As part of the RNCM’s prestigious Manchester International Violin Competition, the four violin makers William Castle, Helen Michetschläger, Kai-Thomas Roth, and Marc Soubeyran will work together to make a copy of a Guadagnini violin. The making process is broadcasted as live stream: www.ustream.tv/channel/rncm-test

The violin will be set up in full playing condition, but will be varnished subsequently. After varnishing, the violin will become part of the RNCM collection for loan to RNCM students. The finished violin will be played for the first time by one of the Competition’s semi-finalists on the final day of the Competition. As part of this special event, the makers will be available to answer questions about the process.

Nathan Sawaya is a Brick Artist. He builts things with Lego bricks, and he has recently made a Lego cello: YouTube

Tarisio, an auctioneer spezialized in old string instruments and bows, announces the upcoming auction of an rare Maggini bass. The ‘Delmas’ double bass by Giovanni Paolo Maggini is the first Maggini bass to be offered at auction for over a century.The Tarisio website features detailed photographs and an article by Duane Rosengard about this old italian instrument: “Of the approximately dozen surviving bass-register instruments by the Brescian master, the ‘Delmas’ is the most complete and pure example of Maggini’s medium-sized bass form, and is the only one to retain its original head. It is made on a virtually identical form to the ‘Dumas’ (the best-known medium-sized Maggini bass) but is more carefully finished. For the front Maggini used a dense spruce, while the back and ribs feature a delicately figured maple.The bass is named after Alphonse-Joseph Delmas ‘dit Boussagol’ (1891-1958), one of the leading French bassists and pedagogues of the 20th century. (…) To judge from his surviving works, Maggini devoted particular care and attention to bass and contrabass instruments of three distinct types. Before describing each type, some general observations may be made about the entire group. They were strung with either five or six strings and were mounted with fingerboards that were far shorter than those in use today. The necks were wrapped with gut frets at the first seven semitones. The ranges and tunings of these instruments are subject to some debate though the compass was narrow by modern standards. And as difficult as it may be to imagine today, technological improvements in the winding of gut strings probably influenced the design and size of bass instruments as players and makers sought greater power and clarity.” Estimates: $200,000-$300,000

photo: © Tarisio

In 1903, German bass maker Otto Roth (1876-1954, Vogtland area/Bohemia) finished a huge double bass with almost 4.20 m height and 2.10 m body length. The photo (taken in 1905) shows the enormous size of this “moster” bass: twice as big as a regular bass. For getting it out of the workshop, the window has been the only way out. Roth made this bass for the Chicago opera, but unfurtunately, no further informations about the use and ownership of this monster bass are available.(from the german instrument making magazine “Instrumentenbau” 1-2/2011)

For Dave Gartland, bassplayer with background in sheet metal working, double basses made of Aluminium have always been fascinating. Over the years, he has collected much informations about these instruments, and he finally started building an Aluminium double bass of his own. He plans to update his website regulary with pictures of the progress.

The most Aluminium basses have probably been made during the 1930ies, before WWII. Dave says about these basses: “American made Aluminum instruments are unique in the fact that they were seamlessly welded whereas the Europeans used rivets & screws. This single tell-tale identifier can be used to spot one from across the room. The Europeans used spruce bass bars, blocks and sound post platforms as well as Maple necks whereas the American made instruments are entirely aluminum. It is our opinion that the European made basses, due to their construction, have a much better tone. The rivets allow luthiers the opportunity to disassemble the instruments for maintenance and repairs when needed.  The American made ALCOA basses are far stronger though and can withstand the rigors of time (and abuse) much better.”