Violin Forum/Message Board

[Dave Chandler]

Modeled on the Messiah strad. Just finished. Goes this weekend to the Hickory Hoedown, at the Convention Center, Hickory NC.

It's made with Quilted Maple sides and back, Engleman Spruce top, from Alberta Canada. Started in September, finished in November. Sounds great, this has the clearest, most even sound of any I've made to date.











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Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

[DBurns]

Very Nice!

I like your selection of wood for the back.

Cheers

[Dave Chandler]

Here are some additional photos, and thanks, Don Barnes, you done good selecting it for me.

Thought I'd reshoot the front with a less less glare.






_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

[byacey]

Nice job Dave. Where exactly did you get your Engelman from?
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Bill

[Dave Chandler]

I got my wood from Don Barnes, in Alberta Canada, you can see his posting after my first set of photos. I've started another violin with wood he supplied me, and the top, which was supposed to be AA, is absolutely perfect, no runout, no variation in color, consistent tree ring spacing, I can't find any fault in it. I'm very pleased with what I've gotten from him.
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Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

[tkafitz]

I live down in Salisbury, NC and would love to see this thing up close. That is beautiful!
I am currently starting to restore my own instrument that has been in my family for years.
Nice work!

[Geemac]

I think this is the place.

http://www.grandpasworkshop.com/

I live in Alberta too. When I want spruce I just go over to the lumber yard and select a 12 x 12 block and take it home and split it. It seems to be pretty good most of the time.

An other one http://www.tonewood.ca/tonewoodviolin.htm
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GeeMac

[Dave Chandler]

I'm able to pull Appalachian Red Spruce straight from the forest, but have been waiting for it to cure a bit more before using. I've also found Austrian Spruce at the lumberyard, but its been kiln dried, and don't know when its being cut, or how much resin I'll find in it. If I'm going to spend 2-300 hours working on a violin, I may as well use the best wood I can get.
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Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

[tkafitz]

Need help removing it I will come up and help if needed. All I would ask is a nice piece or two of wood!

[Dave Chandler]

Appreciate the offer, but I'm finding that between the worms, the sappy outer 2-3 inches, the small stubby branches from the early years, I probably ought to keep what I have for my own use at this point. I'm sixty, and its a lot of work bringing the logs out, and so much waste, I'm really surprised. This is nothing like the Alberta Spruce, lucky if its straight and same color, enough for a violin top.
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Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

[tkafitz]

I was just kidding anyway. I would be glad too help if you need anything though!