Posted by Chet Bishop on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
I am currently working on a slightly larger model of the "Plowden" Guarneri del Gesu. It is slightly larger for the same reason my Davidov model cello was slightly larger-- operator malfunction. Not sure what it is I do wrong, but somehow I end up a little oversize. That doesn't seem to affect the playability, or the looks, as it is proportionally correct, but it is perplexing, as it is unintentional.
I was careful to choose wood that was aesthetically similar to that of the original, so, if I can do a decent job of it, it should look very much like the original, except a little larger, and with the flame slanted the opposite direction across the back.
I have also started a lion-head viola. Never tried that before, so we will see how it turns out. I carved the head of very hard, plain maple, and will graft it onto a flamed neck, then fit the resulting neck/head combination to the 16-1/4" viola corpus.
I'll post pictures soon.
Chet
10 comments on “Plowden model in progress.”
fiddlerd Says:
Wednesday, September 5, 2012 @11:58:46 AM
I will be looking forward to the pictures and your progress reports.
richdissmore Says:
Wednesday, September 5, 2012 @1:33:45 PM
i think plowden was one of Antonio Stradivari fiddles Sam Zygmuntowicz worked in uper class violin shop in paris and had a chance to see and work on this fiddle yes he took muserments good luck with your fiddle
Mandogryl Says:
Wednesday, September 5, 2012 @2:56:33 PM
Can't wait to see the pictures, as always.
Larry Rutledge Says:
Wednesday, September 5, 2012 @4:56:54 PM
sounds like your having to-much fun! keep up the good work.
richdissmore Says:
Wednesday, September 5, 2012 @6:10:51 PM
i think this fiddle will turn out grate
Chet Bishop Says:
Wednesday, September 5, 2012 @8:40:25 PM
I posted photos of the lion-head (far from completion) over on the forum. Incised the f-holes on the del Gesu model this evening, and corrected the arching to align the plane of the f-holes. Tomorrow is another day...
Chet Bishop Says:
Thursday, September 6, 2012 @10:59:39 AM
Richdissmore: there may be more than one violin called "Plowden"-- but this one is a 1735 Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu instrument. Definitely not a Stradivari piece. Very beautiful instrument-- I hope I can do it justice.
richdissmore Says:
Thursday, September 6, 2012 @11:31:21 AM
you will make a very good fiddle yo may be rigth there may be more then one Plowden
Chet Bishop Says:
Thursday, September 6, 2012 @4:32:02 PM
Thanks for the vote of confidence. :-)
Chet Bishop Says:
Friday, September 7, 2012 @7:16:35 PM
OK...I stuck a photo of the beginning stages of the Plowden attempt on the forum. Garland is complete, plates are arched and purfled, f-holes traced and incised...time to graduate.
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