Davide Sora

I agree that a U shaped string groove has to be done perfectly and very shallow to work, but the V shape leaves me puzzled. In fact, how long can it last before the pressure and sliding of the string transforms it in any case into a U shaped one? Perhaps the case could hold up for harder materials such as bone or brass, but the wood (ebony included) I don't think is able to maintain the shape for a long time under pressure and if you start with a V you risk ending up with a channel that changes itself quickly into a U and with the strings too low.

Yes, this would be a good reason, but not to accept the order in the first instance....

Really never even a little chip? It seems unlikely to me. Maybe my plane isn't sharp enough to do this with 100% certainty of never chipping, or you love the risk....

I also hope that he is not only a rude luthier but that there are valid reasons for this exclusion.

I would say it is an inexplicable and extremely incorrect behavior, it deserves to be published with the full name of that maker so that other customers do not end up the same

I have and use a Stanley 9 1/2 that works wonderfully, still my favorite. But I spent many hours flattening the sole and the blade housing fixing it because out of the box it was unusable for violin making purposes, but it was the time when it was considered the norm to have to fix planes and Lie Nilsen was not even known or imported here in Italy (early 80s). But if I had to buy it today I would probably look for something ready to use....

I fully agree, white chalk work fine for me, you just have to learn to see it.

Happy New Year!!

I heard him play a concert here in Cremona this year and on the program was written Stradivari, but I was very close to the stage and I thought visually it was more a Guarneri than Strad. The thing was clarified the day after by this informal test at the museum, my compliments to Kurt, the violin sounded really good!

I don't think that the quality of a varnish lies in the individual components but in the combination of all the components, which are never just one. Shellac varnishes reach a condition of definitive dryness faster (months, unless too much essential oils are part of the mixture) while oil-based ones take longer to reach a definitive state of polymerization / oxidation remaining softer initially but becoming inexorably harder over the years, depending on the quantity of oil and essences used in the recipe. Lot of variables, it's too simplistic to reduce everything to shellac vs oil (or alcohol vs oil if you like), I'm a little bored by these inappropriate clichés.

Squid bridge?

Well, now I'm getting confused too... But to be clear, using a bridge blank does not only mean adapting the feet and the upper curve, but reworking all its surfaces without exception. At least that's what I do and leaving the manufacturer's brand would be an important limitation because it would mean not having the necessary freedom to intervene on every surface as I like. I know that some producers offer the possibility to make bridges blanks finished on a custom design, but i like adapting bridges to the needs of each violin so this rules out this option at least for me.

I put my brand on the bridge, as a guarantee (and responsibility) for having made it personally, unlike others who have the set up made from someone else, a not so remote eventuality on newly made violins. I don't consider it vulgar, but rather refined, I consider it vulgar to leave the manufacturer's brand to indicate that expensive bridge blanks are used. Unless vulgarity is in the design used for the brand....

Out of curiosity, do you round off the linings and then adapt the reinforcements or are the reinforcements continuous and in contact with the rib along the entire height and the linings interrupted?

I think this is the main reason for the success of this type of chinrest, a solid point where clamp pressure does not involve too many risks, even if inadequately strong. Too many violins has wavy or cracked ribs due to the pressure of the side mount chinrest, especially if inappropriately tight clamped for long time. I think that a reinforcement inside the rib would be essential to avoid as much as possible the problem from inappropriate clamping force from these kind of chinrest.