Trapezoidal Fiddle
This instrument is based on the work of Felix Savart 1819, He was a scientist who developed a "rationalised Violin" this 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 folk music use.
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 or Viola and sound better than a lot of cheap student Violins. designed for classical use and not taken up, 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.
If you are interested in commissioning one of these please contact me for further details.
Prices from £400 to £700, lots of options. violin, viola, 5 string models
More sites:
Trapezoidal Fiddle
MIMF forum link section (links for Savart plans!)