Muswell

I have used Old Wood, which I applied with nitrile gloves, and the finish was good. I didn't stir the varnish, followed the OW recommendations for thinning and used their thinner. I would change the application method and save yourself the bother of brush cleaning.

I keep the workshop at about 14C with an oil-filled radiator through the cold months and have a couple of cheap infrared heaters fixed at high level. They provide instant directional heat and keep the bench area nice and warm when necessary. I also hold parts close to the heaters to warm them up before glueing,

I once used fish glue on a guitar. Maybe not all formulations perform the same but the first thing I didn't like was that it was difficult to undo. A few years later the second thing I didn't like was that the guitar started coming apart, even in joints that were under minimal stress. And it smells bad. I too tossed it out.

. Before I retired, when people came to me and asked if I would look at a letter that they wanted to send I always said don't send it, before looking at it.

It depends where the English speaking person lives. America and England are two countries separated by a common language...George Bernard Shaw

Who's buying all these violins? The pool of violinists in the area where I play is ageing and there are almost no younger players coming through. One local youth orchestra has effectively become a wind band. For many years now the political environment hasn't supported musical education. Two of our local orchestras give concerts for the schools in the area and this is generally the only exposure that the kids get to "classical" instruments and music.

While on the topic of bass bars.....In the July Strad there was an article by Joseph Curtin who reported on experiments on the bass bar at the 2023 Oberlin Acoustics Workshop. It was about the effects of height and scoop.

I put gut strings on one of my violins and had the same experience, it has also been very interesting working on how to use the bow. As an aside, I was struck by the difference between these strings and others which are claimed to try to have the sound of gut.

You might think so but I've stopped being surprised by how many reasonably good amateur players won't do that, and can't be persuaded to try.

I worked with acousticians on the design of a number of performance spaces. They told me that one of the hazards of the job was was that they ended up listening to the acoustic rather than the music. Maybe musicians do the opposite.

Stauffer made the Legnani model guitar with adjustable neck 200 years ago.

AKA driller's mud. Used extensively in civil engineering.

One of my violins is strung with Eudoxas. When the A started to fray I replaced it with pure gut, so the same set up as in the video, and I think it is a lot better than the wound string. I've just bought gut Ds and Es so that's my next experiment. My other violins have Warchal Amber which has been my string choice for a long time

But have you noticed that when it's sonatas they do OK? It's the PIANO trio which arouses the beast.

Quite so. I stopped going to piano trios after 2 bad experiences. The piano trio started off when the piano was rather feeble and the bass and treble needed support and I don't think a lot of pianists understand that.