Lundberg Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 I came across this while checking out the news on my home page. It was from CBS, so I went there and did a search. This video is of a Woman named Violet Tinsley, who plays the fiddle, and has also made some 90-plus instruments in her own kitchen. I'm no judge of sound quality, but the ones she has made look beautiful to me. At one point she is shown carving a plate, and it looks like hell- like she needs a sharper knife or something. All of her tools appear to fit on the kitchen table. I don't think she is manufacturing the same quality of instrument as the makers here do. There is no comment about where she picked up her skills either, unfortunately. Nonetheless, her work impressed me! I'm including two links: here "http://www.cbsnews.com/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2529721n">the actual video link, here the search link: http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/search/searc...chString=Violet Hensley&num=10&offset=0&advanced=§ion=&type=all&sort=1&x=17&y=9 (there must be a thread that refers to why I cannot paste into either the text or the URL box in this forum. I used to be able to, I think. Anyway, you'll have to copy and paste the above. Sorry for the inconvenience.) From this link, scroll down past the google ads to the video link. (This is just in case the first link doesn't work right.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Pollard Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Thanks for the link. Whatever you think of her style, we can all hope to be as active, alert, and happy when we are 90. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Block Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Thanks for sharing that link, Lundberg. I first met Violet almost 30 years ago when I was a teenager playing the fiddle at Silver Dollar City (a local 1880's based theme park, here in the Ozarks). She is a delightful lady. Her fiddles are a bit rustic, but she is a wonderful soul. Quote: "There is no comment about where she picked up her skills either, unfortunately." She is self taught. I remember her telling once how she made her first fiddle. If I remember right, as a young woman, she just decided she wanted to make one. She went out to her yard, used an axe to cut down a tree, and started carving with a butcher knife. At least that's the way I remember the story. I'm sure her making skills have improved over the years since that first one. But I have always admired her determination and wonderful spirit. I am glad to hear that she is still making fiddles and performing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dand Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Simply amazing !! I would love to see and play one of her fiddles. Rustic or not. I went to the bluegrass festival over in Branson last year... WOW. I wll being going again this year..(Lord willing and the creeks dont rise). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellow Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Why anyone want to make a fiddle (or violin)? I got one answer from someone, "the shop charges too much". Is that a real reason? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Victor Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 The segment was the final segment on last evening's CBS NEWS. They claimed she sells her fiddles for $2,000 "although they are worth a lot more." Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisBurt Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Thanks for the link. I loved it and passed it on. That woman is an inspiration; obviously a powerful soul. I'd love to meet her. The shots of her carving a plate with a chip carving knife were priceless! I''d really like to see one of her instruments. They may be rough, but she's made 90 instruments with no training. She obviously has something to say. one can never tell about the spirit that shows through. Her instruments may be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Molnar Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Very inspiring! This is a wonderful story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FINPROF Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 quote: Originally posted by: yuen Why anyone want to make a fiddle (or violin)? I got one answer from someone, "the shop charges too much". Is that a real reason? It is more the satisfaction of doing it yourself rather than saving money. Let's say it takes a skilled amker 100 hours to build a violin. That would mean it would take me 200 hours to build a violin and the results woudl be worse. If my violin is worth $1000, that means that my time is $5 an hour. I could do better by selling hamburgers in McDonalds. As a fly fisherman, I tie my own flies. It takes me 20-30 minutes to tie a fly that I could buy for $2.00, so I am making less than $5 an hour. But there is a special satisfaction to catching a fish on a fly that you tied yourself. I'll bet there is a special statisfaction to playing on a violin that you made yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellow Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Deleted by me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Speers Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 I tell you, based on those few short sounds clips we here on the video, she makes a really nice fiddle. She may be "self taught" but that doesn't mean she sisn't read a few books on the subject, nor get feedback from local players. Probably unlikely that she hangs out on any luthier forums, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellow Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Good point. Why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Block Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 If any of you are ever near Branson, MO in September or October, you can probably see and visit with Violet at the Silver Dollar City Crafts Festival. By the way, the National Geographic has featured her in the past. If you ever watch some old episodes of "The Beverly Hillbillys" you might even see her in a few shows they taped at Silver Dollar City in the 1960's. I even saw her on a Regis and Kathie Lee, (or whoever it was at the time) show a few years ago . Needless to say that New York City was a lot different for this lady from Yellville, AR, yet she was one of the most entertaining people on the show; not only because of her music and clogging, but also her wit. Violet Hensley is a true example of the Ozarks spirit. link: "http://www.woolenmillstudio.net/portfolio.2006.11.12.html" target= "_blank">Violet Hensley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Rice Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 My former violin teacher her in Kansas City told me about a woman she met who makes fiddles at Silver Dollar City. It must be Violet. Anyway, my teacher played something (at the insistence of her father) for Violet. After playing, Violet told my teacher, " I don't do that shaky thing with my hand (meaning vibrato.) She made quite an impressioon on my teacher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean_Lapinel Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Ahh, Thats what it called. Peoples ares always doing that to me from there car windows (vibrato) but they don't look happy. Must be sad music they is playin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lundberg Posted March 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 They said that doctors told her to "stop breaking horses..." I wonder if people who are good horsemen are also good fiddle makers, as a rule. If so, then maybe I will try it someday. Dean- let's see what a good hillbilly you are... Can you pass the West Virginia Reading test? MRDUCKS ARNOT OSAR CMWANGS LIB MRDUCKS Now if you'll excuse me for a while, I got some possums to fry. I'll be back later to see if you got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selim Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 "--I got one answer from someone, "the shop charges too much". Is that a real reason? --" The sound that I have been dreaming for so long. Alas, I can not open the link or the search returns nothing. I have been living in AR(Bentonville) for almost two months and really I would appreciate links to makers around here. I expect It would be perfect agenda for visiting makers here at weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad H Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Link to Video Click on "1. Still Fiddling in the Ozarks" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selim Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Thanks Brad, This is very interesting..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellow Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Violin making is very challenging, specially self-taught. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Richwine Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 quote: Originally posted by: Selim "--I got one answer from someone, "the shop charges too much". Is that a real reason? --" The sound that I have been dreaming for so long. Alas, I can not open the link or the search returns nothing. I have been living in AR(Bentonville) for almost two months and really I would appreciate links to makers around here. I expect It would be perfect agenda for visiting makers here at weekends. Just down the road in Fayettevile: http://www.bormanviolins.com/ Makes instruments for people like Zukerman, Sharon Robinson, Victor Danchenko. Jaime Laredo, Cho-Liang Lin..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selim Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Thanks Nonado, I red about him and some articles He contributed. I will try to manage a visit. Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean_Lapinel Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 MR SNAKES MR NOT OSAR CM EDBD IZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apartmentluthier Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 If anyone else is having issues with the link, try this one. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories...news/main2529557.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddycreek Posted March 4, 2007 Report Share Posted March 4, 2007 Great story and inspiration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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