Christopher Jacoby

Thanks David!

Thanks for all you do for the membership, Marilyn. Looking forward to the next issue.

*pours CocaCola directly into oil varnish for the ground application *sues Jim

don't swap the bar unless there is a clear lack in the sound and you can communicate how the new bar will adress that lack.

Good for them.

This is why one shouldn't use the word "copy" casually. Just as luthiers don't use "appraisal" casually when "insurance evaluation" is what they mean... because the cats that are truly doing the thang aren't messing around about what they mean with their word choice...

I want a ringed gidgee bow.

hey Mike-- i have a copy and its really great. I bet if you email Hans he has it laying around somewhere!

bad lighting, aye

That first fiddle (labeled Del Gesu) looks to be a very new fiddle. Nice antiquing...

Get a violin scroll, measure the widths every few cm, and draw it out. adjust if you want and take note of the widths at the apex and trough of any curves. Since you can get most of these width measurements from nice fiddles already, from online or Strad posters, books, etc., make a template and then decide how you're gonna do it the next time.

I built a few Brescian violas on the back this way. If you are starting with a board, why not start with the back for the finished instrument? I drew the fiddle out with dividers on the chunk of maple, and glued the blocks where they went and shaped them, etc. etc. Mauritzio Tadioli seems to build off a board without a form pretty often, if you go haunt his facebook and Instagram photos. His instruments are top class...

You match endgrain direction as you can, and touch up the rest. add wood if there are heinous gaps. don't have too many beers.

Mike's drier is magical. Japan drier is often just cobalt, and works nicely.

I set violins and violas 8-12 deep in the block. Good for stability, good for sound. Some asshole's gonna have SOMETHING to say about your "expertise" no matter what you do.