All Lutherie articles – Page 30
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The ‘Betts’ Stradivari: The progress of progress
A century after The Strad published its first article on the Stradivari ‘Betts’ violin, maker John Waddle asks what the magazine’s descriptions of the instrument reveal about lutherie expertise, and explains his latest high-tech analyses of the instrument. Taken from the May 2010 issue
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Freehand carving: identifying historical violins from Markneukirchen
In this extract, Enrico Weller and William Wisehart analyse trademark features of violins from the southern Saxony instrument-making town
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Cutting corner blocks: inside the Markneukirchen violin factory
Our August 2021 issue features the bow making legacy of the Herrmann family in Markneukirchen. In this extract from April 2011, Arian Sheets describes the rise and fall of factory violin making in the 20th century in the same city
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Markneukirchen: The rise and fall of Germany’s first violin factory
A small German town was the setting for an early experiment in violin mass-production. But outside economic forces threatened it from the very start. Arian Sheets traces its history, in this article from the April 2011 issue of The Strad
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Markneukirchen merging: linking the Herrmann and Knopf bow making families
In this extract from the August 2021 issue, Gennady Filimonov introduces the Herrmann family of bow makers and their close connections with their contemporaries the Knopfs
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The ‘Amici Bernardi’ Stradivari sitting at the heart of West Sussex’s cultural life
With a price seemingly out of reach at £1.2 million, Andrew Bernardi shares how he convinced a group of investors to help acquire the violin to bring cultural enrichment to audiences in West Sussex, the UK and abroad
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Stick your neck out: the pros and cons of adjustable necks
In this extract from the August 2021 issue, Joseph Curtin discusses how he experimented with adjustable necks, progressing from the various changes made in connecting an instrument’s neck to its body since the Baroque era
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‘Makers should pay attention to these three modes’ - Joseph Curtin on violin acoustics
In the August 2021 issue, Joseph Curtin examines the evolution of neck setting. Twelve years ago he looked into a violin’s acoustic behaviours, and how its signature ‘modes’ indicate its sound and response
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Violin modal analysis – part two: Good vibrations
In the second of a two-part article from July 2009, Joseph Curtin continues his investigation of the low-frequency resonances that influence a violin’s acoustic behaviour
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Trade Secrets: Making a martelé button
A simple method for adding this small detail to your bows
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My Space: Gertrud Reuter
The luthier’s workshop, based in Basel, Switzerland, contains furniture from the Paris firms of Caressa & Français, Maucotel & Deschamps, and Daniel Moinel
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Making Matters: Something in the air
Steve Sirr and John R. Waddle use CT scans to examine the internal air volume of 20 Cremonese violins, and make a surprising discovery about the soundpost position
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Review
Book review: Monograph of the Antonio Stradivari Cello c.1690 ‘Barjansky’
Florian Leonhard reviews an extensive study of the famous cello, including dendrochronology, CT scans and posters
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Recording arching profiles: Ahead of the curve
Recording the archings of instruments is one of the most difficult areas of violin making and restoration. Charline Dequincey describes a method using dental compound which is accessible to anyone, and gives high-quality results
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News
Philharmonie de Paris announces lutherie competition
The contest will be held next January for students and professional instrument makers
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Violin making at Xinghai Conservatory of Music
In this extract from the July issue, Sisi Ye examines one violin making school in China teaching the art of lutherie to young people
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News
New study reveals the wood treatments used by Stradivari, Amati and Guarneri
The report reveals how the luthiers changed the molecular structure of the spruce used for instrument tops
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In Focus: An 1865 violin by Samuel Nemessányi
Zoltán Délczeg details an instrument by a maker considered to be the most famous in Hungarian history
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Trade Secrets: An easy system for making a template and a mould
A method to create classical forms inspired by the work of the Cremonese masters
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My Space: Jamie Marie Lazzara
The luthier’s workshop, based in Florence Italy, is just six square metres and was used in the filming of Hannibal