FoxMitchell Posted July 21, 2021 Report Posted July 21, 2021 Hey folks! Every now and then something weird shows up at the shop, and here is the latest one: a 'Stroh violin'! Isn't it gloriously steampunk? The design seems to be pretty similar to some sold here by a company called 'Lark in the Morning', except the tag on the top is not like theirs, this one's tag seems to have some ...Burmese writing I think? Can anyone read it? Also this one has machine tuners (which I suspect aren't original). Has anyone seen one of these before?
Brad Dorsey Posted July 22, 2021 Report Posted July 22, 2021 Stringed instruments with horns were originally made for studio recording in the early days of music recording before electric microphones came along. The instrument in your pictures is a modern reproduction probably made in Pakistan. The bigger horn directed the sound at the recording apparatus, and the smaller horn was pointed at the player's ear to act as a monitor. Many years ago, I had a one-stringed cello-type instrument with a horn.
Ron1 Posted July 22, 2021 Report Posted July 22, 2021 The scroll fluting falls a little short of the "bitter end".
FoxMitchell Posted July 22, 2021 Author Report Posted July 22, 2021 2 hours ago, Ron1 said: The scroll fluting falls a little short of the "bitter end". Juuust a little bit, yeah. 2 hours ago, Brad Dorsey said: Stringed instruments with horns were originally made for studio recording in the early days of music recording before electric microphones came along. The instrument in your pictures is a modern reproduction probably made in Pakistan. The bigger horn directed the sound at the recording apparatus, and the smaller horn was pointed at the player's ear to act as a monitor. Many years ago, I had a one-stringed cello-type instrument with a horn. Yeah, that's what my research has shown. Weird little thing it is!
Violadamore Posted July 22, 2021 Report Posted July 22, 2021 7 hours ago, FoxMitchell said: Hey folks! Every now and then something weird shows up at the shop, and here is the latest one: a 'Stroh violin'! Isn't it gloriously steampunk? The design seems to be pretty similar to some sold here by a company called 'Lark in the Morning', except the tag on the top is not like theirs, this one's tag seems to have some ...Burmese writing I think? Can anyone read it? Also this one has machine tuners (which I suspect aren't original). Has anyone seen one of these before? But how does it sound?
Bardan Posted July 22, 2021 Report Posted July 22, 2021 But how does it sound? There's a few recordings of Julia Clifford on her Stroh fiddle around.
La Folia Posted July 22, 2021 Report Posted July 22, 2021 My gosh, that's a Stradivarius Stroh. The ones I have heard are really nasty and shrill.
pgidley Posted July 22, 2021 Report Posted July 22, 2021 Julia is one of my all time favorite fiddlers. I would love to get a Stroh just to mess around with. My wife is of German heritage and its also her last name
FoxMitchell Posted July 23, 2021 Author Report Posted July 23, 2021 20 hours ago, Violadamore said: But how does it sound? We shall find out when I'm done working on it!
Marty Kasprzyk Posted July 23, 2021 Report Posted July 23, 2021 I wonder what its metal "sound board" weighs.
FoxMitchell Posted July 26, 2021 Author Report Posted July 26, 2021 On 7/22/2021 at 9:31 PM, Marty Kasprzyk said: I wonder what its metal "sound board" weighs. The entire instrument is over 980 grams.
FoxMitchell Posted July 26, 2021 Author Report Posted July 26, 2021 Well, it happened, I had to make a video of this weird thing! ...there's a sample of what it sounds like at the end if you don't want to sit through the whole refurbishing process.
Rue Posted July 26, 2021 Report Posted July 26, 2021 Another awesome video! I watched all of it. I am endlessly amused by the fast-forward woodworking sounds. Maybe Ash is too? As far as the Stroh goes - great job! And even though I never wanted one, I never want one even more now.
JacksonMaberry Posted July 26, 2021 Report Posted July 26, 2021 Your cat is very sweet and affectionate! Nice work on the fiddle, too
FoxMitchell Posted July 26, 2021 Author Report Posted July 26, 2021 11 hours ago, Rue said: Another awesome video! I watched all of it. I am endlessly amused by the fast-forward woodworking sounds. Maybe Ash is too? As far as the Stroh goes - great job! And even though I never wanted one, I never want one even more now. Thanks! And yes, it was fun to work on it, but I wouldn't have one myself, it's too heavy! 8 hours ago, JacksonMaberry said: Your cat is very sweet and affectionate! Nice work on the fiddle, too Thanks! Ash is a sweet kitty indeed! And he's snoozing in my lap as I write this, because he's very needy and clingy.
FenwickG Posted July 26, 2021 Report Posted July 26, 2021 These replicas are very unbalanced and difficult to play because they want to rotate to the left. I had one like this with aluminum horns and have one just like it with brass horns that is impossible to play because of the added weight and useless tuners. I also have another that was built in Germany in 1910 that is much easier to play because it is lighter and way better balanced. The diaphragm seems to be better because the sound it produces is improved and not as metallic as these Asian ones. Apparently Heifetz recorded using a Stroh violin.
FoxMitchell Posted July 26, 2021 Author Report Posted July 26, 2021 9 hours ago, FenwickG said: These replicas are very unbalanced and difficult to play because they want to rotate to the left. I had one like this with aluminum horns and have one just like it with brass horns that is impossible to play because of the added weight and useless tuners. I also have another that was built in Germany in 1910 that is much easier to play because it is lighter and way better balanced. The diaphragm seems to be better because the sound it produces is improved and not as metallic as these Asian ones. Apparently Heifetz recorded using a Stroh violin. Heifetz could use a banana to play and we'd never know he's not playing a Strad! The guy who owns this Stroh recorded himself playing something Carnatic/Middle-Eastern and I think it works for that. That style isn't too concerned with complex timbre and overtones... I still couldn't handle the weight.
David Burgess Posted July 26, 2021 Report Posted July 26, 2021 20 minutes ago, FoxMitchell said: Heifetz could use a banana to play and we'd never know he's not playing a Strad! Maybe, maybe not. Heifetz was super-picky about setup and sound, so that tends to go against the notion of his being able to make anything work and sound like a Strad, at least in his own mind.
Marty Kasprzyk Posted July 27, 2021 Report Posted July 27, 2021 3 hours ago, FoxMitchell said: Heifetz could use a banana to play and we'd never know he's not playing a Strad! The guy who owns this Stroh recorded himself playing something Carnatic/Middle-Eastern and I think it works for that. That style isn't too concerned with complex timbre and overtones... I still couldn't handle the weight. Perhaps the horn should made with light weight carbon or kevlar fiber epoxy materials.
JacksonMaberry Posted July 27, 2021 Report Posted July 27, 2021 51 minutes ago, Marty Kasprzyk said: Perhaps the horn should made with light weight carbon or kevlar fiber epoxy materials. urushi lacquered graphite fiber reinforced banana tree pulp would be excellent, I should think. We really ought to think seriously about what to do when all the spruce has burned. Looking at Idaho and Colorado, it could be sooner than we'd like.
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