Amati Bros, part 1

I've been fairly busy lately, with a rush of back-to-school instruments and I've started teaching a math class at the local community college. It's a 'holiday' weekend, however, and I'm feeling the desire to do something new in making. Recently I noted an Amati Brothers violin on the Tarisio.com site that I liked. Downloaded the images ("A FINE ITALIAN VIOLIN BY ANTONIO & GIROLAMO AMATI, CREMONA, EARLY 17th CENTURY") and scaled them to size. Then pulled out my copy of Francois Denis' _Traite de Lutherie_ and commenced to drawing an Amati Brothers form, following, as best I can, his directions. I've tried drawing this one before, with less than success, but have since attempted others and have gained experience in the technique. So far, this one is working, or at least the curves are coming together. It is a somewhat complicated method. And the width of the lower bout is too wide for the image I have. But it is something to do.

Cremona in Nampa

In violin-making, one is always faced with questions that are variations on "How did they do _____ in Cremona?"

Cremona, Italy, of course, was the town of the Amatis, Stradivari, the Guarneris, and others -- THE violin-making focus of the Universe. That was 300 years ago, though, and Cremona has changed. There are plenty of violin-makers there now, but since the time of the classical makers until fairly recently, it had forgotten its violin-making heritage in large part.

Still, we violin makers are always striving to find that 'sound' and 'look' -- although there is no single definition of either.

So today, my wife and I decided that we'd get a little Christmas shopping done. Went to the World Market store here in Nampa, Idaho. I found this in the stocking-stuffer section.



For two bucks, I bought it. Tried some -- actually fairly good, though I'd say not a great value at $2 for the 4 pieces. Still, I now have a little bit of Cremona here in my shop, and think that it will only help my violin-making. It may be the secret of Stradivari!

Actually, I really am amazed and tickled to find anything to do with Cremona in Nampa. It just goes to show how connected the world has become.