Don Rickert Musical Instruments

What Makes the Difference Between Pretty Good and Great Acoustic Stringed Instruments? (Revised 6-2023)

This article is an update to a similar article published about a year earlier. If you really care to see the original article, see: What Makes the Difference Between Pretty Good and Great Acoustic Stringed Instruments? If you wish to discuss anything covered in this article, see Don Rickert on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/donrickert. This link gets you to ALL of my detailed contact information, my websites and social media. Introduction Before I start, what are the criteria for judging the sound quality of musical instruments? I hope that the reader can agree that this is largely subjective, and often, culturally relative. For example, take the case of the octave mandolin and an "Irish" bouzouki (to differentiate it from a "Greek" bouzouki). Protests by enthusiasts notwithstanding, they are variants of the same instrument and can certainly be tuned in the same way. But an Irish bouzouki player might describe an octave mandolin as a bouzouki that is too "bassy" and/or "sounds too much like a guitar". On the other hand an octave mandolin enthusiast might describe a bouzouki as a thin and tinny-sounding version of a good octave mandolin, as well as having a scale length that is too long. The point here is that the attribution of "good" or "bad" with respect to the sound of large lower-pitched mandolin-like instruments is very subjective and arbitrary, and based on expectations set by many decades of recordings by influential artists. There exist many other comparisons between the sound of superficially similar instruments, such... Read more →

Is It Finally Time For a Master-Built Violoncello da Spalla?

This is an update to a article that originally appeared several months ago (Spring 2023). See New Violoncello da Spalla Builds Underway: Now Might Be the Time If you wish to discuss anything covered in this article, see Don Rickert on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/donrickert. This link gets you to ALL of my detailed contact information, my websites and social media. New Content Since I started making Violoncellos da Spalla in 2017, I have made 20 or so. My violoncellos da spalla are highly-regarded and are played by some of the preeminent musicians performing on the instrument today. Many committed amateurs as well. Contrary to any reasonable predictions, the COVID-19 lockdown period was very busy for us with respect to violoncellos da spalla. Post-pandemic, I am busier making other instruments, such as mezzo violins, octave mandolins, travel violins and violas. I am keen to resume making 6 to 8 violoncellos da spalla a year. That is what marketing is for. Yes, this is marketing! Keeping the above in mind, I am convinced that will be in a slow period for makers of high-end musical instruments, violoncellos da spalla included, for a good while. I estimate that, of the population of enthusiasts who think that they want a violoncello da spalla, maybe 2% are actually willing to spend the money to have one made. If you are one of those 2%, I would love to discuss. For the rest, I think that I may have two solutions: Detailed plans and building instructions for... Read more →

It's Baroque, Man! (or the Low-down on Baroque Violins)

Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. This article is primarily for those considering acquisition of a proper Baroque violin. D. Rickert Musical Instruments has been making baroque violins, violas and violoncellos da spalla since our inception in 2007. We also make Baroque period pochettes (pocket fiddles) and their modern descendants, usually called Travel Violins. See the article in the March/April 2023 issue of Strings Magazine, 'The Tiny Pochette Violin Made Constant Travel a Breeze for Dance Masters of the 18th Century', for which Don Rickert was interviewed. We would love to talk to you about a baroque instrument built from the ground up or an existed instrument "back-dated" to Baroque configuration. Don Rickert on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/donrickert. This link gets you to ALL of my detailed contact information, my websites and social media. Our Podcast, 'Cool Instruments for Hep Cats' YouTube (video version): https://www.youtube.com/@Cool_Instruments_for_Hep_Cats/podcasts Spotify (audio version): https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cool-instruments-hep-cats ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` A future article and maybe my podcast, 'Cool Instruments for Hep Cats' will focus on WHY? In other words, the many reasons why someone would want to take up the Baroque violin or fiddle (there was no real differentiation between violin playing and fiddle-playing in the old days). The fact is that if you need to ask "why?", you probably don't need a baroque violin. This article only deals with the instruments themselves and not with playing techniques or the evolution of the bows used to play them. I have touched on baroque playing technique and baroque bows in past articles.... Read more →

New Violoncello da Spalla Builds Underway: Now Might Be the Time

It is time to unite another new Violoncello da Spalla by Don Rickert with its new owner. We have a new Violoncello da Spalla standard model underway. I have a Violoncello da Spalla (Standard Model) in progress that is more than one-half completed. The Standard Model is less expensive than the Standard Plus Model. You will want to visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop [link] to see the differences between the two models. Both are professional level instruments. See the in-progress Violoncello da Spalla in its current state in the adjacent photo of yours truly (i.e., Don Rickert). Learn more about Violoncellos da Spalla, including the ones we make here in our Hiawassee, Georgia (USA) workshop. If you are reading this, you probably already know a bit about what a Violoncello da Spalla is, the history of its development in the 17th and 18th Centuries, and its rediscovery in the early 21st Century. If you do wish to learn or simply refresh your memory on this unique and versatile instrument, visit the following links: Violoncellos da Spalla by Donald Rickert Demonstrations of Violoncellos da Spalla by Don Rickert Violoncello da Spalla Standard Model by D. Rickert NEW Violoncello da Spalla by D. Rickert (Standard Plus Model) Violoncello da Spalla in Old-Time Music: A Match Made in Heaven Happy New Year 2022! Looking for a World-Class Violoncello da Spalla? Learn more about other really cool tenor and baritone range violin family instruments If you visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop website... Read more →

Violoncellos da Spalla by Donald Rickert

We announced this very cool instrument in 2018. Since then we have made almost two dozen Violoncellos da Spalla for customers all over the world. Our instruments are played by some of today's preeminent Violoncello da Spalla players, as well as many advanced amateur players alike. Well-known Suzuki Teacher and professional violist/violoncello da spalla performer, William Hurd is pictured here with his Rickert-made violoncello da spalla over his shoulder. Note: "da spalla" does mean literally "for the shoulder" in English, but the photo does NOT depict the actually playing position! We will get to that. Please contact us if you wish to discuss purchasing one of these fine instruments. Our email is [email protected] and phone number is (706) 896-0909 or (706) 400-1481 (mobile). Visit us at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. See and hear some demonstrations of our Violoncellos da Spalla. The demonstrations below are but two of a large and growing number that can be seen and heard on our Violoncello da Spalla Demo Page. The incredible Andrew Gonzalez performing on our Violoncello da Spalla by Don Rickert. Heifetz 2018: Violoncello da spalla | Andrew Gonzalez Plays Bach Bach 6th Suite Gigue on Violoncello da Spalla Introduction Prior to 2018, we received a number of inquiries about the violoncello da spalla, based largely on our reputation for making extraordinary octave violins, mezzo violins and professional-level travel violins, which are modern versions of the dancing master's pochettes (portable pocket fiddles) of the Baroque Period. In 2018, I decided that the... Read more →

Cool Instruments for Hep Cats Podcast: First episode to post week of March 19, 2023

Yeah, I know that I said that it would launch on March 17. What with some instrument completion deadlines and St. Patrick's Day stuff, it is going to be delayed by a few days. My bad! Stay tuned. Happy St. Patrick's Day 2023! 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. For now its name is Badass Instruments for Cool Cats. There will be a corresponding video version on YouTube. Episode 1, Part 1 Episode 1, Part 2 (Ska, Ska Punk and Reggae) Read more →

D. Rickert Musical Instruments Will Be a Vendor at Hoppin' John 2022.

D. Rickert Musical Instruments will be showing one of its Violoncellos da Spalla at an upcoming festival in the Southeastern US. D. Rickert Musical Instruments (bowed strings), together with its partner, Rickert and Hale, Luthiers (mandolin family and guitars), will once again be showing finished and in progress instruments at the 2022 Hoppin’ John Old Time and Bluegrass Fiddlers’ Convention. The festival happens September 15-17, 2022 at the Shakori Hill Community Arts Center near Pittsboro, North Carolina. That is central North Carolina. People come from throughout the Southeastern US, including Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and, of course, North Carolina. We will have at least one of our in-progress violoncellos da spalla to show. As surprising as it might seem, a large number of American traditional fiddle players and enthusiasts are also baroque music enthusiasts. We have actually sold more violoncellos da spalla at (or shortly following) the Hoppin’ John Old-Time and Bluegrass Fiddlers’ Convention than ANY other instrument. The in-progress violoncello da spalla that we will be showing is actually available for purchase right now. It is the same model played by several renowned violoncello da spalla players. If you are interested, feel free to contact me to discuss. Later today or tomorrow at the latest, I will post about other instruments that we will have to show at Hoppin' John. Read more →

Announcing the NEW Standard Plus Model Violoncello da Spalla by Don Rickert

If you have decided to acquire a professional level violoncello da spalla, you should pay attention to this! Email: [email protected] Phone: 706-896-0909 Effective May 30, 2022, we are offering the NEW Violoncello da Spalla Standard Plus Model. This new model supersedes its predecessor, which was called the “Standard Model”. This new instrument has the same basic specifications as the earlier Standard Model, but is primarily hand-made by Master luthier, Dr. Donald Rickert in our workshop in Hiawassee, GA, USA, with minimal apprentice or contract labor. Prices start at $16,000 US. To learn more, go to NEW Violoncello da Spalla by D. Rickert (Standard Plus Model) on the Don Rickert Musician Shop website. Dr. Don Rickert is one of the preeminent cello da spalla makers worldwide. He is based in Hiawassee, Georgia, USA, which is located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia. The workshop is located literally on the border of the Nantahala Wilderness area of the Chattahoochee National Forest. Dr. Rickert and his fellow luthier, Dr. Randy Hale also design and build professional-level octave mandolins, Irish bouzoukis, citterns, mandolas and mandolins. See the Rickert & Hale website. Their workshops are located on adjacent ridges. Why the New Model? Funny you should ask. In the past few years, the violoncello da spalla market has evolved such that it has become much smaller and more discerning. The time of exuberant enthusiasm, with throngs of eager beginners, has diminished markedly, and with it the market for violoncellos costing less than $10,000.... Read more →

Fine Violoncellos da Spalla for Sale: Hiawassee, Georgia, USA

D. Rickert Musical Instruments has a model of Violoncello da Spalla for every level of commitment beyond “just curious and doing research”. Our Standard Model Violoncello da Spalla goes for just under $10K. This is the model played by some of the widely-recognized best violoncello da spalla players in the world, such as Andrew Gonzalez and Will Hurd. We also have a Deluxe Model, which costs more. Both of these are made by us in our Hiawassee, Georgia USA workshop. We also have a really nice entry-level model that this made in China and set up by us in our workshop. We also make a really cool small Petite Violoncello da Spalla. See the following product listings: NEW Violoncello da Spalla Conservatory Model by D. Rickert NEW Violoncello da Spalla by D. Rickert ($8,400 - $9,600) Petite Violoncello da Spalla by D. Rickert ($6,500) Recent videos of Andrew Gonzalez and Will Hurd Read more →