Don Rickert Musical Instruments

The Latest on Octave Violas and Tenor Violas by D. Rickert (with Demos)

New product listing for Octave Violas and Tenor Violas at the Don Rickert Musician Shop! For the first time in years, we have a specific product listing on our online store website, Don Rickert Musician Shop (www.donrickertmusicianshop.com), having treated Octave Violas as completely custom commissions. Octave Violas and Tenor Violas are now listed as two variants of the same instruments, just as violins and fiddles are simply variants of the same instrument. Our Octave and... Read more →

Offbeat Songs for Cool Cats: New Podcast From D. Rickert Musical Instruments

We just launched our new podcast, Offbeat Songs for Cool Cats, just in time for Christmas 2022. Below are links to play Episode 1, Parts 1 and 2 via Spotify. We aim to post an episode every 2 weeks. The next is scheduled for on or about January 5, 2023. I'll be telling you more about this podcast in the coming days. We will also be launching yet another Podcast show in the near future.... Read more →

Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Makers of Violoncellos da Spalla and Other Fine Bowed Instruments

For more information about us, including our online store, the Don Rickert Musician Shop, see Introducing the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Don Rickert Musical Instruments is a premiere designer and maker of innovative custom and historic musical instruments. Since starting our musical instruments enterprise in 2007, we have dealt primarily in those of the bowed variety (e.g. violins, fiddles and related instruments such as octave fiddles). We have also designed and made a number of... Read more →

The Latest on Travel Violins and Fiddles by D. Rickert Musical Instruments

Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Introduction Travel violins and fiddles are specially-designed instruments for adventurers and other travelers for whom small size, extreme durability and easy portability are essential. Travel violins/fiddles are also commonly known as “backpacker fiddles”. Travel Violins and Fiddles by D. Rickert Musical Instruments D. Rickert Musical Instruments has been designing and making historic pochettes (e.g. Baroque-period dancing master’s “kits”) and best-in-class modern travel violins (aka backpacker fiddles) since 2005.... Read more →

Things to Know About the Baroque Pochette (a.k.a “Kit”)

Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. What Is a Pochette or “Kit” Fiddle? Pochettes are 18th Century instruments whose popularity was primarily from the early 1700s through the 1780s; however, there are surviving examples dating back to the 1600s. The pochette (French for “pocket”) was a small violin-like instrument designed for easy portability. They are also known as “pocket fiddles” and “kit fiddles”. Pochettes were always quite a bit smaller in girth than full-size... Read more →

Octave Violins, Octave Violas and Hybrids from Don Rickert Musical Instruments

Note: There is a newer updated version of this article entitled, Octave Violins, Tenor Violas and Related Instruments from Donald Rickert. See the Don Rickert Musician Shop for current product offerings. Introduction Darol Anger and Vasen w/ Rickert Octaves In 2006, one of the first things we at D. Rickert Musical Instruments set out to do is to design and build the best acoustic octave violin possible. The octave violin or octave fiddle is tuned... Read more →

Going Electric: Part II of A Different Way of Achieving the Range of an Octave Violin and Octave Viola

Attention!: This is an older post. Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. This article is by D. Rickert Musical Instruments, a highly regarded designer and maker of acoustic purpose-built octave violins and violas, as well as 4-string and 5-string electric violins. All of these instruments are sold via Don Rickert Musician Shop. Introduction This is the second (see Part I) in a three part series on the topic of using a 4-string or 5-string... Read more →

Don Rickert Musician Shop: Your Source for Unique Bowed and Fretted Instruments and Accessories Ranging from Baroque Period to Today’s Cutting Edge

Don Rickert Musician Shop (D. Rickert Musical Instruments): Your Source for Unique Bowed and Fretted Instruments and Accessories Ranging from Baroque Period to Today’s Cutting Edge Introduction It is quite clear that we are the place to come for the unique stuff…things you just cannot get at either the corner music store, traditional violin shops or the online mega-stores. What are these things that musicians, and the occasional museum, come to us for? Over the... Read more →

Don Rickert Musician Shop is Unique: Part 2 (Every Sale a Consulting Engagement)

Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. For Don Rickert Musician Shop (D. Rickert Musical Instruments), every sale of a premium instrument is a consulting engagement, focused getting the setup exactly right. Part of the purchase of a new violin is customer specification of stringing and accessories appropriate for one of a number of historic periods, ranging from contemporary all the way back to the late 1700s. Consultation with us about correct setup for specific... Read more →

Don Rickert Musician Shop is Unique: Part 1 (Hard to Find Stuff)

Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Don Rickert Musician Shop (D. Rickert Musical Instruments) is the place to go for unique instruments that are either very hard or even impossible to find anywhere else. Some examples: Travel / Backpacker Violins and Fiddles We make and sell the finest innovative and ergonomically perfect travel/backpacker violins in the world. Several dozen customers a year opt for one of our travel violins, despite the fact that they... Read more →