This instrument is based on the work of Felix Savart a scientist who in 1819 developed a "rationalised Violin" that met with approval of the academy in Paris (in the Post-revolution climate people were open to a re-appraisal of everything including the violin!), However this violin didn't replace the normal violin and it shifted into mainly folk music use as an easy to make, modern looking and good sounding instrument.
In
1975 Ronald
Roberts a Craft teacher from Exeter (Uk) published a book called
"Making
a simple
Violin and Viola, IBSN 0 7153 6964 4"
featuring
Savarts design with additional sizes.
Ronald Roberts made a few Design alterations, adding normal tailpieces and inside re-introducing the sound-post and offside bass bar of the standard Violin. He also included linings
These instruments are simpler to make than the regular Violin and sound better than a lot of cheap student Violins. They have found there way into folk use, in Ireland for example Michael Dinan makes and plays these instruments. I have also found reference to them on the Internet as "Russian" or American Fiddles or just Folk Fiddles (see here)
On the example above I have used the rounded shoulders of the Paris Conservatoire example, with the interior of Roberts, Ie: normal bass bar/sound-post and linings. For my next instrument, a viola (next year), I will have straight sides/ends.
Here is a quick sample(bear in mind the webcam mic and that I have been playing for a very short time!
If you are interested in commissioning one of these please contact me for further details.
Prices
from £1100, 5 string models of violin,
viola. including a case. Maple and spruce.
More sites:
Låtfiol
(Swedish under-drone fiddles)
This instrument has 2 sympathetic strings under the fingerboard very much like the early versions of the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle, I am currently tuning it in standard tuning, although tunings like ADge or AEae are more common in Sweden (see link below)
The instrument pictured was made with the body from an unfinished German made "white Violin" with custom purfling added and an adapted neck and fingerboard.
I am interested in doing some more conversions in the future,
It would be possible to convert a completed violin to this set-up if the head/scroll end was not too small but normally a new neck would be required. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Click here for
another site for this kind of instrument
Here
are some more examples
Moraharpa and Nyckelharpa to follow