David Burgess

Dennis, your definition of a 'good joint" may not be the same as Nathan's. Then either you haven't used a good plane, or you don't know how to use it properly.

I have never run across anyone who was seriously good, past or present, who was willing to do a bushing for anywhere close to 25 bucks. I reckon one could get someone to play a wedding or orchestra gig for 25 bucks too, but I wouldn't expect it to be high quality.

I'd try applying tung oil, giving some time to penetrate any porosity, then wiping it off, and giving what has penetrated enough time to dry thoroughly. Then polishing again if needed.

They did leave a message middle of the week asking me to call them.

Most major dealers and appraisers seem to be able to recognize them without a problem.

Maybe it comes with a bow?

Uhm, OK, what are your qualifications for making an assessment, such as a violin being "soloistic? Have you swapped fiddles with people like Perlman or Hahn, and compared notes?

Glad that you like it.

Otto Schenk is actually Swiss, but was working in the US at the time. He currently has a shop in Bern. David Weibe's shop is in Woodstock, NY.

Hard to say. He didn't like it enough to have it buried with him, apparently.

I just found out about that a couple of days ago. Interesting history on that 16" viola, from the Tarisio "Auction Highlights" section, 5th item down: "This viola was made by David Burgess in 1982, during his prime years of winning competitions, and before he was made hors concours by most of them. It was purchased by Maurice Riley, the viola and violist scholar and author of the two volumes, The History of the Viola. Riley knew Burgess well and, according to Riley’s son, this instrument was purchased directly from the maker. The handsome flamed maple back, the confident and informed Stra

Can this be set up in an automatic sprinkler system, in case I once again slip on my own blood, resulting in my head hitting the floor so hard that I become unconscious for a while?

However, if the varnish believes it is underfed, it might get grouchy.

There are a number of stories like that.

I wonder how the museum got the photos of their instruments to look so sooty-green?