Peter K-G

ok, I can't know what you do and what you are researching. I agree that darkening the wood (not by staining) is what matters, but I think your varnish looks guite pale

I fully agree, if you want dark varnish it should look this black and the color will not fade

Hi Michael, The only thing that is fugitive is the volatiles . The rest stands BLACK for YEARS: in direct sunlight, snow, rain , dry days and ..... for years!!! (test pieces still holding strong out in sun, rain, snow .... no change from 2010) Cooked colophony varnish is stable as ***** Roger H. is right! and black is black! (and pigment should be madder lake or none = my opinion, for more reddish tint)

Sorry about the late response! I follow the thread when I have time, i think that the Amati legacy should get all the attention - the rest is (as I wrote - copycat) You wont't find the perfection in Strad/del Gesu as they = optimization (squeezing/extending) for "power" etc...

How about this, Someone smart, drew a perfect beautiful shape of the violin (Amati family?), using known (at that time) mathematical figures and tools (dividers etc..). The rest is copycat (and maybe adjustments for tone) for 400-500 years. Interesting thread to read though ...

I can confirm that this is how it is. Just by tuning the strings enough to hold the bridge the body resonances are pretty much the same as when the strings are tuned. You can get odd changing in B1 modes, but that is most often tail gut frequency disturbing B1+. If the violin is weakly built you get changes by tension, but that is not happening right away but after awhile when the arches are deformed.

Someone put them in Strads too

Good philosophy Anthony!

It's easy to get attention The story behind is that I have recently recieved some e-mails/pm:s because I have a lot of pictures on Google of my varnish making. Many questions about, have you tried this and that, I haven't! Everything I do is on my site and in image albums Short answer, don't say that it's ground if you put linseed oil or varnish directly on bare wood.

There it is! Varnish, should. not be the subject/object The ground IS the varnish(and it is not = varnish) If varnish = varnish (that is substance of linseed oil or/and resins) => Varnish is really really dark, or filled with pigments/color Otherwise it is NOT varnish i.e it is the ground

AWESOME! LET'S DO THIS! LETS MAKE A NEW SPIRIT VARNISH GROUP AND WHILE ON IT LET'S CALL IT Maestronet

Mine too! I hope that his legacy lives on for generations to come.

Yes! Thank you Julian I have had the priviledge to sponsor a book for late Addie and I have gathered his magnificent work here http://www.thestradsound.com/maestronet/stradivari-forma-by-addie

http://www.makingtheviolin.com/

The chosen wood might have some own opinions on arching