VSO #5 ep. 6

i'm starting to wonder if i'm ever going to finish this project, there's so much i have planned to do in 2010 and i'm stuck on this VSO. 

 

***************************************************

to be continued

and thus it was done

alright, enough of this fiddle. it has been returned to the owner with a stiff message about heat, humidity and hide glue. i hope i won't be seeing this fiddle anymore. 

 

  

 

  

it's time to work on that cello, but the case is kind of difficult to open though...

*******************************************

instant fan. these guys are here: http://tabmusic.ca/

to be continued

VSO#6 episode 1 "cheap and dirty"

i know... we're not done with VSO 5 yet...

but i have to start planning for VSO 6 and 7 soon. i envision them to be sister instruments. for the first time, i will surrender to the dark side and build a soprano VSO (#7). usually, i think of them as small whinny little critters. but what the heck, in the spirit of all the excitement over Master Luthier Landon's Ole Bull project, i thought i would try one for myself too. if i was a professional builder, i would have loved to submit a fiddle, but owing to my amateur status, i will make VSO#7 for my own amusement. VSO#8 is tentatively going to be a 5 string with a pick up.

anyhow, VSO 6 will be dedicated to a long time music friend Richard Chapman who has retired to another part of the country. he used to run a youth music ensemble, i helped coached and played whatever missing part(s) during rehearsals and performances. he is the only person i know who owns his own set of tubular bells, timpani, xylophone, drum kit, and also flute, violin, cello, bass, french horn... i can't remember how many instruments he actually had. but we had a lot of fun (and stress) over the kids holiday concerts and endless rehearsals and tutoring.  we spent hours planing and organizing. we researched the new pedagogic stuff that came out and went to schools to recruit. we went out looking for concert venues and support.  

over the years, we poured so much of our time and money into it that it could never have been sustainable. we just couldn't get the support of the community. by ourselves we were getting nowhere. but we had a great 5-6 year run and the kids had A LOT of fun performing. which is all that matters in the end. i hope the kids will retain some of that harmony they created later in their lives.

i will mail this VSO out to Richard as soon as i get done. its going to be a folksy instrument.

*********************************************

awesome Wells
to be continued...

on we go

it's taking up a lot of time.but on we go...

i've doubled the busted ribs. the broken linings had to go and i replaced the dubious looking bottom block. i know the name of the game here is conservation, but i couldn't resist. i'm leaving the ridiculous number of cleats the last guy left behind. there are too many and a waste of time to remove. i've also had enough doubling anything for 2010, except for sleep maybe...

$500 worth of effort on a $50 fiddle... even so, it was valuable experience. the next thing to do would be a crown repair and gluing the back onto the body. varnish touch-up ends the project, and then i can go back to the VSO making i miss so much.

**********************************************

A Guarneri del Gesù  in the hands of Chang performing in the world's greatest concert venue ever. part of 2nd movt. and 3rd movt. featured. browse over to the 3rd movement for a brief shot of a mighty fine looking viola. 

to be continued...

the Viola-Matic

there was a "serious and profound" discussion of the future of carbon fiber instruments on maestronet today (here) and on the viola mailing list , stemming from a great infomercial on youtube.

check it out for yourself:

double ribs please

been busy with this "repair" i decided to take on:

 

here's what it looked like inside:

i did this:

 

 

can't wait to finish VSO 5, which is several weeks behind schedule.

even more so with VSO 6 & 7. starting 2010 with a steep uphill climb :(

***********************************************

to be continued...