, TX asks: Where can I get full-size violin molds? Henry Strobel of Aumsville, OR responds: Most people make them rather than purchase them ready made. My books on violin making should be of help. (For more information on Henry Strobel’s books see reviews in AL#39.)
Posted on January 12, 2010May 29, 2025 by Dale Phillips Review: So You Want to Make a Double Bass; To Make a Double Bass; Double Bass Making Review: So You Want to Make a Double Bass; To Make a Double Bass; Double Bass Making Reviewed by David Riggs Originally published in American Lutherie #71, 2002 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Six, 2013 So You Want to Make a Double Bass Peter Chandler Peter Chandler, 2001 ISBN 9780968935309 To Make a Double Bass Harry S. Wake Harry S. Wake, 1995 (revised edition) ISBN 978-0960704866 Double Bass Making Bob Hitchings Gwyllum Press, 1999 ISBN 9780953715602 Until recently, would-be bass makers have had only one main source from which to get specific information on making the string bass. Harry Wake has now been joined by two authors who present distinct approaches to the subject. For those who may have been intimidated by the prospect of taking on such a seemingly difficult project, there is now a good deal of help available in these volumes. While it seems unlikely that one without any lutherie experience would tackle a bass as a first project, it is conceivable that one may be primarily interested in this instrument, and it is entirely possible to make a beginning, at least, with any of these books. For sheer detail and volume of information, I would probably pick the Hitchings book over either of the other two, but more on that later. Peter Chandler’s book is the slickest production with 93 pages and 109 figures, more than 20 of which are color photos. At $60US it is also the most expensive of the three. 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.
