The Strad Magazine sent out their Friday email with things they want to share.  Here's one of them regarding new instruments compared to old ones.

This is the back on Duston's violin.  It's his first instrument and he's putting it together whenever his schedule allows.  This particular piece of wood was something I never thought I would use since the marketability of something so unusual is questionable.  I simply did not want to take the risk. There was a time when I would never purchase a violin with a knot in it.   However, for Duston it is perfect!  He's never going to sell it and it's very unique and stunning.  We're about 2 months away from hearing its voice and we're getting impatient.

The competition is underway today in Quebec and it's particularly exciting for me as James Ross will be competing on his Robert Haag violin.  I'm sure everyone wishes him all the best!  I look forward to posting a video at some point.

I read somewhere in the last year that Del Gesu was born on this day, albeit a few hundred years ago.  I rarely remember birthdays, but I remember this one because it's the same date as my birthday, and I've never forgotten mine.  The festivities today include helping a friend attach the neck to the body of the violin he's working on.  As well, I plan to start another violin today.  The model I will use for inspiration is, of course, a Del Gesu!

New York cellist and composer Alex Waterman stopped by yesterday to borrow a cello for some recording and composing engagements that he has over the next 2 weeks.  It was most entertaining to watch him evaluate the 2 cellos on offer.  He chose the one I prefer to play with its understated looks that betray the wonderful tonal and playing characteristics that lie beneath.

More about Alex can be found here: ​
www.alexwaterman.com/
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In celebration of Canada's 150th birthday, I wanted to make a violin with Canadian maple instead of the traditional European maple that I regularly use.  I had a hard time locating wood for the neck and scroll, but ended up with something that had been in storage for over 30 years.  It was a slab that yielded 4 necks, and 2 backs.  Here's the scroll in the style of Guarneri Del Gesu.  I am extremely happy with the result.  The rest of the violin is also very eye catching but it's a few days away from public display or playing.

​I other news, I've modified my own design and have started working on the first violin from the new form.  I can't explain why exactly, but I'm very excited to hear it sometime this fall.

This is the start of my 25th violin.  It's a milestone of sorts.

Lately I've been starting violins by carving the scroll.  Most people carve it last.  I like the fresh, relaxed attitude that I bring to violin construction early in the process.  I find I have to restrain myself when a violin is almost complete, so starting with the scroll allows me to give it my best effort.  Carving the scroll is one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole process, so it's almost like eating dessert before the main course.

In other news, group fiddling courses for adults start early next month at Mount Royal Conservatory.  Lynae Dufresne is the instructor and she is excellent.  I recommend them.

​The Legacy Childrens Foundation is fundraising to support their efforts to bring music instruction to disadvantaged youth in Alberta.  Check them out online.

It's time to wind things down for the Festive Season.  I'm not taking on any new work at the moment.  I have some items to finish for a few clients and then I will look forward to making new instruments in the New Year.  Thanks to all the wonderful people who have given their support over the past year.  I have the greatest clients in the world and I wish them all the best!

First I digress.  This is from yesterday's celebration in honour of my mother.  It's a great feeling to play with 2 crack musicians with all of us using instruments I made.  James Thurgood on the left, Tom Mirhady in the middle, and me.

The theme in my life lately has been wood.  I received 2 shipments.  The first one I sourced from Gordon Carson at Mountain Voice Soundwoods in Valemount BC.  We had a great time reviewing the possibilities of a number of pieces and I came home with chunks that looked like firewood and others that were nicely cut but were orphan cello pieces or whatever.  When I got home, I spent a couple of days milling the wood into billets that would be suitable for violin tops.  Then I measured and weighed them in order to determine their density.  This measure is one of the factors I take into consideration when selecting a top for an instrument.  We guess the density at the mill and I get to find out how close we came once I get home.

​I learned Simeon Chambers at Rocky Mountain Tonewoods is planning to wind down his operation by the end of the year and the wood is discounted. I've dealt with Simeon before and felt compelled to support him while I still can.  It's tough to justify shopping in the US at the moment due to the exchange rate, so the discount on the product helped offset the currency difference.  Shopping at Simeon's means that I'm choosing tops based on photos and density measurements.

​Both suppliers are excellent to deal with and award winning instruments have been made with spruce sourced from both of them.  I'm equally pleased with the wood I received lately from both suppliers.  Because I was buying larger material from Gordon, I was able to mill it according to my tastes for grain spacing.  Since Simeon made those decisions when he did the final milling on his wood, I had to accept the appearance of the wood I received.  The appearance is fine but I wonder if I would have made the same decisions as Simeon if I were milling the wood.

​The big difference between the two is that Gordon's wood is almost in my backyard (6 hrs. drive) and Simeon's is in another country where a 6 hour drive won't get me anywhere close.  I like buying local where there are no border fees, postage is less than half the cost and the product arrives twice as fast.  Returns are relatively straight forward.  These are important factors for me and they have nothing to do with wood quality. 
Gordon's wood costs a bit less, but he spends less time processing it and the density is estimated.  While milling wood is noisy, risky, dusty and time consuming, there's enjoyment in trying to determine the optimum way to bring the best out of a chunk of wood. Your labour is the price you pay for saving on the cost of the wood itself.

​I am sad that Rocky Mountain Tonewoods is closing after 13 years of supplying great materials, but I am also thankful that Mountain Voice Soundwoods continues to provide me with top quality local material.

​While density and appearance are important qualities, there are others that I ponder over and will write about at some time.  Things like being cut on the split, perfectly quartered, absence of hard grains, staining, absence of knots and resin pockets, moisture content, checking, fungus, insect damage and variation in grain spacing, stiffness, speed of sound travel, age of the tree and whether it was cut green or standing dead and whether it was cut according to the phases of the moon.  There's so much to ponder.

​Stay tuned.

I'm very fond of this instrument already.  I've been playing it for about 3 days.  The tone is very engaging.  I'm also really happy about how the colour turned out.  Considering I had 3 different colour schemes in mind while I was varnishing, it's amazing that it didn't turn out black.  I feel very fortunate to have this instrument at my disposal and look forward to playing it with my friends over the next few weeks.

​Next?  My varnish jars are now empty, so I am starting to think about cooking some more in the backyard.  Weather conditions could be favourable for that sort of thing this week.