All Technical articles – Page 4
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FocusSmall wonders: The linseed
For John Dilworth, the humble grain’s oil can enrobe a violin’s bare wood and flaunt its rippling curves
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Premium ❘ FeaturePlate archings and tone: Room to breathe
Nigel Harris presents evidence, theoretical and experimental, regarding the ‘breathing action’ of the plates
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FocusSmall Wonders: The top-block
For John Dilworth, a simple piece of willow or spruce can become a sanctum for covert messages
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Premium ❘ FeatureTrade Secrets: Restoring the octagon of a violin bow
A repair method that avoids having to rebuild the whole octagon from scratch
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FocusSmall Wonders: In praise of purfling
John Dilworth has a soft spot for the slender ribbons that give the violin a vital part of its personality
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FocusSmall Wonders: The joy of pegs
Fitting a peg is not just a satisfying task, it can also be a sensuous pleasure
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FocusSmall wonders: A hymn to glue
John Dilworth sings the praises of natural adhesive in violin making in this article from February 2013
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FocusSmall Wonders: The corner-block
John Dilworth celebrates the more humble yet essential parts of a violin in the first of a series of articles from 2013
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Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: An 1824 violin by Nicolas Lupot
Richard Ward looks at an instrument made in the last year of the French luthier’s life
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Premium ❘ FeatureTrade Secrets: Making purfling with fish glue
A flexible method for luthiers who prefer to make their own purfling rather than buy it ready-made
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FocusBack in stock at The Strad Shop: The Best of Trade Secrets 1-5
The five volumes comprise articles on all aspects of stringed instrument making and restoration
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Premium ❘ FeatureUnder pressure: Dealing with humidity
Jacqueline Vanasse asks players and experts how to deal with the challenges of changing environments
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Premium ❘ FeatureHow did Cremonese luthiers use consistent measurements?
Simone Zopf argues that there was in fact a single unit of measurement from which most of the rest can be derived
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FocusCremonese measurements: the use of the Roman oncia
Video showing how an instrument outline can be created using just one measurement and a set of concentric circles
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ArticleMaking Matters: Off-Beat Violins
Luthier Andrew Carruthers demonstrates the sound quality of his ’X’ and ‘O’ violins, the ‘Tabolin’ and the ‘Ripple cello’
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Premium ❘ FeatureMaking Matters: A new take on an old classic
To combat the tedium of the Covid-19 lockdowns, Andrea Schudtz embarked on a project to copy a decorated Andrea Amati violin – but with a modern twist
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Premium ❘ FeatureTrade Secrets: Cleaning and repairing surfaces before closing an instrument top
An essential procedure for repair work on older instruments
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Premium ❘ FeatureThe art of Computer Numerical Control arching
Yann Poulain reveals his method for roughing out the arching of the front and back plates using the technology
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Premium ❘ FeatureMicro-CT scanning the 1727 ‘Benvenuti’ Stradivari violin
Rudolf Hopfner, director of the Collection of Historic Musical Instruments in Vienna, explains the process of scanning an instrument, and what the scans of the ‘Benvenuti’ tell us about its construction in this article from December 2016
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Premium ❘ Feature‘An appearance of delicacy’ - Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ 1736 violin: Beauty from the Beast
Although Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ is best known for his wild, unruly later masterpieces, the 1736 ‘Cessole’, ‘Teja–Ferni’ violin reveals his softer side, as Carlo Chiesa explains
