Group Build?

[Dwight Brown]

Has there ever been a Maestronet group build of an instrument?  I remember some posts about some folks at the Oberlin workshops making a violin in a crazy short amount of time.

 

I have no skills, but I will front for the wood:-)

 

 

DLB

[Guest]

I'm in for whatever that is worth. I can donate materials or building time. Nice idea Dwight. Then donate the instrument to a worthy cause...?

[DGV]

I'm in for whatever that is worth. I can donate materials or building time. Nice idea Dwight. Then donate the instrument to a worthy cause...?

 

I can fit the soundpost.

[Dwight Brown]

I'm in for whatever that is worth. I can donate materials or building time. Nice idea Dwight. Then donate the instrument to a worthy cause...?

 

Or what ever, maybe set a price and use the money for a scholarship to Oberlin or violin making school.

 

DLB

 

Maybe

 

1. Ribs

2. Plates

3. Neck

4. Varnish

5. Set up

[Dwight Brown]

I have a really nice set of wood from Old World Tone Wood.  Neck, Ribs, Top, Two piece Back.  It's their top grade cut, in 2010 (I think)

 

 

DLB

[Rue]

If you supply photos...I will be a Very Interested Observer...

[Dwight Brown]

The label would be a scream!  We would need somebody really competent to organize it (not me!)

 

 

http://www.oldworldtonewood.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=61_62&products_id=571

 

http://www.oldworldtonewood.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=61_63&products_id=577

 

Wood looks like this.

 

European maple and spruce

 

(viola size) What a surprise!

 

 

DLB

[DGV]

The label would be a scream!  We would need somebody really competent to organize it (not me!)

 

 

http://www.oldworldtonewood.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=61_62&products_id=571

 

http://www.oldworldtonewood.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=61_63&products_id=577

 

Wood looks like this.

 

European maple and spruce

 

(viola size) What a surprise!

 

 

DLB

 

Are you hoping that the top and the back are carved by different people?  In this case, an outside mould is in order.

[Dwight Brown]

Are you hoping that the top and the back are carved by different people?  In this case, an outside mould is in order.

I would think the top and back would have to be the same person or two people who could get together to work on them.  I would think the finished ribs would have to go to the folks making the plates as most folks use an inside mould. (I think?)  Like I said, I am not the guy to organize, just Helpy Helperton.

 

It may not be a very good idea at all, but it sounded ok in my head (always a bad sign).

 

DLB

[not telling]

Put it together and auction it at the VSA!  Why not do 3?  It's a non-competition year, right?  What else are you all going to do there?

Oberlin puts together an instrument in a few days, easily.  But there are more Maestronetters than Oberlinners (That's Oberlinner--not to be confused with jelly donuts).

[DGV]

I would think the top and back would have to be the same person or two people who could get together to work on them.  I would think the finished ribs would have to go to the folks making the plates as most folks use an inside mould. (I think?)  Like I said, I am not the guy to organize, just Helpy Helperton.

 

It may not be a very good idea at all, but it sounded ok in my head (always a bad sign).

 

DLB

 

Hmm.  It's not so easy to ship a finished rib structure without the mould.  So the rib structure will have to be shipped with the mould and whoever works on the plates will have to ship back the mould later.

 

I think you need to line up some sponsors first to cover some possible extensive overhead costs.

[DGV]

Put it together and auction it at the VSA!  Why not do 3?  It's a non-competition year, right?  What else are you all going to do there?

Oberlin puts together an instrument in a few days, easily.  But there are more Maestronetters than Oberlinners (That's Oberlinner--not to be confused with jelly donuts).

 

3?  As in one violin, one viola, and one cello?  Might as well do a quartet.

[Dwight Brown]

Like I said I am good for the wood, and I guess the shipping, but people with skills gotta do it.

 

 

DLB

[Jim Bress]

3?  As in one violin, one viola, and one cello?  Might as well do a quartet.

That's a lot time and materials, with time being the most expensive.  If it's set up well (the project), it could attract a lot of attention and donations via kickstarter.  https://www.kickstarter.com/learn?ref=nav

[DGV]

That's a lot time and materials, with time being the most expensive.  If it's set up well (the project), it could attract a lot of attention and donations via kickstarter.  https://www.kickstarter.com/learn?ref=nav

 

True. I say just focus on a violin or viola.  Maybe a viola is better since there are already so many great violins.

[jezzupe]

I offered to do something similar long ago, I wanted everyone to input some design aspects and then I would build it. I think there's many who would want to do something more artistic such as what I do, but don't want to waste their time building VSO's or WAV's.

 

So maybe one day it'll happen. Design by "all of you" and then built by me! then we give it away!

 

 

Wood choice, body shape, ff holes, bridge, scroll , tailpiece, all could be custom design...well maybe someday

[DGV]

I offered to do something similar long ago, I wanted everyone to input some design aspects and then I would build it. I think there's many who would want to do something more artistic such as what I do, but don't want to waste their time building VSO's or WAV's.

 

 

What is a WAV?  I haven't seen that one before.

[Dwight Brown]

Like a W.A.G.?  Wild A%% Violin?

 

DLB

[Will L]

 

 

It may not be a very good idea at all, but it sounded ok in my head (always a bad sign).

 

DLB

I think it is a very interesting idea.  The person elected to keep things orderly—namely YOU!   —will have to organize things.  And I think that will be the most interesting and fun part.  Already we're having to think how to divvy up the work to get a good result.  We will probably all benefit, even if just watching the project go forward.   

 

We had an amusing and industrious member in the old "College of the Redwoods" class who talked us into such a project.  Then promptly he disappeared from the earth with the ribs, and the project remains in limbo.

 

If you pull it off, Dwight, I am volunteering to provide the bottle of champagne which will be dashed against it at the christening and launch.    And I'm offering the name the "MSS Le Plus Mauvais Cauchemar de l'Expert."       "MSS" = "Maestronet State Stradivari"  Oh, wait! We have to pick a pattern!

 

So I suggest that you start by inviting monsieur Francois Denis to draw up a pattern.  Might as well start out right!       

[Dwight Brown]

Well....I have the wood and can send it out.  If you want to do part of it I guess anyone can P.M. me.  We need to do some discussion on the model and basic other stuff.  There may be two or more of you that live in close proximity and would like to get together for the plates or something.  I have some really nice drawings of the Amati viol featured in the wonderful big book.  Or a violin, the wood will do either as near as I can tell and it is 5 years old so it should be fine.  If it isn't build a bird house out  of it and I will get something else.  I think the guys who can actually do something should settle on the model and we should not be in any hurry.

 

BTW I only have the wood for the major parts not the lining or the blocking, but I am sure that can be solved.

 

 

DLB

[Michael Doran]

In my experience collaborations via mail are divided up. One person makes the ribs and back, scribes the rib outline onto the top and sends it to whomever is making the top. Someone else makes the scroll.

You can have each person varnish their piece separately, or you can assemble it and then vanish. If they are varnished separately the varnish/ground used needs to be fairly similar, and antiquing can do a lot to bring the pieces together.

M

[violins88]

Dwight,

 

Thanks for starting this.  Thanks for donating the wood.  I think it will have a better chance of success if you make it something like the Quartet for Peace organized by Brian Lisus. I feel for struggling violin students. But a big idea like the Q4peace gets more interest at the final sale.

[gowan]

Has there ever been a Maestronet group build of an instrument?  I remember some posts about some folks at the Oberlin workshops making a violin in a crazy short amount of time.

 

I have no skills, but I will front for the wood:-)

 

 

DLB

I think there was a collaboration effort that actually finally made an instrument.  This was decades or so ago, back when Michael Darnton was a moderator.  It took years to finish the instrument because some of the builders weren't focussed on making it and put the unfinished instrument on a shelf and forgot about it.

[DGV]

These days, I build only nontraditional-looking instruments.  So the only thing that I could contribute is probably the final set up (in addition to fitting the soundpost).  But I'm not in the USA.  Dealing with cross-border shipping could be a pain.

[joerobson]

I will contribute ground and varnish...or do the varnishing....

happy trails,

Joe