David Burgess

Is it possible that the instrument Jacob was offering was a "skin flute"?

That's cool, Arbargle. I've been using a couple of easily repositionable holding fixtures for about 40 years now. 360 degrees rotation on two axis, plus 90 degrees on a third. They've gotten pretty pricey now, but at this point in my career, I have absolutely no doubt that they have paid for themselves many times over. https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-16240-301-Mechanical-Pow-R-Arm/dp/B00101WGMI Perhaps some of their less expensive models would work for some things too? https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-16120-344-Veep-Pow-R-Arm/dp/B001AZPA0O/ref=pd_sbs_469_15?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001AZPA0O&pd_rd_r=ad15d3bf-6790-4e5d-bd66-d656e0305389&pd_rd_w=Xh9wx&pd_rd_wg=XH7Qp&pf_rd_p=ed1e2146-ecfe-435e-b3b5-d79fa072fd58&pf_rd_r=KXCRNHB48M9HYC1CY7BZ&psc=1&refRID=KXCRNHB48M9HYC1CY7BZ And: https://www.amazon.com/Wilton-16180-343-Junior-Pow-R-Arm/dp/B002RNVMXM/ref=pd_sbs_469_2/138-0405833-5071504?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B002RNVMXM&pd_rd_r=d91d4ad6-1607-4061-acf6-366ad4646882&pd_rd_w=IPqSV&pd_rd_wg=4M0u7&pf_rd_p=ed1e2146-ecfe-435e-b3b5-d79fa072fd58&pf_rd_r=5DSX1AWX6QVBEKQZRARC&psc=1&refRID=5DSX1AWX6QVBEKQZRARC

If one didn't have some expectation of winning, why would they participate?

Is your point that some pegs are weak to the point of breaking, or that some are "rubbery" enough that they are difficult to tune with accuately?

Agreed.

"Harder" materials don't always have superior lubricity or anti-wear characteristics.

Woods described as rosewood, boxwood, and ebony can have vastly different properties from one sample to another, enough so that I'd be reluctant to claim the superiority of one over another, or claim that one or another is lighter. However, If someone were to claim that their balsa pegs are lighter than any of the above, I probably wouldn't mess with 'em.

OK, people are told lots of things, and there is a tendency to carry them forward, whether true or untrue.

On this particular point, I will disagree. My thoughts are more that some people have a proclivity to attempt to retro-engineer things, superimposing modern methods on old artistry, when what they are are lacking is something as simple (and perhaps God-given) as "a good eye". Not everyone is best-suited for every profession.

It's probably a vertical-plane grain deviation from a nearby knot. I doubt that any knowledgeable person would be able to furnish evidence that it either helps or hurts the sound. But since your teacher seems to be trying to paint a rosy picture of it, as if it is something to be desired, do you know whether or not your teacher receives a commission or kickback on instruments which students buy? My preference would be to stay neutral on it.. probably neither a problem nor an asset.

OP, thanks for posting this. I've seen a lot of stuff, but this is a first for me.

This doesn't appear to be a frog which has been divorced from its original metal underslide, as much as one which was intended to survive without one.

If you like the sound of your cello, I would suggest not changing the bass bar. String response issues mostly come down to setup and adjustment, though not always. Insufficient mass or stiffness in an instrument is difficult and expensive to correct, and will not always work out as imagined. "Do you feel lucky?"

Sacconi's "average of back thickness" plots on Stradivaris seem to suggest otherwise. I have not measured nearly as many as he did. How about you?