The violin, while seemingly simple, is a complex and beautifully crafted instrument. Understanding the anatomy of a violin can deepen your appreciation for this intricate instrument and enhance your playing experience.
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Choose Sustainable Wood for Your Violin: Look for the FSC Label!
Want to make eco-conscious choices in violin making? Learn why the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is the gold standard for sustainable wood sourcing. From forests to workshops, FSC ensures responsible practices. Just Get OnBOARD! Support businesses like Vermont Violins committed to a greener future. Look for the FSC label – it matters!
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Why Carbon-Fiber?
“Why should I choose a carbon-fiber bow?”
“Isn’t a wood bow the standard, especially for a wooden instrument?”
Whereas wooden bows have been used on strings instruments as early as the Islamic civilization in the 10th century, carbon-fiber bows only began to appear a few decades after high-tensile strength carbon-fiber was invented. CodaBow founder Stan Prosen had developed some of the earliest carbon-fiber parts with inventor Dr. Roger Bacon and had found in his early research a profound resonance in the new material. After years of testing and creating prototypes, early CodaBow bows had entered the market, and other music companies had begun developing their own versions to compete. Today, dozens of companies produce carbon-fiber bows in a large range of styles, price ranges, and instruments. With so many options on the market…
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With the new limitations on Pernambuco import/export, bow owners must take extra precautions to ensure that their bow is both legally and ethically made. Pernambuco, an endangered wood species, is the most frequently used wood in bow making . The high prices this wood earns for this niche manufacturing and artisanal craft is largely responsible for the woods current significant decline in its natural habitat, Brazil. -It’s a little more complicated, yes, it is hard to plant elsewhere, but the Brazilian government does not allow the export of Pernambuco seeds/saplings either.
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All About Glue
Most people don’t spend a lot of time thinking about glue. However, luthiers think about glue a lot, and it’s a much more interesting topic than you would think! The type of glue one uses on a violin can impact its longevity and our ability to repair the instrument, which means it’s important for us to make sure we’re using the best glue possible. But which glue is the best kind of glue for violin making?
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How did V. Richelieu get its name?
One of the most common questions we get asked about our Made in Vermont violins is; “who is V. Richelieu?” (“How do you spell that?” takes a close second).
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So…You Want To Be a Luthier?
Vermont Violins is almost always looking for more luthiers to join our team – we thought we might offer a few thoughts on what we look for in new team members and how you can launch a career in violin making, repair and restoration.
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Sonowood and the Search for Ebony Alternatives!
Sonowood is a wonderful alternative to the rare ebony in use on fingerboards, nuts and saddles. We are proud to be the North American importer of this fine material. It is at least as strong as ebony, visually beautiful and easy to work with. Ebony is a rare natural resource that needs to be protected. Finding natural alternatives, like Sonowood, should be a priority for violin makers and luthiers.
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A Brief Interview with violin-maker Marit Danielson
I sit down with Marit Danielson to ask her about her thoughts on women in music. Though Marit is a graduate from the Manhattan School of Music in Viola Performance and of the North Bennet Street School in lutherie, I have to research a bit to get these pieces of information. She is a prolific violin maker and bow expert. She has worked with some of the premier makers in the United States and has sold countless violins to professional players nationally and internationally. She is also humble and would much rather be on a walk with her dog, Bromley, than having me ask her questions while she is being audio recorded.
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History of the LucchiMeter
“I often happened to be working on two sticks that, when first examined, appeared to share the same characteristics, but ended up as bows with completely different qualities. This was the eternal dilemma – how to choose the most suitable wood.
They say that the famous violin makers of the past made great progress by noting that the speed with which wood propagated sound was a fundamental element in checking the quality of the sound.
For me, the only possible solution in those days was to travel all over Brazil with a friend and his son who lived there, or to go with Massimo to Germany…
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When do I need to rehair my bow and why?
In general, we recommend a bow rehair every six months to a year, ideally at the beginning of the winter and summer. Rehairing maintains the physical condition of the bow and enhances playability. Bowhair is extremely responsive to humidity conditions. In fact, historically, bow hair was used on ships to monitor changes in the air’s relative humidity. The hair stretches in warm, moist weather and contracts in cold, dry weather. When we rehair a bow, it is difficult to find a length of hair that works for both extremes in our climate – we can have 80% relative humidity in the summer and 10% relative humidity in the winter. The hair can shrink as much as an inch going from summer to winter. For some bows, in particular “soft” bows, the sticks flex more when the hair length changes between seasons.
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Why does the sound post matter?
If you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes.
That can work if you’re hiking, but when you have three concerts on the weekend, the constant changes in temperature and humidity can drive you, and your instrument, crazy! Is it time to “adjust” the sound post?
The sound post plays an important role transferring the vibrations from the top plate to the back plate. The sound post is fit to both the back and top plates, and is precisely placed in a position relative to the bridge and the bass bar. Because the top plates and back plates are curved, the sound post will fit properly, with all points touching, in only a small area. To get the optimal sound, the sound post will have to fit properly, and be the proper length so the post puts enough pressure on the top and back plates to stay upright and support the softer spruce top.
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