Christopher Jacoby

Yeah. Once its varnished you can pick the dark out with a knife and fill with clear varnish if it still bothers ya.

We always have to start with the refutation-- "scientifically," the old Italians in Claudia's double blinds won under the criteria: "Which of these would you choose to take on tour and play." Not that I'm not stoked about the results as a maker. But have you ever played a truly expensive violin and thought "huh, there's another two gears hidden in bow placement and nuance that I can sense, but need some time to access and control..." I have. Not to say I haven't been aware I'm playing too much fiddle for my skills on a few modern instruments too...

Have you seen the Red Violin?

Yeah don't tempt the wolves...

This is tricky, but navigable. The job you're looking for doesn't exist until you make the connection with the person who might train you. It's expensive, and time consuming, but you've got to hit a few shops and maker's spaces and let them know what you are looking for, and ask them if they know anyone who needs help in exchange for training. Compensation from you to them will be more attractive, but I'd start there and see if starting to get paid for your time is something you can test into once you've proven some usefulness.

Yeah, slab. Dry it properly, of course, but slab.

What's your name?

I like it!

Well there are... experts, too. Who have worked on instruments six days a week for dozens of years. If your shoulder chip is crusty already about people giving opinions on what you should be doing to instruments, I don't know how you're going to get past "experimenting" to knowing when and why experts do and don't rework stuff.

Not a Derazey.

This is the best thing on this forum. Thanks, man.,

call metropolitan maybe

"Master" Violin Makers go through the formalized process and get Certificated as masters. Great living makers are stubborn, dedicated, and stay full of wonder.

you've got style. study some violins and see where they are delicate-- the scroll/pegbox; the arching as it flows into the channel, and learn to take enough wood out and you're already light years ahead of a lot of the opinionated here.

I set a new viola at 35-6 and plan for 33.