I am just a bull in a China Shop.
I look for the instruments that have something different. Bigger f holes. More slanted f holes. F holes that have big gaps when looking at it from the side. Cool maple wood that isn't just evenly spaced stripes; sorry, I really don't like that at all. Some of the pegboxes were wide, some where narrow, some were tapered. I hope there isn't a standard for that too. If so, the tapered ones I like are probably held in least regard. Big fat ones are probably the favorites. There weren't many that differed by more than 1 millimeter.
I think that is a shame. Yawn.
Let's look at the violas, they will be different. Well, a little bit. There were a few that had a different outline; but nothing with wicked deSalo f holes that say, "Outa my way sucker." There were a few with high arches. One had double purfling, but I don't think it had the lily embelishment.
The cellos are very hard to see. Laying down on a table is a terrible way to view them. They need stands; that would be much better.
All in all, there were a lot of beautiful instruments. The Peter of Mantua for 1708 was the best I saw, but then again it is worth way more than anything else. But the arching of it was not typical of anything else I saw in there. It had more deeply cut edgework, and a higher arch besides.
Will I succomb to the norm. No, I don't do normal. But I HAVE to do WAY better. I bought some brushing solution from Joe, so that should help. I found a great method for applying the varnish; on the last coat; so that should help. I don't plan on being rushed, so that should help. My next violins seem to be much simpler: the Plowden and the latest Strad poster, the Beta, or something like that. Both of them have much different archings than the Montagnana did. And I still have the two violas to finish, and they are both different from anything I saw at the show.
Maybe a Gagliano cello? Who knows?
Ahh, diversity.
Ken, what finish did you use on the neck?
ReplyDeleteI never use anything on the neck, it is just smoothed with a scraper to keep it straight; and polished with either a rag and tripoli, or sometimes crocus cloth that is a very cool cloth backed polisher. You can use it wet or dry, but if you use it wet, be forewarned that it can sink into pores, which may be good or bad depending on if you wanted them reddish brown or not.
ReplyDeletelooks fine, I thought maybe some kind of tongue oil formulation was used.
ReplyDeleteKen, the light reflecting on the upper right bout contour of the back's photo makes me want to ask a question. From the reflection to the right edge, do you make all of that the recurve or does it graduate to the recurve area. I saw a Sacconi diagram showing what I thought to be an over exaggerated upper recurve/contour pattern. Here's maybe an answer to a question you posted sometime back. It's about the flat sawn plate and you wanting to know if you should invert it so that the heartwood rings were facing the other direction than what you were planning to do. In the photo I saw of a slab for sale, yes you should turn it the other way. I personally think it would make more power for you. The difference should be from 1 1/4" to 1 3/4" from the edges. Think about the sound post pushing out while the grain would prefer to go the way it's always been going. I can't comment on the workability of the piece though.
ReplyDeleteThe recurve goes up quite a ways. I don't do anything like the viola in the February Strad that has cross arches like a blown up balloon. I think a drawing would be best, I'm more visual. I'll have to make a new post.
ReplyDelete