Journal

New music for Zanetto Pellegrino.

Marco Coppiardi — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:12:12 +0000

Jazz performer and composer Robert Rivera was in my shop last week, he was kind to play on my new Zanetto da Montichiari 1576 replica. I am particularly impressed by the harmonics and bass tones he was able to get from this comfortable and rather compact cello. The string length is shy of 27"1/4 or 69 cm. the cello was set up with a French bridge, C and G are Spiracore Tungsten, D is Pirastro Permanent and A is Jaeger forte. The tailpiece is ebony French style (71gr.) with carbon fiber tuners, and Kevlar tail cord.

Thank you Robert!

Craquelure, what Montagnana feared.

Marco Coppiardi — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:49:35 +0000

What causes craquelure? When subsequent layers of varnish are applied too quickly, lower layers tend to dry at a slower rate due to the solvent effect of the layer that is applied on top, the reduced amount of uv rays, air. The layers on top start to dry faster and as they harden they shrink causing wide gaps and the effect we call craquelure. This effect can be faked by softening the varnish, some makers simply by applying a coat of alcohol, and then applying, with of without a brush, a quick drying varnish. It could be an alcohol sandarac varnish applied over one or two coats of not completely dry oil varnish, or a water based solution of gum Arabic applied over a still soft alcohol or oil based varnish. The thinner the soft coat is, the narrower and distant from one another the gaps will be. If you desire to achieve wide craquelure as in the C bout photo, the varnish should be applied thick and still quite wet. In this case one or more layers of egg white, could be applied with an airbrush. Egg white will generate wide craquelure.

I am sure Domenico Montagnana did his best to avoid this varnish abnormal behavior, see two Montagnana cellos with and without craquelure. The craquelure on the Montagnana is particularly appealing because it varies in pattern. I still have to see a beautiful convincing craquelure imitation, my colleague D.W. suggests we should make a varnish that will slowly gain such effect. I think he is right.

Finishing with the chisel. Guarneri Andrea

Marco Coppiardi — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:00:14 +0000

I have been working on a cello scroll all day, this time I am going to finish the surfaces with the gouge. For example and inspiration I look at this Andrea Guarneri scroll. The work is both, rough and refined. I assure you it is a very hard look to achieve. Why do I like it so much? Because surfaces that are finished with the chisel show the intent of a simple and effective technique. Time has then softened some of the edges and accentuated the volumes where leftover varnish has created darker areas.

Congress makes it easier to fly with instruments

Marco Coppiardi — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:32:02 +0000

http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1101807703206-370/FAA.pdf

Finally, relief at last for musicians who travel with their instruments on airplanes.

Congress has finally passed legislation that sets a consistent national policy allowing musical instruments on airplanes.

Any instrument that can be safely stored in the overhead compartment or underneath the seat may be brought on board as carry-on luggage.

Additionally, the bill sets standard weight and size requirements for checked instruments, and permits musicians to purchase a seat for over-sized instruments, such as cellos, that are too delicate to be checked.

Existing law used to allow each airline to set their own policy regarding musical instruments, and size requirements varied widely for both carry-on and checked baggage.

The finest tool chest.

Marco Coppiardi — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:30:23 +0000

I keep my tools on a panel, in front of my bench. They are all layed out and within reach, but I have made several tool chests. Whatching this video made me want to make another one, maybe not as heavy.

I just printed my violin...

Marco Coppiardi — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:08:59 +0000

Great work by very creative people.

Claudia Fritz is my new hero.

Marco Coppiardi — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:13:01 +0000

For the first time a researcher had the idea of studying the consumer part (the violinist's reaction) and not the object itself.

Can the best musicians tell the difference between a high quality old Italian violin and a high quality modern one?

Claudia Fritz has been fascinated by what we perceive as beautiful sound, and decided to ask very powerful questions to a selected group of musicians. In this was helped by violin maker Joseph Curtin, Jacques Poitevineau, Palmer Morrel-Samuels and Fan Tao from D'Addario Strings. Here are the questions:

* If you could go home with one of these violins, which one would you choose? Why?

* Which are the best and the worst instruments in terms of projection?

* Which are the best and the worst instruments in terms of playability?

* Which are the best and the worst instruments in terms of range of tonal colors?

* Which are the best and the worst instruments in terms of response?

and a detail account of this study.

What is your opinion?

Handplane as Art 2

Marco Coppiardi — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 01:54:22 +0000

I am passionate about my tools, in a way that - it escapes reason. I came across this photo of an Italian eighteen century plane. The carving around the mouth, the inlays tell quite a beautiful story. This is a shooting plane, and it was used to join boards or plates as well as for flattening wide surfaces. It is a specialized tool made by the user, and I can just imagine the satisfaction it must have delivered at work.

You may enjoy reading about hand plane maker Ron Brese and his art.

Shaping the arching with a finger plane

Marco Coppiardi — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:06:57 +0000

I have been splitting time between work on a new Montagnana cello and a Guarneri violin. The final work with the finger plane or scraper takes longer and longer. This photo taken by Amit Zoran while I was demonstrating a finishing technique with the plane. I like to run the plane along the grain so to have a clean cut on the wood. Amit is an expert in the most diverse fabrication techniques, they go from the most ancient and forgotten to contemporary.

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Marco Coppiardi — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:10:22 +0000

NPR story

Finally, thanks to Dr. Steven Sirr, a modern instrument sounds like a Stradivarius. It made me think of the Red Violin.