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Chet Bishop
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Joined: 23 Mar 2007
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Location: Forest Grove, Oregon
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 Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2012 6:06 pm Post subject: New Viola and a local makers' trade show. |
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Here is the viola I completed today-- a 15-3/4" Oliver. Sitka spruce top and blocks; Bigleaf Maple ribs, Red Maple back and scroll.
I will be participating in a small trade show in Lake Oswego, Oregon tomorrow, at the Fairfield Inn & Suites hotel. Admission is free, and the door will be open from 1PM to 7PM. If you have the time and care to attend, I hope to see you there.
I hope to exhibit six violas, three violins, a cello, and a five-string fiddle.
Chet[/img]
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ctviolin
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Location: Roswell
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 12:17 am Post subject: Re: New Viola and a local makers' trade show. |
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| Chet Bishop wrote: | Here is the viola I completed today-- a 15-3/4" Oliver. Sitka spruce top and blocks; Bigleaf Maple ribs, Red Maple back and scroll.
I will be participating in a small trade show in Lake Oswego, Oregon tomorrow, at the Fairfield Inn & Suites hotel. Admission is free, and the door will be open from 1PM to 7PM. If you have the time and care to attend, I hope to see you there.
I hope to exhibit six violas, three violins, a cello, and a five-string fiddle.
Chet[/img] |
Chet,
Nice looking viola.
I like to read anything about your accomplishments. I have noticed that you use some of the same domestic woods that I use. (Sitka and Bigleaf, for example)
I'm curious where you got the red maple from - I take it its domestic? (did you once mention using Elon Howe? I forget now, what wood it is I used to use from him, and the particularsort of "odd cuts" he was making then - but I do remember that I liked his wood.)
I did notice there's a really nice one piece back there, in your photos, and there appears to be that odd cut that's almost slab, for the back. Am I reading that grain correctly on that piece?
Are you moving in the direction of favoring violas over violins these days? that would be interesting, as I have been thinking about making a viola for the last twenty years or so, but have never had the, ahem! uh, how do you say it? "objects de spherical" to actually start one and branch out in that direction. I do have some really nice viola size Sitka and Big leaf plates just waiting, though, all I have to do is get the grit to start one...
I do wish I traveled a bit more these days, I'd love to be able to draw a bow across one of these bad boys.
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johngia
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Joined: 10 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 8:48 am Post subject: |
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Chet,
Nice. Love the color. Most of mine are done natural wood colors, but the few I've tried to color --- your color was the goal. Have never attained it. Never made a viola, but strung up one of my violins as a small one. Need the low note for a song.
Craig,
If you do travel, and are in the Ohio area, would love to have you stop by. I still have the desire of coming out west to see the stars from the desert and visit you.
John |
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Chet Bishop
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Joined: 23 Mar 2007
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Location: Forest Grove, Oregon
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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Craig, yes, the Red maple has usually come from Elon Howe, who is still selling wood in Newaygo Michigan. That red maple back came from a local hardwood dealer, though, and I have no idea where they got it. It is native to the northeast coast area, I think.
Yes, I am leaning more toward violas-- I like the sound. Violins sometimes hurt my ears. 
John, if you come to Oregon, give me a call-- my number is on my website.
The show went well. Low attendance, but very pleasant day with other makers. One possible sale. A lady took a violin home on approval for a week. We'll see what happens.
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ctviolin
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Location: Roswell
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| johngia wrote: | Chet,
Craig,
If you do travel, and are in the Ohio area, would love to have you stop by. I still have the desire of coming out west to see the stars from the desert and visit you.
John
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John, I doubt I'll see Ohio, but if you do get out west (NM) - If you do ever get out here, John - call ahead of time (444 and then 6215), and I'll have Mary put on a pot of her famous Southwest Green chili...
The shop is always open. Visitors are always welcome. Always.
We buy a couple bushels of green NM chiles every year, and freeze them for the year. And then, whenever someone comes by ... well, its green chili time...
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ctviolin
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Chet Bishop wrote: | | Craig, yes, the Red maple has usually come from . One possible sale. A lady took a violin home on approval for a week. We'll see what happens. |
Good luck, brother. (!)
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Chet Bishop
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Location: Forest Grove, Oregon
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Chet Bishop
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Location: Forest Grove, Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:52 am Post subject: Final update |
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The lady decided she couldn't afford a new violin just now-- has other more pressing financial obligations. She will bring the fiddle back today, but keep my contact information, in case things improve. Very positive feedback...but no sale.
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Chet Bishop
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Location: Forest Grove, Oregon
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| Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:43 am Post subject: |
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Well...I think I will strip the viola and varnish it over again...I completed it in such a hurry that there are some glitches in the varnish... (several small runs, and some bubbles). I will give it longer betwen coats, for one thing, and take more time with each coat, double-checking for sags and runs. The nice thing about spirit varnish is that you can remove it easily with alcohol, and re-do it without harming it at all.
Then, I hope to complete the del Gesu model violin (an attempt at copying the "Plowden") that I had begun several months back, and try to have it finished before the New Year.
Finally, I hope to start a cello between Christmas and New Years day, since I will take that time off from work. If I can have it complete by early April I will be quite content. The Marylhurst show is the last weekend in April, and I want to be prepared.
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MANFIO
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Chet Bishop
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, Luis!
Coming from a successful viola-maker like you, that means a lot.
I hope to see some more of your latest work, here. too. How about that violin you just completed?
Chet
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MANFIO
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Chet Bishop
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Location: Forest Grove, Oregon
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| Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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You have entered a safer world, my friend.
You left the ugliness behind.
Welcome.
You will find your friends here-- and the un-friends are apparently not here.
The moderators here don't put up with that sort of behavior, anyway, I am told.
Lovely violin, BTW-- it deserves to be seen...and heard.
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MANFIO
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ctviolin
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Location: Roswell
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| Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:41 am Post subject: |
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| Chet Bishop wrote: | You have entered a safer world, my friend.
You left the ugliness behind.
Welcome.
You will find your friends here-- and the un-friends are apparently not here.
The moderators here don't put up with that sort of behavior, anyway, I am told.
Lovely violin, BTW-- it deserves to be seen...and heard. |
That's an interesting way of putting it Chet.
Safer world.
I always wondered how and why the "un-friends" (and, I must say that that is a pretty damn accurate description) ever got the vocal upper hand elsewhere... and apparently, still have it to a large degree.
One thing it did do for me, was to break my fixation with yacking incessantly over the internet, though.
I get more actual WORK done these days.
Looking back, I find that the fixation was essentially "unhealthy".
If (when) I go there now I can see how into the fictive world some people get... (and appear to be stuck.) Whew! Sort of glad to be free from it, to such a large degree.
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