The Stradvari Paradox

[Seahawk]

Originally posted by kach22i
Such talent Tim, freak'n talent up the wazoo man.

BS...I made a cutting board in high school shop WAYYY better than that

[arcsine]

Beautiful work Tim.

I had heard one "trick" to the Stradavarius tone was the varnish used kept the cellular structure of the wood open. Instead of filling the core of the wood cells with goop, you are left with an intricate scaffolding of the cell walls. I would imagine that having a tremendous effect on resonance and tone.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally posted by Mulhollanddose
I bet you cannot make a a Spruce Goose better than Howard Hughes' cheap ass version.

Hmmm, I don't think enough aircraft grade spruce exists anymore. I spent about $1500 on doug fir, Sitka Spuce and Okoume plywood just to build one of my airplane's wings. I can't even fathom how much it would cost to build a "Spruce Goose" in todays dollars. I wonder what the Spruce Goose would go for at auction? Probably alot less than the cost of the materials alone.

Thanks for all the kind words guys. Thinking back to when I finished the violin, I must admit to feeling pretty proud of it and holding it up next to the old/hag/naysaying violin lady's violin with it's crappy craftmanship was priceless!

[Mulhollanddose]

Originally posted by Tim Hancock Hmmm, I don't think enough aircraft grade spruce exists anymore. I spent about $1500 on doug fir, Sitka Spuce and Okoume plywood just to build one of my airplane's wings. I can't even fathom how much it would cost to build a "Spruce Goose" in todays dollars.

Is that your way of pussing out of the dare?...I used to have respect for you.

[stuartj]

This is a subject of much deabte. In the 80s everyone wanted heavy guitars -density and mass, giving "sustain". Many axes from those days had brass bridges and nuts, the thinking being mass is good.

The trend is different now, epsecially with electric guitars- "light" means lots of air in the wood, therefore resonance.

On an accoustic intruments, the use of tone woods is more critical. Solid AAA Sitka spruce is still the choice for sound boards on most better guiatrs. I recently toured a boutique guitar mfr, and the way they select, hold (for many years) and handle the timbers they use is an art and science in its self. The whole factory is a sealed, controlled humidity environment.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally posted by Mulhollanddose
Is that your way of pussing out of the dare?...I used to have respect for you.

Wait a minute! .... Are you saying I can't do it? I will show you! Now where is my Aircraft Spruce and Specialty catalog, I need to order some wood!

[Mulhollanddose]

lol...

Damn fine workmanship brother.

[Dottore]

Originally posted by KC911
I hear ya...I know if I worked on 911s for a living...I'd soon be in the welfare line !

Meeting my mechanic might change your mind!

[KFC911]

Originally posted by Dottore
Meeting my mechanic might change your mind!

I'm just so sloooooow.... I usually multiply the estimated hours to do a job X days in order to figure out how long its gonna take me to do a project

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally posted by KC911
I'm just so sloooooow.... I usually multiply the estimated hours to do a job X days in order to figure out how long its gonna take me to do a project

I seem to have the same problem. I hear it from my wife all the time "Your too slow! Why does it take you so long to do something?" The only thing I never seem to do quickly is her then she complains about that!

A guy can't win...

[Tim Hancock]

A couple crappy shots of two "basketcases" I fixed up, the full size one is a Guldan made in approximately the 1940's and the smaller one (which was completely apart in an old case) is a 3/4 size Strad copy that says "made in Germany" and had a hand written repair note inside dating 1908.

Someone had sanded (blasphemy to a violin) the larger one, so after repairing the cracks, I refinished it. The smaller one, I just cleaned it well and french polished the old finish after repairing/rebuilding it.

These have little value ($200-$500), but they were fun to work on when my violin itch needed scratching again.

[Moneyguy1]

We need some sax to go with the violins....

[Dantilla]

Crap.

I think I've got a cool 911, then Jack O posts another picture of BB-2.

I like my Bonanza, turns out it's just a fancy "spam-can" compared to Tim's hangar.

I know a couple chords on my used guitar, now Tim once again slaps me back down to where I belong.

Awesome craftsmanship. I don't have the patience to do what you do. Thanks for the insperation.

[RANDY P]

Originally posted by Tim Hancock
Some old b!tch at a local violin shop told me that I could not build a violin that was better than the cheap student violins she was trying to sell me for $400. I told her that I was a hardcore DIY type

Not into violins, but that is pretty damn cool... Nice work.

rjp

[tabs]

Truly Beautiful....that said I will send a check for $800,000.00 to Lubby to hold while the transfer is being made and then I will stoooo....OHHHH wait a minute we've been all through this before....lets just forget the whole deal....

[Tim Hancock]

Originally posted by Dantilla
Crap.


I like my Bonanza, turns out it's just a fancy "spam-can" compared to Tim's hangar.

I wish my fabric "old school" stuff could cruise at Bonanza speeds. My idea of a "spam can" is basically any tricycle gear Cessna single and many tricycle gear Piper's (not that there is anything wrong with that ). Most pilots that I know, all have lusted over a Bonanza at some point!

If I had more time, I might look at restoring an old Bonanza or better yet an old C310. I just have too many irons in the fire at any given time (at least that is was my wife and kids always say ).

As fun as it is to tackle a wide variety of projects, it must be nice at times to only have one toy to go ALL out on. My sickness is a curse!

[nineoneone]

I have an old voilin in a wooden box at home, wifes mother's people had it for yrs. Look inside and it says Stradavaris something something and then a yr. I took it to a local shop several yrs back now (probably 15 or more) and they said it was produced in his shop a few yrs after his death. The condition is not playtable but I think it' interesting. They said for 15oo.oo they could make it play. at the time 1500 was like 15k now to me. I will try to get a photo for you guys to see, seems ya'll know way more than me and it's sittin in a closet. oh, well retirement?

[Jim Richards]

another barn find story, eh?

[Tim Hancock]

The smaller older looking violin above says on the tag inside "Antonius Stradiuarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno 17" and then below that it says "made in Germany". If you look on Ebay, often many violins will be advertised as belonging to a deceased relative and that they are a Srad cause the sticker inside says so. They are almost always 100-150 year old copies (they may indeed be a fine instrument, but they are more than likely not the real deal). Not too many "reputable" shops would glance at one and tell someone that it is real, as there are thousands of old copies sitting in closets all over the world.

[Tim Hancock]

Here is a pic of the 3/4 size "Strad" showing how I got it and what the tag said. It is a copy for sure.