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Craig Tucker

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About Craig Tucker

  • Birthday 07/22/1955

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Roswell, NM
  • Interests
    Violin making, repair, rehairing.
    Painting, drawing, the arts.

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  1. Oh well, and so goes life. Hah! - been there, done that. We get there, we try, and we move on down the road.
  2. I couldn't have put it any more succinctly than this. (above) Very good Rue!
  3. Some evaluations cannot be more objective than the spokesman is, regarding their opinions about sound preference. No two people ever "hear" exactly the same thing, just as no two different people 'want' or 'like' exactly the same thing. These differences are subjective, and will not ever give up their "secrets" because there is no real "best sound" (projection included) that will disclose a preference as if it were an incontrovertible fact. What players want, they get. (meaning they will acquire) And what audiences like, they like. (or dislike). An instrument (any instrument) is usually dependant on the musicians ability to extract exactly what he or she wants to extract from it - if you, an expert accomplished and able viola maker, cannot tell what makes an instrument better or worse, projection wise, then, perhaps such a question as this is fairly superfluous. What you like, you like. It reminds me of the time that Jascha H told me (absolutely a true story) that, depending on which location he happened to be in - and what the climate was like - would always determine exactly which violin he would choose to play... The magic was in the man ; more than in the instrument
  4. Soundpost set-up IS very critical. Much like bridge fitting is. The proper tension of the post, and an exact fit of it, are essential. Both ends of the post must match the curvature of the inside of the back and belly plates where they make contact - rather perfectly, with the post in the correct position (vertically) and location. Also, as I have mentioned, "tension" of the post is very important. Too tight, I believe, is the biggest - most common problem with sound posts on many new commercial violins. A newly finished (handmade) violin needs to be checked quite soon after stringing up for the first time - for correct "fit", that is: shortly after it is first brought up to tension with strings on. The post must move about freely with the sp adjuster - and yet be rigid enough to stand on its own without the strings on, or brought up to pitch. (my opinion) Setting a post up correctly is a job for learning, only by doing and redoing many of them.
  5. It's the only book EHA ever wrote on violin making. It is interesting, but only interesting for today's violin maker. I'd spend my hard won money, elsewhere ct
  6. Ahh, Evan My friend! Sorry, I've been out of touch for a while now. Not with any intention to skip out on my friends. But my bow making and my (every other day) dialysis schedule (not to mention my "demanding" wife and her rather odd pursuits!) have been taking up most of my attention as of late... I'm now in my (very early - you understand - ahem!) sixties and have slowed down quite a bit. But I'll never slow down to the point of ignoring my hard-won friends. Evan - you, as anyone here, can email me at - well, you've got the email address. And I respond eventually to any and every body that contacts me - eventually, that is. but I'm not gone - and in particular not gone for my small group of close personal friends. My apologies for not responding sooner. I'm here, my friend - just slowing down a tad ct
  7. I have sent you message "off line". Please respond and let me know what to do My thanks! ct
  8. Addie - Extremely cool. You've got the mind of a true Renaissance Artist! ct
  9. So then - where to start? Well... I started by varnishing many violins "straight" - with new (and new looking) varnish. including simple shading, which is pretty well accepted as a regular form of "new" varnish. Without which (skill, that is) one cannot go beyond simple 'straight varnishing' into the even more skilled version of varnishing which includes faux aging, of any sort. Varnishing convincingly - period - is an acquired skill. Including, what to use for, or as, a varnish, and exactly what to use for, and as, a colorant. antiquing - with what? one might ask.
  10. That's sort of where (and why) you need to look at examples of what is already out there. Both real or actual old, and new or faux old. There is no better example of what age and wear look like - than actually studying real age and wear - either in person, or from very good photographs - and also, looking at what new 'age' and 'new or faux age and wear' look like. Oddly they can both be equally convincingly done. I know this because I've seen examples of both.
  11. Here's my take on the whole idea. Look at as many antiqued, and faux-antiqued instruments as you can. If you can tell the difference - then what is the difference; exactly? Antiquing isn't impossible, and when someone uses, or asks for an 'antiqued' instrument - well, they're simply asking for something with a particular "look". If they want an exact copy of a particular single very old instrument - then that's a far different story, where close copying is called for. Antiquing, ahh, I must admit to a great affinity for the process. Did I learn it from someone in particular? No. I simply looked around me - and copied certain effects. (particle colliders not withstanding)
  12. Yes, definitely! Merry Christmas to all who believe! (and I'm not talking about 'Santa' here) - have a great day - to those who don't From "Sunny" Roswell NM... Craig T
  13. Yes! Scramble things? ... hmmm... Scramble things... Scramble things... ,,, ,,, ,,, YEAH - THAT'S IT EXACTLY!
  14. ahhh, left-right confusion. I still have to stop, and think about which hand it is that I must use to write. I was born a leftie back when the school system did not allow anything but writing with the right hand.. Which, of course - I could and did manage. But I still recall how confusing that made things for a while. My dyslexia landed particularly hard when spelling. For example I still occasionally spell some simple words exactly wrong if I'm no being thoughtful... Words like "only" I spelled olny. How or why? - I give. To still want to make such simple mistakes - that's how I know (for me) that dyslexia is something physical, that never really goes elsewhere.
  15. Though, I would really like to know, how many makers/repairers - suffer from dyslexia... Yes I have had a really bizarre history of dealing with this condition, if that will help start the subject off. ?? (thanks ct)
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