Author Topic: Musical Instruments  (Read 10210 times)

Offline tangler

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #15 on: January 22, 2021, 11:22:01 PM »
I know this is a geriatric thread but it is mine and seems the appropriate place to post these pics.  Covid has brought on intimations of mortality so at the begining of the first lock-down last year I though I ought to finish some part done projects that have been hanging around for ( in one case) 15 years.

A Baroque guitar:





A Chitaronne:





And coming bang up to date (well middle of the last century anyway) a steel strung guitar





I think I've got that out of my system for now so its back to the Farm Boy...

Stay well,
Rod

Offline Kim

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #16 on: January 22, 2021, 11:38:52 PM »
Those are beautiful, Rod!
Kim

Online tghs

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #17 on: January 23, 2021, 12:22:08 AM »
fantasic finish and details,, I'll have to show the photo's to my lute playing coworker, I tried some more basic instrument making a few years back.. using a set of plans and a parts kit (plus some personlizing) I surprised my wife with this for a Christmas present,,no bent wood involved..
what the @#&% over

Offline deltatango

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #18 on: January 23, 2021, 01:51:30 AM »
Rod, those instruments are fabulous! Hope the south coast can avoid the worst of the Covid.
David
Don't die wondering!

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2021, 04:14:03 AM »
Hi Rod. nice instruments ..I used to make Viols   in all sizes and Carved back Baroque Cello's Double Basses and also woodwind and even a virginals...I have now retired and still have a large amount of well seasoned tone woods  also A set of Brazilian Rosewood for a small guitar  Also a few 5 string Cello's for the Bach 5th suite ... etc etc  I made the under my real name  Robert Bailey. !!


Willy

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #20 on: January 23, 2021, 10:19:29 AM »
Beautiful work - congratulations!

 :cheers:

Offline Mcgyver

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #21 on: January 23, 2021, 11:19:42 AM »
nice work...thanks for posting it

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #22 on: January 23, 2021, 02:28:14 PM »
Very well done both of you.  :ThumbsUp: You've given me incentive to look at some of my own unfinished projects.  :)

Jim
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #23 on: January 23, 2021, 05:18:44 PM »
Hi, I used to go to the concert rehearsals in St Andrews hall in Norwichon Saturday afternoons and I went to one of Julian Breams Ensemble events ...and whilst playing one piece  he suddenly for no reason apart for fun just changed the key  they other players then startled had to do the same ?!! he then did it again and this time the other players responded a bit quicker ?!!! so those rehearsals were always really enjoyable ...for the players and spectators alike......

Willy

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #24 on: January 23, 2021, 05:29:16 PM »
Oh, so beautiful!
Do you play these, tangler?
How long does it take to make them?
How do you design...or measure them up?
Presumably brand new, do they sound just like the originals, or do they 'grow' into it?
In admiration from a saxophonist,
CliffH
  Hi Cliff, I always found with making Gamba's as a professional maker.  (Robert Bailey,  I used to advertise in the Early Music Journal in the 70's and 80's )that the first time you put the strings on a bowed chordophone and play it ..it sounds awful ..however the more you play it the better it sounds and continues to get better more and more ...this may be because the wood is getting changed at a molecular level to become accustomed to vibrating in the way the instrument is responding to being played  ??!!! 

Willy Bailey

Offline Charles Lamont

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #25 on: January 23, 2021, 10:58:56 PM »
Lovely work.

So, if an instrument (that has been thoroughly run-in) is not played for some time, does it 'go off', or is the improvement in tone permanent?

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #26 on: January 24, 2021, 03:46:20 AM »
Hi,
Lovely work.

So, if an instrument (that has been thoroughly run-in) is not played for some time, does it 'go off', or is the improvement in tone permanent

Hi ..no ..it will come back..having played on a Guarneri Del Jesu instrument when I did my apprenticeship I  Celle Germany. I can tell you that a good old instrument is a delight to play because the instrument almost plays it self leaving the player to concentrate on the music !! as the instrument is so good/responsive it will let you get as much out of it as you want with the minimum of effort ,, this is why people cannot really tell the difference between instruments as the player has to put a lot more effort into getting the tone out of it .

Willy

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #27 on: January 24, 2021, 04:07:58 AM »
Hi Rod , may I as a retired instrument maker pass on some  wisdom ,tips ,secrets even ...I did my apprenticeship in Germany with an elderly  "Meister" and he told me about the Maggini " KYLE". this is the two wedge shapes that are carved into the thickness of the wood from the top to the area where the sound post is and then down to the bottom block . the thickness of the wood is also not even but varies as shown and the bass  bar is quite short ...the bass bar is in place to actually dampen the energy of the much heavier bass string !! also I made my own thickness measurer and used a large dial that in one revolution was 1mm. rather than the bought ones that have 10mm for a revolution ...this makes you work ten times more accurately !! also I made this plane to really rip off lots of wood quickly. a boon with Cello and Double Bass backs and fronts. Also shown is my book that I kept a lot of data about weights  and thicknesses also I always used different strings to get the best sound rather than just buying a standard set..  also a pic of part of my 'stand' in the RCM at one of the early music exhibitions ...I also used to make door knockers based on the early image of Christopher Simpson  ...with his hat ??  these sold like hot cakes and are all over the world..
Willy
« Last Edit: January 24, 2021, 04:11:45 AM by steam guy willy »

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #28 on: January 24, 2021, 04:10:53 AM »
Hi Rod a few more pics and I don't want to blow my own trumpet but you may find this interesting !!?

Willy

Offline Trevorc

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Re: Musical Instruments
« Reply #29 on: January 24, 2021, 11:11:30 AM »
Beautiful work tangler, you should be very proud of the instruments. I have enjoyed making a 20 note busker organ several years ago and was pleased when people recognised the tune i was playing!!
I am now coming towards end of my current project- a 3 cylinder Y configuration Anzani aero engine and i fancy doing “ something different” . I am currently thinking about a Hurdy Gurdy ( spelling?). I saw one being played at a National Trust place where people were re enacting Elizabethan themes and i thought it look another interesting example of mechanical music.
Has anybody else done one of these?
Trevorc

 

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