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Commissioning

Commissioning a string instrument requires some courage, but also has its specific advantages. E.g.: apart from the models for which I have moulds and templates, I will gladly undertake to copy an existing instrument for you. You might want to have a baroque copy of a modernized instrument that you will not have rebaroqued. Or you fancy a copy of an existing instrument, the sound of which you are in love with, but that is not regularly at your disposal. Provided of course that the instrument is accessible for taking pictures and measurements. Bear in mind that I make copies, not replicas. The new instrument will resemble the original strongly, but without its idiosyncrasies.

Another advantage might be that, within the possibilities of historical pigments and coloring agents, you can have the instrument finished according to your taste.

But, most important perhaps, within the possibilities of a given model, and within the basic sound quality of my work, I can finish the sound of an instrument to suit your aim or taste. Over the years I have developed a simple and reliable system for subsequent intonation of anything between a whole register and an individual tone.

Apart from all this, the way I work may make the decision easier. Generally speaking, as long as an instrument is in the white, I will not let you buy it unless you are confident that it is the right instrument for you. This goes of course for ‘normal’ instruments. If you ordered something eccentric (extremely big or small, a highly ornamental finish, or a musical outpost like viola d’amore), we will have to talk about this aspect in more detail.

The varnished instrument is yours, but happily my system of grounding and varnishing behaves quite predictable acoustically. Varnished instruments speak slightly easier in a slightly less edgy voice.