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Building my first violin (Del Gesu influenced)….With some help…..!!!


fiddler59

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 I've been bitten by the bug…!! I am just beginning, ribs bent and glued using a single piece inside mold influenced by the du Diable Del Gesu. I know a lot of you might be wondering why copy (influenced) the du Diable. Well I am taking a class that is about a year long , 6hrs., 1 day/week through Surry Community College in Dobson NC that is being taught by Joe Thrift. That happens to be a del gesu that he has a lot of information about, his copies that he has built sound just incredible, it is also one of del gesu's more normal looking violins (scroll and shape of the body). Joe has just finished a copy of the Lord Wilton that if I had the money, I would buy it in a heartbeat or less. We have 12 people in the class and everybody is making great progress toward a completed violin. Everyone is using Italian Alpine spruce and European maple through a source that Joe has developed a good relationship with. I have no doubt that the wood will exceed my abilities as a newbie luthier.

 For the people who are not familiar with Joe Thrift, he lives in Dobson NC, and is a very accomplished luthier as well as a great Old Time fiddler, all around musician, and a great teacher of violin making as well. He was trained at the Newark school of violin making. He and Roger Hargrave were table mates and have remained friends. It has really been enlightening getting to know the building process. It gives me a whole different prospective on the violin which has provided me a living for the better part of 40 years as a musician. I highly recommend any one who wants to learn how to build a violin in the "Cremonese Method" sign up for the course when it comes up again as the tuition is incredibly affordable and Joe has been a first rate teacher. We have classmates from all around the area and some have come from a pretty long distance. One has come from Vermont (a good friend of ours that is renting a room from us), and one drives every week from around Beckley WV. My wife, who is an incredible musician, even signed up for the course and is doing great in the class. I need to get busy installing the linings but I will post pics in the appropriate place when I get a little further along. I can most definitely say this will not be the only violin I build. I just intend to build, try different ideas and have fun…!!!

 

David Blackmon

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What a great and fortunate way of learning.  Most of us who go to classes have to cram them all into 1-3 weeks at a time.  Once a week for a year sounds great.  

 

The "Violon du Diable" is exquisitely beautiful.  It has to be inspirational to copy.  Been thinking of it myself.

 

Good luck and send pictures.

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 I've been bitten by the bug…!! I am just beginning, ribs bent and glued using a single piece inside mold influenced by the du Diable Del Gesu. I know a lot of you might be wondering why copy (influenced) the du Diable. Well I am taking a class that is about a year long , 6hrs., 1 day/week through Surry Community College in Dobson NC that is being taught by Joe Thrift. That happens to be a del gesu that he has a lot of information about, his copies that he has built sound just incredible, it is also one of del gesu's more normal looking violins (scroll and shape of the body). Joe has just finished a copy of the Lord Wilton that if I had the money, I would buy it in a heartbeat or less. We have 12 people in the class and everybody is making great progress toward a completed violin. Everyone is using Italian Alpine spruce and European maple through a source that Joe has developed a good relationship with. I have no doubt that the wood will exceed my abilities as a newbie luthier.

 For the people who are not familiar with Joe Thrift, he lives in Dobson NC, and is a very accomplished luthier as well as a great Old Time fiddler, all around musician, and a great teacher of violin making as well. He was trained at the Newark school of violin making. He and Roger Hargrave were table mates and have remained friends. It has really been enlightening getting to know the building process. It gives me a whole different prospective on the violin which has provided me a living for the better part of 40 years as a musician. I highly recommend any one who wants to learn how to build a violin in the "Cremonese Method" sign up for the course when it comes up again as the tuition is incredibly affordable and Joe has been a first rate teacher. We have classmates from all around the area and some have come from a pretty long distance. One has come from Vermont (a good friend of ours that is renting a room from us), and one drives every week from around Beckley WV. My wife, who is an incredible musician, even signed up for the course and is doing great in the class. I need to get busy installing the linings but I will post pics in the appropriate place when I get a little further along. I can most definitely say this will not be the only violin I build. I just intend to build, try different ideas and have fun…!!!

 

David Blackmon

Hello David,

 

I am especially interested in that class because I live in NC. You know Pittsboro has a huge lot of old time and bluegrass fiddlers. But you are a fiddler yourself.

 

John Schmidt

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 I've been bitten by the bug…!! I am just beginning, ribs bent and glued using a single piece inside mold influenced by the du Diable Del Gesu. I know a lot of you might be wondering why copy (influenced) the du Diable. Well I am taking a class that is about a year long , 6hrs., 1 day/week through Surry Community College in Dobson NC that is being taught by Joe Thrift. That happens to be a del gesu that he has a lot of information about, his copies that he has built sound just incredible, it is also one of del gesu's more normal looking violins (scroll and shape of the body). Joe has just finished a copy of the Lord Wilton that if I had the money, I would buy it in a heartbeat or less. We have 12 people in the class and everybody is making great progress toward a completed violin. Everyone is using Italian Alpine spruce and European maple through a source that Joe has developed a good relationship with. I have no doubt that the wood will exceed my abilities as a newbie luthier.

 For the people who are not familiar with Joe Thrift, he lives in Dobson NC, and is a very accomplished luthier as well as a great Old Time fiddler, all around musician, and a great teacher of violin making as well. He was trained at the Newark school of violin making. He and Roger Hargrave were table mates and have remained friends. It has really been enlightening getting to know the building process. It gives me a whole different prospective on the violin which has provided me a living for the better part of 40 years as a musician. I highly recommend any one who wants to learn how to build a violin in the "Cremonese Method" sign up for the course when it comes up again as the tuition is incredibly affordable and Joe has been a first rate teacher. We have classmates from all around the area and some have come from a pretty long distance. One has come from Vermont (a good friend of ours that is renting a room from us), and one drives every week from around Beckley WV. My wife, who is an incredible musician, even signed up for the course and is doing great in the class. I need to get busy installing the linings but I will post pics in the appropriate place when I get a little further along. I can most definitely say this will not be the only violin I build. I just intend to build, try different ideas and have fun…!!!

 

David Blackmon

classof77.jpg

 

"Click on a maker to find their websites

Standing from left to right:

Maurice Bouette, Joe Thrift, John Dilworth, James Rawes,Patrick Webster, Malcolm Siddal, Koen Padding, Anne Houssay, Loise Round, Dave "Paganini", Julie Reed, Roger Hargrave, Paul Weiss, Andrew Fairfax, Ron Thewlis, Brian Stone, Patrick Jowett, Gordon Stevenson, Bill, Glen Collins.

Sitting from left to right:

Brian Lisus, Lionel, Mervin Frost, John Johnston, Juliana Nicholson, Helen Michetschlager, Hans Johannsson"

 

http://www.centrum.is/hansi/classof.html

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  • 1 year later...

classof77.jpg

 

"Click on a maker to find their websites

Standing from left to right:

Maurice Bouette, Joe Thrift, John Dilworth, James Rawes,Patrick Webster, Malcolm Siddal, Koen Padding, Anne Houssay, Loise Round, Dave "Paganini", Julie Reed, Roger Hargrave, Paul Weiss, Andrew Fairfax, Ron Thewlis, Brian Stone, Patrick Jowett, Gordon Stevenson, Bill, Glen Collins.

Sitting from left to right:

Brian Lisus, Lionel, Mervin Frost, John Johnston, Juliana Nicholson, Helen Michetschlager, Hans Johannsson"

 

http://www.centrum.is/hansi/classof.html

Hey Linkman, Your links aren't working. Your title is in jeopardy. :)

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