Violin Forum/Message Board

Lemuel

I look forward to any opinions and thoughts on this thread.

http://www.violins.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1135

Dave Chandler · Posted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 6:32 pm Post subject: Stradivarious Process

Very expensive voodoo. I could probably get more mileage out of my dollars sending my instruments to a real pro for proper setup.
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Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

I think you should send one of your instruments in for treatment, and report back... if it works, you can re-sell the service through your business (at a reasonable up charge, of course.)

Lemuel · Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 1:55 am Post subject: Re: Stradivarious Process

Mat Roop · Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:18 am Post subject:

There have been lots of experiences with discovering Strad secrets... baking, drying, varnishing, grounds etc etc. Most have received dubious reviews and the issue of comparison recordings is also of questionable value as too many elements get in the way of accurate scientific and conclusive experimentation.... eg... room acoustics, perceptions of individual judges... and preconceived expectations.
This chap needs to get to the serious and top luthiers of the world for discussions to see and understand all points of view.
I am not judging the value of this invention... just my guess that there will be lots of skepticism!
Good luck though!

A short story on reality vs perception.... I spent 22 years managing the construction and maintenance of 3 million Sq ft of school buildings. A common compliant was that occupants wanted control of the thermostats... but we needed to control the settings for the sake of the equipment and energy efficiency.
In a few cases with some stubborn folk who could not accept someone else controlling their space temperature, we installed dummy stats that they could operate and change, but that were not connected to anything.
The end result was always that the occupants were quite comfortable ... after all, they percieved they could control the temperature!

Cheers, Mat

Lemuel · Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 9:48 am Post subject:

rs · Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 10:33 am Post subject:

Sounds like Nagyvary.

Making a violin that sounds good is not as great of an accompishment as he is touting, and one that sounds great is just a little more work. I would be a LOT happier if he could sell me something that would make my work LOOK equal to a Strad.

Besides, the argument is based on the belief that dry-rot wood sounds better than non-dry-rot. If this is the case, then dry-rot 2 by 4's would make a better house than strong lumbered ones; at least the house would make a clearer tone when it collapsed, I guess.

But having not tried it, I would not want to throw anymore stones than I already have.
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Randall Shenefelt

FiddleDoug · Member Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Posts: 227 Location: Hilton, NY

I usually just rub snake oil on mine to improve the tone. :D
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Doug Wall

www.wallindependent.com

Chad48309 · Member Joined: 26 Sep 2010 Posts: 110 Location: Michigan

I haven't looked into it, but I think the creator of this new ... "method" ... has only adopted the "Stradivarius" name and doesn't make any assertion that this could have been any actual historical process.

At least, I hope not, because that would be complete and utter bunk. Wink

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-C.S.

Dave Chandler · Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 6:08 pm Post subject: Strad process

If he's not willing to explain the process, we have no way to contribute to any informed discussion on the topic. Its like discussing the benefits of "snake oil" without being privy to the recipe. What is his motive other than commerce? If he's already applied for a patent, why is he hiding the process?

From what I'm reading I think he's bombarding the wood with radio frequencies (sound) -- I'm reminded of a similar process that I read about. This other process required a device to transfer sound waves from acoustic speakers and transfer the vibrations to the violin's bridge thus causing the violin to vibrate as though it were being played. They put the violin and equipment all in a soundproof box for a month or two (why not while you're waiting on the finish to mature), and at 24 hours a day, day in and out without any rest, the violin "played" the great classic violin pieces. At the end of even a few weeks there was a noticeable difference as it was "played in".
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

Chad48309 · Member Joined: 26 Sep 2010 Posts: 110 Location: Michigan

Dave, I think you're describing something like the ToneRite procedure.
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-C.S.

actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

"From what I'm reading I think he's bombarding the wood with radio frequencies (sound)"

Or, (thinking like Stradivari here) putting the instrument through atmospheric compression and decompression cycles till all the little gates fly open!

E

Chad48309 · Member Joined: 26 Sep 2010 Posts: 110 Location: Michigan

actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

In his day I believe it was called "hyper barbaric"

Lemuel · Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 10:22 pm Post subject: Re: Strad process