Ep. 83: Let's talk about WOOD for violin, viola, cello and doublebass

[@russcorbett3923]

Awesome video with a Great message that too many people seem to forget ,,,, or never learned !!!! I've heard a viola and a cello , one made from Cedar and one made from Cyprus ,,, and they were absolutely stunning !!!! The wood is a blank slate ,,, what a master does with it depends on what the wood will become !!! Thank You ,,,,, for All of your videos !!!

[@EdgarRuss]

Thank you Russ! Always a pleasure to read your comments! Edgar

[@tamaking7104]

Wood is a "blank slate" but just as slate, limestone, granite and diamond have different inherent properties and not just all "rocks", so too the acoustical qualities of woods vary hugely. But of couse, even the best wood, in the hands of a novice will most likely produce an instrument best used to light a fire. A master may be able to get the best possible tone from a wood's capability, but if seeking to create a masterpiece he will take much effort to seek out wood with good acoustical properties. I don't say Mangeao is the "best" by classical judgements, but it has a tone that is superbly unique. You can hear that it is mangeao, regardless of the luthier.

[@tamaking7104]

To add to your blank slate comment, it would be good to see Edgar Russ or some luthier make a violin top from a wooden pallet from a rubbish heap. Some of that wood is Russian spruce, and although Siberian trees lack the sun that Italian spruce enjoy, it must be possible to create a decent violin from a well chosen bit of reject wood. It would make a great you tube story and luthier promotion. It would also highlight the profligate wastage of wood that the current world trade causes.

[@ghlscitel6714]

Very informative. My violin teacher told me that the wood should have rested at least 20 years to stop "working". Great presentation!

[@memidesgooshe8863]

Thank you Edgar for your great information as always.

[@EdgarRuss]

Thank you so much!

[@polen66]

Hi from Chicago, some day l will visit you.

[@EdgarRuss]

Great! I am looking forward to welcoming you here in Cremona. Meanwhile take good care! Edgar

[@jma8352]

i never made a violin but on the f5 mandolin i made with sitka spruce from the north west usa (warmer i guess tone and the brighter red spruce. its amazing to me how these woods talk. it can take a lifetime and still not learn it. I wish i got started earlier in life but too many things to do, build houses ect. still i love the craftsmanship your excellent work i admire

[@romanchomenko2912]

Hi Russ if you can't find a 200 year old maple or spruce ask the forester to look for damaged trees by lightning, a tree damaged by lightning has its resin burnt off and the grain pulled in together. That's what the Carpathian mountains foresters do if they see damaged trees they cut them first before the other trees are matured.

[@bluehoo0]

Hello Edgar great video, I checked the Bachman website you mentioned. As well as quality tone wood, they were also selling spruce resin, what would you use this for? Perhaps making varnish?

[@tamaking7104]

Mangeao wood from New Zealand creates a unique sound. The tree was known as the "Singing Tree" because when old time sawyers cut them down with a 2 metre 2 man hand saw, the saw would sing. Only 2 or 3 luthiers have made violins from this wood and even accounting for the wide variation in sound quality between the two luthiers (one very average, the other a superb luthier ) there is a distinctive common tonal warmth that is not heard in maple back violins. I have one of these violins.

[@MirralisDias]

Interesting, can you elaborate more on this? Have you taken the violin to other luthiers? If so, what they said?

[@tamaking7104]

@@MirralisDias My mangeao violin needs pulling apart and reassembling. So I haven't taken it to any luthiers yet. It was made 90 years ago by an enthusiastic luthier, passionate about mangeao, but he did not have the plate tuning skills of some of our modern luthiers. I have played 2 mangeao violins by a retired luthier, Graeme Thatcher who was a master of plate tuning violins made in traditional and locally native woods of New Zealand. The difference between his mangeao and maple violins was very distinctive. I have also heard a mangeao cello played and it carries the same unique tonal quality. A master luthier could make a very mellow cello from Mangeao with spruce top plate. I would not see Mangeao ever replacing maple, because maple produces the tonal qualities we all know. But for some classical music, the Mangeao tone would be naturally superior. I would love to see a good quality mangeao violin in the hands of Maxim Vengerov or Rusanda Panfili where I am sure the instrument would earn preference for some compositions. A number of good luthiers have also produced violins with kauri tops, but while some are good, they don't come up to the same standard as spruce. It is curious (divine providence?) that maple and spruce grew in the vicinity of the birthplace of the violin.

[@MirralisDias]

@@tamaking7104 Thank you for taking the time. Do you know of any video demonstrating an instrument with such wood here on yt? Or is it so rare

[@tamaking7104]

@@MirralisDias I have not seen any videos of Mangeao violin. I think there would only be about a dozen in existence.

[@jaxongrant1]

I use mangeao a lot in guitars as well. Kahikatea makes a great spruce replacement too.

[@jomerambito7408]

Does the intensity of maple flames have influence on sound quality? Or it doesnt really add tone quality?

[@joshua3398]

I have a violin with a different kind of wood in the back and sides, after researching on the web I came to the conclusion that maybe it’s made out of poplar, which is rarely used in violins, also my luthier told me that the fingerboard projection is lower and because of that the bridge is shorter, I don’t know anything about my violin because it has no label but do you know where is more common to find violins made this way? I love your videos by the way! Greetings from Mexico!

[@mtdogluvr6880]

I am eagerly awaiting your next message!

[@markt4815]

Seasoned wood is one thing...A seasoned instrument is everything.

[@theviolinist9040]

Thank you Edgar, this was very informative and helpful. Question, can you use walnut for the back?

[@EdgarRuss]

Of course! I made once a Gasparo da Saló copy with walnut and it has been a great success!!!!!

[@Rob590]

Hello Mr. Edgar, thank you for very informative video. I have a question, if you don't mind. I got a piece of walnut tree trunk (part of family history), 80 cm in diameter and 120 cm in length. How should I have it processed at lumber yard to maximize the usable wood for backs, necks and sides? Should I have it quartersawn or processed into wedges? What would you recommend? Best regards, Robert

[@mykofreder1682]

See a minor dark knot/dark spot in the plank on the bench, I wonder if that would cause issues. And he pointed out he would not use it, so I guess the answer is knots or high density is an issue. I have drilled or or put screws into knots and have had issues, so I thought this kind of density would be a carving issue. Am not a carver and would not put the 100+ hours into carving from scratch. But I plan to get a $70 unfinished spruce and maple violin kit at some point and a caliper, get the thicknesses right and do tone checks, put it together, probably spirit varnish it. See how it sounds, it's nice to know there is a possibility of getting an acceptable tone if I am lucky.

[@posys5140]

hello from the US do you have any wood from Paneveggio an ancient forest in the dolomite mountains where Amati Stradivari Guarneri got there Alpine Spruce ?

[@scumpy-bk8es]

Any ideas on glueing fresher wood

[@jcalveras]

Could you make a Viola with Purple Heart wood? Would it sound better. or worst?

[@tamaking7104]

Can you tell the link to listen to the New Zealand swamp kauri violin?

[@ironmonkey1512]

I think overly flamed scrolls distract from the lines that are carved

[@rubenlanuzo3210]

What can you see if the wood that use for violin is Marta wood? Can it produce a good sounding

[@rubenlanuzo3210]

I mean Narra wood

[@geigenbauhellmich2296]

I did one video about this topic in German language, until now I'm too shy to speak english in front of a camera but it might be better for A bigger audience

[@geigenbauhellmich2296]

Love your videos, you are my youtube violinmaker idol

[@parism555]

Hallo. Ich moechte gerne deinen Videos sehen! Sind Sie auf Deutsch?

[@geigenbauhellmich2296]

@@parism555 ja, schau gerne vorbei!kzbin.info/www/bejne/baOtdKaArK52has

[@EdgarRuss]

Das ist doch sehr lieb von dir, dass du mir das hier schreibst! Hab mir deinen Kanal schon genau angesehen und finde dass du das sehr gut machst. Einfach weitermachen! Am Wichtigsten ist dass du deine Version, Geschichte und so erzählst! Der Anfang ist am schwersten. Ach ja Lisa, ich hab mich auch abonniert!!!! 😉👍🏼

[@danielphendarko2651]

viola

[@danielphendarko2651]

double bass

[@danielphendarko2651]

cello

[@udayakumar5132]

I like to work with you sir

[@gonrico]

"I think wood is the main material the violin is made" WOAH REVELATION haha jk

[@danielphendarko2651]

bass bar

[@danielphendarko2651]

bridge

[@danielphendarko2651]

maple

[@danielphendarko2651]

𝕰𝖉𝖌𝖆𝖗 𝕽𝖚𝖘𝖘

[@danielphendarko2651]

violin

[@danielphendarko2651]

wood

[@danielphendarko2651]

spruce

[@danielphendarko2651]

fingerboard

[@argi0774]

And in the end, there were blindtests, where highly experienced experts were mistaking the Stradivari for a factory violin made of plastic.

[@danielphendarko2651]

boxwood

[@danielphendarko2651]

saddle

[@danielphendarko2651]

tuning pegs

[@danielphendarko2651]

strings

[@danielphendarko2651]

chinrest

[@danielphendarko2651]

ebony

[@danielphendarko2651]

evah pirazzi

[@danielphendarko2651]

soundpost

[@duckingtonedits2369]

Wenge