To Michael Darnton:violin making, your opinions

[Cerulean]

Hello there Sir

I have been reading your posts in the Pegbox and they are always of immense interest to me,

I was wondering: Did you pursue violin making because you wanted it or for some other reasons? Do you have any regrets choosing this path?

For me, my dream is to make violins too some day. I do not know...I just have this impression that it is an exciting field to be in.

[Michael Darnton]

I wanted to make violins when I was 12 years old, but was almost 40 before I made the first one. I'm as happy as a pig in a mudhole! :-) I wouldn't call it exciting, as much as persistently interesting and challenging to me, since perfection is so far away (like about 250 years away, backwards) for every modern violin maker.

[Cerulean]

But when did you get started on the very basics?

Is the early 20s.....too old...? =)

sigh...to wear the dark blue apron....and the tools...and the materials...making on the table....

[Michael Darnton]

I started in repair when I was 30. I had almost never used a tool before that.

In any field, physical surroundings fall away into the background after a while and you won't notice them. When I first moved to Chicago, I thought it was the most visually interesting place I'd ever lived, but now I don't even notice. I've been in apartments with great views that the owners don't even notice anymore. Anything you do, you should be sure you love what you're doing, not where you're doing it!

[This message has been edited by Michael Darnton (edited 12-17-2001).]