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 fretted instruments along the way: mandolins, parlor guitars, acoustic bass guitars, tenor guitars and the like. We will soon be branching out in a serious way into the world of fretted musical instruments. Look forward to some really interesting mandolins, octave mandolins, mandocellos, parlor guitars, acoustic bass guitars, tenor guitars and the like.
Regular production items are usually available at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. If you want something that is not there, give us a call...
Our email is [email protected] and main phone number is (706) 896-0909. Don Rickert's mobile phone number is (706) 400-1481
Mailing address: Don Rickert Musical Instruments 726 Hall Creek Road Hiawassee, GA 30546
This is the primary website and blog for Don Rickert Musical Instruments .
We are NOT a "Brick-and-Mortar" Retail Establishment Nor a Typical Online Operation (We are Better!)
We are not a “brick-and-mortar” retail establishment; however, many customers do choose to visit our studio and workshop in the beautiful North Georgia Mountains (part of the Appalachians). Being shopkeepers for a corner musical instrument shop would be completely at odds with our multifaceted focus on continuous research & development, innovative instrument design and customization, combined with our creation of meticulously accurate replicas of historically significant fiddles.
The nature of our business demands that sales be conducted primarily online. We have done this for some time. The predecessor to the new Don Rickert Musician Shopwas called the “Adventurous Muse Store.” We initially operated under the name “Fiddle and Bow Shop.”
Please note that this site has been around for a good while. While working diligently to clear out the "junk" (old obsolete articles), this is going to take some time. We thank you for your patience during this period and offer a blanket apology for any incorrect links to our old online store.
We just shipped this left-handed version of our new International Travel Violin. This instrument, while having a full-length scale, is short enough to fit into a 4" diameter x 22" long case. That meets all known carry baggage size restrictions in the world. The instrument, in its case, will fit into many roller bags.
The International Travel Violin is our newest design. It is, of course, a TRAVEL VIOLIN that we designed for violinists and fiddlers wishing to travel without worry with their instruments by air:
To destinations outside of the U.S., especially Europe
From one European region to another or from one country to another
On any small plane (< 50 seats), regardless of destination, within the U.S. or abroad
AND
Desire an all wood, luthier-built instrument with a 4/4 playable string length,
AND
Require an instrument with the sonority and timbre close to that of a full-size instrument.
This completely new instrument has a full-size playable string length of just approximately 13 inches. The cool thing about the International Travel Violin is that it has a body length of approximately 13 inches (normal 4/4 violin has a 14” body) and a cleverly shortened “scroll-less” pegbox. The result is a full-size instrument with a total length of just under 21”! This allows the use of a case that is a mere 22” in length. It will fit into many TSA-certified carry-on roller bags!
The International Travel Violin is a shorter version of our famous full-length Ranger C3 Travel Violin, which fits into a 4”x24” case. If you deserve the very best travel violin available anywhere, Summer is the time to make it happen. If you are planning a trip this Summer, you had better get it going pretty soon—don’t forget that each one is custom-built.
Both the International Travel Violin and the Ranger C3 Travel Violin normally sell for $2600, which is a bargain if you really care about master-level quality, playability and sound. Right now, they are both on sale for only $2195! See them at the Don Rickert Musician Shop (www.DonRickertMusicianShop.com). Or go directly to the product links shown below.
Like its larger-bodied sibling, the International Travel Violin, this new travel violin was designed for violinists and fiddlers wishing to travel without worry with their instruments by air:
To destinations outside of the U.S., especially Europe
From one European region to another or from one country to another
On any small plane (< 50 seats), regardless of destination, within the U.S. or abroad
AND
Desire an all wood, luthier-built instrument with a 4/4 playable string length,
AND
Require an instrument with the sonority and timbre as close to that of a full-size instrument as possible for a small instrument.
As with its predecessors, the Mountaineer series (I through VIII), the International Explorer Travel Violin is the instrument of choice for adventurer-musicians for whom any of the following apply:
Willing to sacrifice the full-size violin sound of the International Travel Violin or the Ranger C3 (but still sounds pretty good) in favor of considerably greater durability. The new International Explorer Travel Violin is ideally suited for outdoor adventure, where weather, rough conditions, rough treatment (e.g. being dropped onto the ground or into water) etc. are part of the deal.
Are seeking a travel violin that is less expensive than either the International Travel Violin or the Ranger C3. Indeed, the International Explores is hardly cheap, with a sell price of more than $1400; however, it costs about $700 less than its more expensive siblings.
Introduction and Summary
This completely new instrument has a full-size playable string length of 12.75 inches. The cool thing about the International Explorer Travel Violin is that it has a body length of approximately 13 inches (normal 4/4 violin has a 14” body) and a cleverly shortened “scroll-less” pegbox. The result is a full-size instrument with a total length of only 20”! This allows the use of a case that is a mere 21” in length. It will fit into many TSA-certified 22” (height) carry-on roller bags! We will be happy to give you recommendations for our favorite carry-on bags.
FREE Test Fitting!: If you wish, we will send you a heavy-duty 4” x 21” craft tube for a test fitting with your carry-on baggage. Let us know if you would like to do this before we start building your instrument.
If you already have, or wish to use a slightly smaller carry-on bag, the International Travel Violin can be made even shorter than 20” on a custom basis, often at no extra charge.
You can, of course, take this instrument as your carry-on item in one of our available cases. In most air travel scenarios, you can also take a bow tube for a full-size bow along as well.
The bottom line is that you can take our International Explorer Traveler Violin as a carry-on item on most airlines anywhere in the world without worry, provided that you are not flying on what would be classified as a small plane (< 50 seats). Then, it is a crap-shoot. Also, regional flights throughout Europe and elsewhere often do not allow carry-on baggage of any kind, except for small electronic devices (laptops, tablets, phones, etc.), which always MUST be carried on the plane as a “personal item” (i.e. these items cannot be checked baggage).
If you ever would have to check-in your instrument for the cargo hold, our cases are strong enough to protect it.
The new International Explorer Travel Violin by D. Rickert looks essentially like a slightly shorter (but still a full 4/4 playable scale!) and wider at the middle version (with a truncated pegbox) of its renowned predecessor. Because we compensated for the shorter body length by making it wider, the International Explorer has a sound that is virtually identical to the Mountaineer Backpacker Fiddles.
Dimensions
Overall length: 20” (50.8 cm)
Body length: 13” (33.02 cm)
Nut width: 24 mm
Width at middle: 2.8” (71.12 mm)
Rib height (at ends): 1.18” (30 mm)
Rib height (middle): 1.53” (39 mm)
Note: all dimensions have been carefully worked out so that the International Explorer, with chin rest attached (and, of course, the shoulder rest removed) fits perfectly into our 4” diameter case. In fact, since there would be room to spare, and in keeping with the theme of use in extreme conditions, we add some extra padding in the case when ordered with this instrument.
There is also room for your bow and the detachable shoulder rest.
The case can be made to match the length of bow you will be using.
Playing Characteristics and Ergonomics
With its custom center-mounted chin rest and the adjustable shoulder rest in place, holding and playing the International Explorer Travel Violin feels pretty much like playing a regular violin. The Velcro-attached adjustable dense foam shoulder rest is easily removable for stowing the instrument in its case. The shoulder rest is actually more comfortable than many rests for regular violins.
Sound
The International Explorer Travel Violin sounds pretty good for a fiddle of its size. While such a small instrument could not possibly sound as powerful and full-bodied as a good full-size violin (those pesky laws of physics), The International Explorer Travel Violin has a surprisingly big and warm sound. In other words, it is rather sonorous. It is plenty loud enough to jam with other musicians.
See the demo videos at the end of this listing.
Fittings
Wittner FineTune internally-geared tuning pegs
These incredible tuning pegs have a gear system in the buttons. The gearing ratio is a very respectable 8.5:1. A cylinder in the middle of the peg shaft turns in response to turning the button. The pegs are celebrated for their kindness to the peg box. They are held in by friction. Some top violinists have even installed them on priceless antique violins. They look pretty much like ebony.
Custom-made chin rest
The chin rest is a “flat Flesch” type of rest, which we carve and re-shape to fit the tail of the International Travel Violin perfectly.
Tailpiece
The default tailpiece is an ebony “Hill” style. If a pickup volume control is installed, the tailpiece is a special poly-carbonate tailpiece by Wittner.
Adjustable shoulder rest
The new shoulder rest, attached with industrial strength Velcro, is much simpler to use and is actually more comfortable than any of its predecessors.
Case
A case is included with purchase of the instrument.
As described above, there are a number of case options, including a plethora of colors and lengths. We have Super Duty and Ultra-lite cases.
Order the case separately. See the related products at the end of this product listing. You will NOT be charged for the case.
Bow
The size of bow you will use depends on how long of a case that you can work with. If you intend to use a 21” case, you will need to use either a take-apart bow, carry your bow(s) in a separate bow tube or use an Incredibow. A ¼ size bow only requires a 24-25” long case. A ½ size bow requires about 27” in case length. A full-size bow requires a 31” long case. Incredibows are actually a very good option. These unique bows look something like Baroque bows. They are very populate among fiddlers; not so much with classical violinists. Incredibows are available in a variety of lengths, including a 19.25" size, which will fit into our short 21" cases. They are also available in various weights and tensions, which is quite helpful in compensating for short length. You should check out Incredibows. We have a lot of experience with them and can help you select the best size, weight and tension for your needs. Feel free to contact us.
Those of you who know us are aware that we really discourage the use of lousy bows. We also believe strongly that a bow for a travel violin should NOT be wooden.
As with all of our travel violins, we expect that many customers will opt to have a pickup installed. There are many pickup options. Please contact us if you wish to add a pickup.
This new travel violin was designed for violinists and fiddlers wishing to travel without worry with their instruments by air:
To destinations outside of the U.S., especially Europe
From one European region to another or from one country to another
On any small plane (< 50 seats), regardless of destination, within the U.S. or abroad
AND
Desire an all wood, luthier-built instrument with a 4/4 playable string length,
AND
Require an instrument with the sonority and timbre close to that of a full-size instrument.
Introduction and Summary
This completely new instrument has a full-size playable string length of 12.75 inches. The cool thing about the International Travel Violin is that it has a body length of approximately 13 inches (normal 4/4 violin has a 14” body) and a cleverly shortened “scroll-less” pegbox. The result is a full-size instrument with a total length of only 20”! This allows the use of a case that is a mere 21” in length. It will fit into many TSA-certified 22” (height) carry-on roller bags! We will be happy to give you recommendations for our favorite carry-on bags.
FREE Test Fitting!: If you wish, we will send you a heavy-duty 4” x 21” craft tube for a test fitting with your carry-on baggage. Let us know if you would like to do this before we start building your instrument.
If you already have, or wish to use a slightly smaller carry-on bag, the International Travel Violin can be made even shorter than 20” on a custom basis, often at no extra charge.
You can, of course, take this instrument as your carry-on item in one of our available cases. In most air travel scenarios, you can also take a bow tube for a full-size bow along as well.
The bottom line is that you can take our International Traveler Violin as a carry-on item on most airlines anywhere in the world without worry, provided that you are not flying on what would be classified as a small plane (< 50 seats). Then, it is a crap-shoot. Also, regional flights throughout Europe and elsewhere often do not allow carry-on baggage of any kind, except for small electronic devices (laptops, tablets, phones, etc.), which always MUST be carried on the plane as a “personal item” (i.e. these items cannot be checked baggage).
If you ever would have to check-in your instrument for the cargo hold, our cases are strong enough to protect it.
The new International Travel Violin by D. Rickert looks essentially like a slightly shorter version (with a truncated pegbox) of our renowned Ranger C3 Travel Violin. No one has yet challenged our claim that the Ranger C3 is the best sounding travel violin in the world. The International Travel Violin is built on the same principals as the Ranger C3. The two instruments sound virtually the same. Of course, the larger Ranger C3 is somewhat more acoustically powerful—a laws of physics thing.
Dimensions
Overall length: 20” (50.8 cm)
Body length: 13” (33.02 cm)
Nut width: 24 mm
Width at middle: 3.2” (81.28mm)
Rib height (at ends): 1.18” (30 mm)
Rib height (middle): 1.53” (39 mm)
Note: all dimensions have been carefully worked out so that the Ranger C3, with chin rest attached (and, of course, the shoulder rest removed) fits perfectly into our 4” diameter case.
There is also room to spare for your bow and the detachable shoulder rest.
The case can be made to match the length of bow you will be using.
Playing Characteristics and Ergonomics
With its custom center-mounted chin rest and the adjustable shoulder rest in place, holding and playing the International Travel Violin feels pretty much like playing a regular violin. The Velcro-attached adjustable dense foam shoulder rest is easily removable for stowing the instrument in its case. The shoulder rest is actually more comfortable than many rests for regular violins
Sound
The International Travel Violin emits almost the same volume as a regular violin. The timbre is amazingly close to a better than average full-size instrument. It is full-bodied and focused. Its sound can best be described as somewhere in between our Neil Gow Pochette and our Deep Body Custom Travel Violin.
These incredible tuning pegs have a gear system in the buttons. The gearing ratio is a very respectable 8.5:1. A cylinder in the middle of the peg shaft turns in response to turning the button. The pegs are celebrated for their kindness to the peg box. They are held in by friction. Some top violinists have even installed them on priceless antique violins. They look pretty much like ebony.
Custom-made chin rest
The chin rest is a “flat Flesch” type of rest, which we carve and re-shape to fit the tail of the International Travel Violin perfectly.
Tailpiece
The default tailpiece is an ebony “Hill” style. If a pickup volume control is installed, the tailpiece is a special poly-carbonate tailpiece by Wittner.
Adjustable shoulder rest
The new shoulder rest, attached with industrial strength Velcro, is much simpler to use and is actually more comfortable than any of its predecessors.
Case
A case is included with purchase of the instrument.
As described above, there are a number of case options, including a plethora of colors and lengths. We have Super Duty and Ultra-lite cases.
Order the case separately. See the related products at the end of this product listing. You will NOT be charged for the case.
Bow
The size of bow you will use depends on how long of a case that you can work with. If you intend to use a 21” case, you will need to use either a take-apart bow, carry your bow(s) in a separate bow tube or use an Incredibow. A ¼ size bow only requires a 24-25” long case. A ½ size bow requires about 27” in case length. A full-size bow requires a 31” long case. Incredibows are actually a very good option. These unique bows look something like Baroque bows. They are very populate among fiddlers; not so much with classical violinists. Incredibows are available in a variety of lengths, including a 19.25" size, which will fit into our short 21" cases. They are also available in various weights and tensions, which is quite helpful in compensating for short length. You should check out Incredibows. We have a lot of experience with them and can help you select the best size, weight and tension for your needs. Feel free to contact us.
Those of you who know us are aware that we really discourage the use of lousy bows. We also believe strongly that a bow for a travel violin should NOT be wooden.
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. Continuous improvement based on customer and market feedback and our own continuous evaluation, is just the way we roll. This has led to the design and production of more than two-dozen models over the past 13 years.
We currently make three regular production models of travel/backpacker violin. We also make various custom variants, including “lefty” and 5-string models, as well as travel violas. All of our regular production travel violin models have 14” bodies with 13” playable scale lengths; the same body and scale lengths as full-size violins. All of these instruments are available at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. See the Travel and Backpacker Fiddles category of the Don Rickert Musician Shop website (online store).
Late Baroque Pochette
While our modern travel fiddles look superficially like Barqoue pochettes (pocket fiddles), they are, in fact, full-length violins intended for backpacking and travel. All of our travel and backpacker violins are full 4/4 length instruments with chin rests and shoulder rest adapters.
They are very popular among traveling classical violinists as well as adventure-loving fiddlers. Unlike the cheap travel fiddles that cost much less than ours on the market, our travel violins respond to the bow like a full-size instrument and are quite sonorous.
What Is a Modern Travel Violin or Backpacker Fiddle?
Baroque Dancing Master w/ Pochette
Modern backpacker and travel violins are the highly-evolved descendants of the pochettes (pocket fiddles, also known as “kits” or “kit fiddles”) of the late 17th through the late 18th Centuries. The Baroque period in music (1600 – 1750) fell within the time period during which the pochette was commonly used. Anyone interested in learning more about the Baroque pochette should see my recent article, Things to Know About the Baroque Pochette (a.k.a “Kit”).
When one refers to a backpacker or travel violin, he or she is talking about a small and physically robust instrument that:
Will withstand far greater physical and environmental impacts than a regular violin or fiddle would normally be subjected to
Is substantially smaller in width than a regular violin (usually between 2” and 3.5” wide); in other words, “skinny” enough to fit into a high-strength tubular case (usually about 4” in diameter) that is often attached to a backpack or bicycle luggage rack.
Has the same important ergonomic attributes of a full-size violin in modern configuration
The Physical and Environmental Impacts
The physical impacts include being constantly being jarred due to be being attached to a backpack and even dropped.
Environmental impacts include:
Extreme high and low temperatures
Extreme low and high humidity levels
Radical rapid changes in temperature and humidity
Instrument Size (and Shape)
While some backpacker violins are shorter in length than regular violins, the norm is a playable string length (nut to bridge) identical to a 4/4 size violin, with an overall length approximately the same as a 4/4 violin. Sometimes, backpacker violins will have a slightly shorter body and/or peg box.
Ergonomic Attributes
Many, but certainly not all, designers of modern backpacker/travel violins and fiddles, pay great attention to the ergonomic aspects of these small instruments. Primarily, these "human-centered" ergonomics efforts are focused on removable chin rests and shoulder rests that, when installed on the backpacker/travel violin, replicate the critical ergonomic dimensions of a full-size violin or fiddle. The overriding criterion we adhere to is that a travel violin, whatever its size, should feel exactly like a regular violin when it is played.
A modern travel violin without its ergonomic fittings
This instrument, one of our designs, is 2" wide but full 14" long body and a full 13" +/- playable string length. Nevertheless, as is, it cannot be played like a modern violin or fiddle.
The same instrument with its ergonomic fittings installed
Owing to the high adjustability of the shoulder rest (fore and aft position, height, lateral angle), this instrument with its fittings installed is actually more ergonomically optimal than the average violin.
Sound (Timbre, Sonority and Power)
When it comes to sound, travel violins fall into two distinct groups:
Instruments primarily used for practice when traveling
Instruments for players for whom timbre, sonority and power approaching that of a full-size instrument is a priority
Instruments primarily used for practice
These are slim-bodied (about 2” wide) instruments that, when fully assembled with their chin rests and shoulder rests, simulate the hold, and afford the manner of playing and bowing technique of full-size instruments. This small-bodied class of travel violins is favored by serious violinists and fiddlers wanting a practice instrument (one that plays like a regular violin) with a highly-realist feel, but is as small as possible. In fact, we make one model (on strictly a custom basis), the “Frequent Flyer”, which disassembles such that the pieces can be fit easily, along with a take-apart bow into a rolling suitcase along with other luggage.
Frequent flyer NOT assembled
Frequent flyer assembled
Rich sonority is not a high priority for these musicians. Nevertheless, these slim-bodied instruments sound amazingly good, given their small sound boxes.
Instruments with timbre, sonority and power approaching that of a full-size instrument
These instruments are between 3” and 3.5” wide. They cost more than the slim-bodied instruments. Like the small-bodied instruments, their playing characteristics are virtually identical to those of full-size instrument.
Musicians who commission these instruments do, in fact, often use them as practice instruments when traveling. In addition to practicing, these musicians usually intend to play along with other musicians while traveling; therefore, they need an instrument that, while compact, sounds pretty much like an unmuted full-size fiddle and the acoustic power to hold its own in jam sessions and the like.
How Good Can a Travel Violin Sound?: Demonstrations
Many years of continuous design research, involving experimentation with many variables, has gone into achieving good sonority and projection volume from these small instruments whose body size, materials and construction method departs radically from conventional full-size violins.
Most makers of modern travel violins will tell you that they sound good. When we tell you that ours sound amazing, we really mean it. Watch the following videos to hear for yourself what we mean by amazing!
That's it for now. Look for a follow-on article in the next few days about traveling with your 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 violins; however, their overall length, as well as playable string length varied from quite short (about that of ½ size violin or viololino piccolo, or even shorter) to the length of a regular fiddle. The longer pochettes were generally the later ones. Short scale pochettes were usually tuned to a higher pitch than a full-size violin.
How Did the Pochette or "Kit Fiddle" Get its Names?
Pochettes were small enough in girth to fit into a longish sheath sewn into one's coat. The sheath came to be known by the instrument's name: "pochette". This is the origin of the modern English word "pocket". Pochettes were also known as "kits" or "kit fiddles", primarily in England and, to a lesser extent, in Scotland. The name "kit" is an example of impossible-to-comprehend (to anyone but an Englishperson) English humor. The idea appears to have been that, if a full-size violin is analogous to a cat (a reference to "cat gut" strings...actually never made from cat guts, but rather sheep intestines), then a small violin would be, by analogy, a "kit", the English and Scottish nickname for a kitten.
Some surmise that the word “kit” may simply be slang for a mispronunciation of “pocket”, as in “pock-it”. This naming evolution is similar to how “loo” became slang for a toilet—in Britain, “waterloo” is a humorous reference to “water closet”, at one time the name for the closet-sized room in which an indoor commode or “Crapper” (the actual surname of the presumed inventor) would reside.
Who Played Pochettes?
Neil Gow
Pochettes seem to have been popular among fiddlers who traveled frequently by foot or horseback. Arguably, the two most famous players of pochettes were:
Niel (aka Neil) Gow(1727–1807), one of the founding fathers of Scottish fiddling
Thomas Jefferson(1743-1826), a principle author of the Declaration of Independence and the 3rd President of the United States
Jefferson's Pochette (Possibly?)
It is well documented that Neil Gow often played a pochette while on the day long hike to Blair Castle to play for dances, and then on the way back home. One of his proper violins was apparently kept at the castle. That very same fiddle resides, on display, at Blair Castle today.
In his later years, Jefferson, both a violinist and fiddler, often road on horseback from Monticello to Charlottesville for sessions in various pubs. Lore has it that he often made this trip with one of the two pochettes that he is known to have owned. The pochette was carried in a leather saddle case devised by Monticello’s master craftsman, one of Jefferson’s sons by Sally Hemming . . . but that is a whole different story!
The pochette’s real popularity was driven in large part by itinerant Dancing Masters (private dance instructors), who preferred very portable violins that could be carried, with its typically short bow, in a sleeve (called a pocket or “pochette”, as many were French) sewn onto the Dancing Master’s coats.
The Socio-Political Events that Gave Rise to the Profession of Dancing Master (and Indirectly, the Pochette) in the 18th Century
The Union of Scotland, England (including Wales) and Ireland as Britain occurred in 1707. Queen Anne, who had already acceded to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1702, became the first monarch of Britain (and last Stuart monarch), as Anne, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland when the Treaty of Union took effect in 1707.
The Treaty of Union resulted in, among other things, England and Scotland having a shared Parliament. Suddenly, there was high motivation among the mercantile class in Scotland to learn to speak like the English (i.e. without a Lowland brogue) and to learn the latest English dances. These were things that the Scottish aristocracy, by and large, already knew how to do. Dancing at lavish parties was very much like the game of golf is today in the world of business networking.
Rise of the Dancing Masters
So, in major cities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, there emerged a widespread perceived need for elocution (i.e. diction, pronunciation, grammar) coaches and dance instructors. The profession of Dancing Master filled at least the dancing part of that perceived need, and people were prepared to pay good money to have that need met. Most of the Dancing Masters were either French or Italian music tutors who knew enough about English dancing to sell themselves as qualified Dancing Masters. I am pretty sure that, at least in Britain, there existed no guilds overseeing the qualifications of Dancing Masters.
So, it was in the urbanized part of Scotland that the profession of “Dancing Master” appears to have really taken off. It should be noted that there were Dancing Masters in places other than Scotland; however, Scotland after the Treaty of Union, was the epicenter, at least during the Baroque and pre-Modern periods.
Dancing Masters typically visited clients’ homes. They were, in significant ways, the 18th Century equivalent of personal trainers who come to clients’ homes. The successful Dancing Masters were booked from morning to night. Carrying a full-size violin from appointment to appointment was a real chore, especially given the heft of a case capable of protecting a violin and bow from the Scottish weather (not pleasant much of the time). Manufacture of violin cases on anything approaching a large scale would not occur until the 19th Century. If you wanted a violin case during the Baroque period, it had to be custom-made.
The Baroque Violin Case
I have carefully studied the construction and common usage of existing violin cases from the Baroque period, including those made by the workshops of Antonio Stradivari. First, these cases were quite expensive, often costing much more than a violin that a Dancing Master could afford, and they were intended primarily as decorative storage containers for well-appointed music rooms. Indeed, they did not always have carrying handles. Most significantly, Baroque period cases were quite heavy, somewhere in the range from 10 lbs. (4.5 kg.) to 15 lbs. (6.8 kg.).
The potentially available cases were definitely not built to withstand rain, freezing rain and snow—the standard weather for much of the year in the Scottish Lowlands. The contemporary musician, armed with full understanding about the limitations of Baroque cases, should understanding why carrying around a full-size violin for an entire day’s worth of client appointments would have been effectively impossible, even if one could afford such as case.
The Pochette: Solution to a Real Problem
Pochettes or kit fiddles had already been around at least since the late 1600s. It is easy to understand why they were almost universally adopted by the 18th Century Dancing Masters.
How Does a Baroque Period Pochette Sound?
The short answer is nasty! So, here is the longer answer.
Early Pochettes
Later Pochette
Pochettes, particularly the earlier ones, often had substantially shorter playable string lengths than a full-size violin. The later ones, on the other hand, generally had a full 4/4 string length, but with much skinnier body, and usually a shorter body (in the 11.5" to 13" range) than a full-size violin, which has a 14" body. Except in very cases, Baroque-period pochettes lacked the two things that we now know are essential to good sound production, a sound post and proper bass bar. Short bows were often used to play pochettes, without a doubt contributing to a less than optimal sonority.
Most Baroque and Pre-Modern period pochettes and replicas sound horrible beyond comprehension (and we have heard many!). A toy kazoo, toy piano, comb and waxed paper, or slide whistle would have sounded better.
So that you can fully experience the range of sound quality for Baroque and Pre-Modern pochettes, take a look and listen to the videos below.
Great musicians - ludicrously small instruments!
Here is a really small pochette from the 1600s.
A slightly better-sounding pochette - really fine playing!
A later model - marginally acceptable sound (the instrument, that is - playing is great!)
Had They Only Know About the Physics of Violins!
The poor sound of historic pochettes and their replicas is curious to us. More than a decade ago, we were able to design and make a very sonorous and nice-sounding pochette by essentially copying the external dimensions of a late 18th Century Scottish pochette (in the Burrell Collection in Glasgow). The only substantial changes we made were to fit the instrument with a proper bass bar and sound post. We also enlarged the sound holes to the extent necessary to afford setting and adjusting the sound post. This, of course, made the sound holes more appropriately-sized (i.e. larger!) for good sound production. This instrument, which we still sell today as the Neil Gow Pochette, is available in the Baroque Instruments category of the online store for the Don Rickert Musician Shop.
If you are interested in knowing just how good a Baroque pochette replica can sound, see the following video.
Darci Jones playing a late 18th Century pochette replica by Donald Rickert
The Ergonomics of Historic Pochettes
With the 17th and 18th Century pochettes, ergonomic concerns were apparently not considered at all. Ergonomics (the British term) and Human Factors (the preferred American term), or the study of the relationship between people and things, are 20th Century fields of expertise. The only concern in the 1700s and 1800s was making the pochette small enough to be easily portable. Indeed, the whole idea of making a tool fit its user was not yet part of the zeitgeist—one simply learned how to use available tools and other objects. The idea of “human-centered design”, a basic principle for modern Industrial Designers (those who design objects for people to use, including musical instruments) would not emerge until the late 20th Century.
One could even argue that the violin itself is ergonomically sub-optimal. This is why so much attention has been devoted to making the violin more usable in the last century (e.g. chin rests, ergonomically-correct shoulder rests, etc.). In the case of pochettes, a playing technique involving resting on the instrument on the arm and tucking the tail into one’s underarm evolved. In order to envision this playing technique, imagine the “on-the-arm” instrument hold that some violinists and fiddlers in various musical genres use even today. One can clearly see this extremely awkward hold and playing technique in the videos above.
Conclusion
This concludes my brief introduction to that diminutive Baroque period relative of the violin, the pochette, a.k.a. kit fiddle. My next article will delve into the modern descendent of the pochette, commonly called a “travel violin” or “travel fiddle”. I will post a link here when the follow-on article about modern travels violins is posted.
Modern backpacker and travel violins are the highly-evolved great-great-great grandchild of the pochettes of the late 17th through the late 18th Centuries. Most modern travel violins or fiddles bear a strikingly similar appearance to their Baroque period ancestors. The similarity stops there. Indeed, there are significant differences. Most, but not all, modern travel violins are designed in such a way as to capitalize on what has been learned in the past 250 years about the physics of bowed instrument sound production. What this means, essentially, is that they can, but again, not always, sound MUCH better than Baroque pochettes, even the good ones.
Many, but certainly not all, designers of modern travel violins and fiddles, pay great attention to the ergonomic aspects of these small instruments. Primarily, these "human-centered" ergonomic design efforts are focused on removable chin rests and shoulder rests that, when installed on the travel violin, replicate the critical ergonomic improvements expected in a full-size violin or fiddle in modern configuration. Furthermore, the critical ergonomic dimensions of full size violins, such as body length, overall length and playable string length are, in most cases, rigorously adhered to.
Shameless Promotion
In the past 13 or so years, D. Rickert Musical Instruments has designed and made a large number of Baroque pochette replicas (about 40). We have designed and produced an even far greater number of state-of-the-art modern travel violins (more than 125).
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. We have no reason for bias on the topic of acoustic vs. electric instruments, as we make both! Hopefully this lack of bias is reflected in the following article.
Introduction
This is the first in a three part series on the topic of using a 4-string or 5-string electric violin (and acoustic instruments with the right kind of pickup installed) together with the necessary effect signal processors to achieve a sound either one or two octaves lower than the violin’s or viola’s actual tuning. Our focus here is on achieving lower octaves; however the principles apply to other amazing sonic feats as well, such as playing harmony to your own playing in real time, or generating the sound of sympathetic strings, such as would be found on a contemporary Hardanger fiddle or a Baroque Viola d’Amore.
In this first article, I address the matter of whether an electronic option to violin octave synthesis is a desirable alternative for you.
Our Acoustic Bowed Octave Instruments
When we started our company almost a decade ago, it was the musical instruments division of Wiederholt & Rickert Partners, LLC (DBA Don Rickert Research & Design), a design research and new product development firm.
Our musical instrument endeavor, originally called V-Gear™, is now called D. Rickert Musical Instruments, whose online retail operation is, today, called the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Our original focus was creation of “impossible” acoustic instruments, specifically:
Travel violins and fiddles with a decent sound and were, rather than essentially toys, ergonomically identical to full size violins (same body and playable scale length, detachable chin rest and shoulder rest, etc.)
Designing and making the best acoustic octave violins in the world: This translated to creating instruments that were powerful, loud and sounded amazing, all without the aid of amplification.
Due to our obsession with continuous improvement based on customer feedback and the fact that we are part of a company that invents new things, both our travel violins and octave violins have evolved dramatically, resulting in our current product offerings for both classes of instrument. We now have octave violas as well as octave violins. See relevant product listings at the Don Rickert Musician Shop:
Electronically Synthesized Octave Violins and Violas
We are about to suggest a different way of achieving a sound one or even two octaves lower than a regular violin or viola. This alternative involves the use of a conventionally tuned electric violin or viola in conjunction with signal processing equipment to achieve a very satisfying octave conversion.
In practice, a 5-string electric violin makes the most sense, as it covers the ranges of both the violin and viola. If you prefer the longer strings of a viola (e.g. because you are a violist), a 5-string electric viola, which is tuned just like a 5-string electric violin, makes good sense.
Doing the octave conversion electronically is actually the preferred method for many performing artists, as there are many advantages, which I will discuss below.
There is an important topic that must be addressed first: Why an acoustic solution might be best for you. In other words, why electric instruments, electronic signal processors, amplifiers and the like might NOT be a good fit for you.
Why an Acoustic (NOT Electric) Solution Might be Best For You
You just don’t like the idea of electric instruments
If you are of sufficient age, you were horrified when Bob Dylan “went electric.” If you are younger, you WOULD have been horrified. We understand this. I mean really; our company has grown based on its acoustic instruments. Of course, we have done many custom electric instruments along the way and have entered electronic instruments in major musical instrument design competitions.
Anyway, the emotional attachment to true acoustic instruments is understood and respected here.
The cost (i.e. money limitations)
The cost of an acoustic octave violin or viola from us averages about $2,000, plus the cost of a decent appropriate bow (about $500). An electric violin capable of lower octave synthesis can be higher. Our current high-end hand-made electric 5-string violins are just shy of $3,000.
Note: We just announced two really nice electric violins that cost less than $2000 in 4-string configuration. Yes, they both are capable of lower octave synthesis. See:
A “living room” or small venue amplifier and the minimal signal processing equipment for achieving good-sounding octave synthesis can be had for about $500. Going beyond the bare minimum can quickly get much more expensive.
So, the cost of entry is a bit higher, but not really that much more than an acoustic instrument.
You believe that an electronically synthesized octave violin or viola cannot sound as good as an acoustic octave violin or viola
This simply not true. With a high-quality instrument and necessary external equipment, a very realistic sound of an acoustic octave violin and/or viola can be achieved. If you remove the “realistic” sounding constraint, an electric violin playing a synthetic octave lower can sound much better than any acoustic instrument. But you may remain unconvinced about electric violins and their associated peripheral equipment.
Your intended use requires an acoustic instrument
There are many musical situations that fall into this category, such as…
You travel with your instruments for the purpose of jamming with musicians located at your destinations. When I used to “commute” to work in Dublin, Ireland (alternating 2 weeks in Ireland, 2 weeks in the States), I always had at least 2 acoustic fiddles (often one an octave fiddle) with me for pub jam sessions (simply called “sessions” in Ireland).
Contrary to popular belief, air travel is quite easy with a pair of full-size acoustic violins in a double case. You just have to get used to having to check all of you other baggage.
You play in an all-acoustic group
You compete in fiddle competitions, none of which allow amplified fiddles…you gotta’ use a microphone (You would not normally use an octave fiddle, acoustic or not, for this purpose anyway.).
Anyway, you get the idea.
If You Are “On the Fence” Regarding the Acoustic vs. Electric Question?
There is an option that is a pretty good compromise. That would be a reasonable quality “intermediate” or better acoustic violin with the right type of pickup system installed. The result is an acoustic-electric fiddle. Even the most acoustically oriented professional fiddlers use pickups on their instruments. I have seen fiddlers in even the most traditional Old-Time string bands use a pickup.
Don Rickert Musician Shop routinely installs Barbera pickups on acoustic violins and violas in such a manner that they can be easily removed when you want to use your regular bridge. The pickup, including a wired polycarbonate tailpiece (with gain control) and unobtrusive side-mounted clamp-on output jack of our design, costs $550. A fancier tailpiece, such as a Dov Schmidt “Harp” and installation of Wittner FineTune internally geared tuning pegs (highly recommended) adds a bit (about $250) to the cost. We are currently finishing up such an installation on a T-Rex Octave Viola and will post some photos when completed.
In Part II of This Series, I will deal with the advantages of the electric violin approach.
Attention!: We have more recent articles about Travel Violins. Better still - See the Travel and Backpacker Fiddle category at the Don Rickert Musician Shop.
Modern Travel and Backpacker Violins
D. Rickert Musical Instruments makes some of the world’s finest Modern Travel Violins (aka Backpacker Fiddles) and more models (6 models currently; one a 5-string). We also make two Pochette models; one a Baroque (early to mid-1700s) and one a Pre-Modern (1780s). All of these instruments are available at the Don Rickert Musician Shop.
Travel and Backpacker Violins and Fiddles by D. Rickert Musical Instruments
These are instruments that look superficially like Barqoue pochettes (pocket fiddles); however, they are full-length violins intended for backpacking and travel. All of our travel and backpacker violins are full 4/4 length instruments with chin rests and shoulder rest adapters. They are very popular among traveling classical violinists as well as adventure-loving fiddlers. Unlike the cheap travel fiddles that cost much less than ours on the market, ours respond to the bow like a full-size instrument and are quite sonorous...be sure to watch the videos below.
How Good Can a Travel Violin Sound?
Most makers of modern travel violins will tell you that they sound good. When we tell you that ours sound amazing, watch the following videos to hear for yourself what we mean by amazing…
We have been talking about a new travel violin to supersede the Neil Gow 22XL Travel Violin for several years. It is not that we do not like the Gow Travel Violin. We always felt that we could get a more full-bodied and balanced sound from an instrument of similar size (14” long x 3.25” wide, at the widest point). After many tries, involving countless prototypes, we achieved success. We call the new instrument the “Mountain Lion”.
At some point (soon!) we will have a video demo of the Mountain Lion Travel Violin. We can tell you that it sounds almost as good as the one played by Nathan Aldridge in the first video above (we do not see the possibility of ever making a travel violin that sounds better than the Custom Deep Body Travel Violin – Viola played by Nathan) and a little bit better than the one played by Troy Parker in the second video.
The instrument played by Troy Parker is an Adventurer II. We no longer make this instrument on a regular production basis, as it is too expensive to build, given its internal labyrinth of tuned porting that rivals the complexity of a Bose speaker enclosure (we still make them on a custom basis for those willing to pay the hefty price…about $3,000).
What we are now calling the Deep Body Custom Travel Violin/Viola has become one of the most popular instruments we have ever sold. It is definitely the best-sounding pochette-type travel violin we have ever produced. Interestingly enough, not a single customer has opted for a 4-string octave violin (aka baritone violin) configuration. Rather, to date, we have made the following configurations for customers:
4-string standard violin or viola tuning (base price applies to this configuration)
5-string violin/viola with standard 5-string violin neck (this is what most customers buy)
5-string violin/viola with custom extra-wide 5-string neck
6 sympathetic strings that run through a channel under the fingerboard and then through a special cut-out in the bridge (i.e. the sympathetic string bridge) and attached to metal hooks on the underside of the tailpiece (just like a Norwegian Hardanger Fiddle)
This last instrument is interesting, as it is used by a performer of Hindi Classical Music living in Australia. In Indian classical music, the violin or viola is played with the musician sitting in something like a lotus position. The instrument end rests on the upper chest (we made the buyer a special chest rest for that purpose). The finial (e.g. scroll), in the case of this instrument, a viola d’Amore blindfolded muse (Baroque symbol of True Love), is held by the player’s toes. Only a picture can really convey how this is done.
This is our most popular travel violin (it is also our most popular instrument regardless of type)
The Rickert Mountaineer IV Backpacker Fiddle is a really skinny (but full 4/4 length) travel fiddle that is extremely durable for the most punishing environments. This instrument and its predecessors have now been on journeys in the U.S., Europe, U.K., Canada, Middle East, North Africa and the African sub-continent.
The instrument is just 2 inches wide and is standard 4/4 length (body just under 14", playable string length of 13”, and total length about 23").
The Mountaineer utilizes an innovative internal bracing, which performs the critical functions of the sound post (damping shrill high frequency overtones while enhancing mid and low frequency overtones). The advantage is that the Mountaineer IV can withstand shock and extreme temperatures without the risk of the sound post falling out of place. The new Mountaineer IV, unlike its predecessors, uses a separate bass bar (not part of the internal framing).
The sound?
The instrument is quite loud (louder than a regular violin), and well balanced across all four strings. It is NOT shrill or “tinny”. Rather it tends to favor the mid-range. While having as much bass punch as a 2-inch wide instrument could possibly have, it is somewhat less than what we would call full-bodied.
Basically, it gets the job done sonically for those whose needs require such a small instrument. It does quite well in impromptu jam session due to its shear volume and mid-range bias.
The Frequent Flyer Travel Violin is designed for players who need a travel instrument that can be easily be packed inside of a suitcase or carry-on bag.
It is based on the Mountaineer IV (see product description for the Mountaineer IV above), but has very special structural enhancements, which allow for the easy removal and reattachment of the neck. The entire instrument, together with its accessories and a take-apart bow, fits into two small boxes, which, themselves easily fit into one’s luggage. The photos illustrate how it works.
Like the Mountaineer IV, the Phantom Shoulder Rest is an available option.
The sound is almost as good as the Mountaineer IV. The Mountaineer IV is a bit more sonorous due to the latter’s permanently set neck, using a traditional modern violin mortised neck joint.
The Neil Gow 21C, the predecessor of the Neil Gow XL Travel Violin, while actually quite modern under the surface, is based on our extremely popular Neil Gow Pochette, an interpretation of an 18th Century pochette (pocket fiddle or kit) on display in the Burrell Museum in Glasgow, Scotland. The bodies of the Neil Gow Pochette and its modern descendant, the Neil Gow 21C by Don Rickert Musical Instruments, while longer than the historic original on which their design is based, and have a full 4/4 size playable string length (nut to bridge), of 13 inches. This is one inch shorter than a 4/4 conventional violin. Most players do not notice this small difference in body length. For other musicians, especially novice and intermediate players, that one inch difference is important. For this reason, and to add a few more cubic inches of internal air space, the Neil Gow XL Travel Violin body is a full 14 inches long, which is the same a regular violin or fiddle.
If it is Baroque pochettes, violins or violoncellos da spalla you want to see, go to the Baroque Instruments Category at the Don Rickert Musician Shop.
Introduction
D. Rickert Musical Instruments makes some of the world’s finest Modern Travel Violins (aka Backpacker Fiddles) and more models (6 models currently; one a 5-string). We also make two Pochette models; one a Baroque (early to mid-1700s) and one a Pre-Modern (1780s). All of these instruments are available at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. The article is about the pochettes, and some of the lore associated with them.
Baroque Pochettes (the ancestors of modern travel violins)
These are the 18th Century instruments whose popularity was primarily from the 1750s through the 1780s. The pochette (French for “pocket”) was a small violin. They are also known as “pocket fiddles” and “kit fiddles” (as kitten, implying small). The pochette’s development was driven in large part by itinerant Dancing Masters (private dance instructors), who preferred very portable violins that could be carried, with its short bow, in a sleeve (called a pocket or “pochette”, as many were French) sewn onto the Dancing Master’s coat.
This was the origin of pockets in many items of modern clothing. The Baroque pochette is inspiration for the modern travel violins and fiddles by Don Rickert Musical Instruments.
The Historical-Political Events that Gave Rise to the Profession of Dancing Master (and Indirectly, the Pochette) in the 18th Century.
The Union of Scotland, England (including Wales) and Ireland as Britain occurred in 1707. Queen Anne, who had already acceded to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1702, became the first monarch of Britain (and last Stuart monarch), as Anne, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland when the Treaty of Union took effect in 1707.
As soon as the Union of the Scottish and English Parliaments took place, it became a great priority of most Scottish aristocrats, merchants and any other Scot with even a modicum of wealth to become, well, British. This translated to losing one’s Scottish accent (or at least not requiring a translator; despite the fact that Lowland Scots already spoke a dialect of English) and learning the dance steps of the popular dances in England.
So, in major cities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, there became a sudden need for elocution (i.e. diction, pronunciation) coaches and dance instructors. The profession of “Dancing Master” was born. Italian and French music teachers who knew anything at all about English dancing dominated the Dancing Master ranks. So now you know what a Dancing Master was.
Dancing Masters typically visited clients’ homes. The successful ones were booked from morning to night. Carrying a full-size violin from appointment to appointment was a real chore, especially given the heft of a case capable of protecting a violin and bow from the Scottish Lowland weather (not pleasant much of the time). Note: There were Dancing Masters in places besides Scotland; however, Scotland after the Treaty of Union was the epicenter, at least during the Baroque and pre-Modern periods.
While small violins that would be identified as pochettes today had been around for many years prior to the era of the Dancing Masters, a dancing master needed an instrument with more volume, a playable string length close to that of a full size violin, and with a small enough girth that it could be carried in a pocket (i.e. pochette) sewn onto the Dancing Master’s coat, along with its bow. These real Dancing Master’s pochettes were about 22 inches long. The bow was usually about the same length, which was rather short, even for the Baroque period.
Famous Players of Pochettes
The two most famous players of pochettes were:
Niel (aka Neil) Gow (1727–1807), one of the founding fathers of Scottish fiddling
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), a principle author of the Declaration of Independence and the 3rd President of the United States
There are very interesting stories related to the pochettes owned by both Gow and Jefferson, but that is the topic of another article.
The 18th Pochette Reproductions Made by D. Rickert Musical Instruments
While pochettes came in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, this one is based on one with skinny oblong shaped body just a bit shorter than a full size violin, but with a full scale playable string length of about 13 inches. Because there are existing instruments in Scotland of the same basic type, we call this a “Scottish Style” pochette.
This instrument has a thin and raspy sound typical of Baroque pochettes. Such a sound can even be heard emanating from some modern travel violins, which I shall not name). To some, this sound has a certain unique charm. The sound is not unlike that of a Renaissance rebec, which has a very “early music” type of sound.
Some customers desire this earlier Baroque sound in a pochette, which were not known for sounding sweet, powerful or loud. While some pochettes of the late 18th Century had a more or less modern bass bar and sound post, the earlier ones, which our Glasgow Baroque Pochette replicates, has neither. Rather, it and others like it, has a single crude (by today’s standards) bass bar centered under the bridge and NO sound post. The sound holes are also much smaller than later models (like our Neil Gow Pochette), which has a proper bass bar and a sound post. The accompanying images show these differences. The Glasgow Pochette has a period-appropriate surface-mounted neck with some taper (tilt). The default neck for the Glassgow Pochette is modern. A Baroque neck and fingerboard can be fitted (additional charge)
Neil Gow Pochette (aka Dancing Master's Kit, Travel fiddle)
Unlike the purely Baroque Glasgow Pochette, the Neil Gow is based on a high-end 1770s-1780s instrument. It has a bass bar and a sound post. It is strung with period gut strings by Gamut. Its sound is sonorous and sweet, with good mid and low frequency overtones for such a small instrument. Please see the video that accompanies this product listing to here how it sounds and see one way of playing it. It would have generally been played resting on the left arm rather than under the chin as in the video.
It is most likely that Jefferson played the more advanced pre-modern type. It is not known whether Gow played an old instrument or one of the better sounding later models.
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 9 years we have been in business, our analysis of search engine “hits” to our websites and online store, corroborated by actuals sales records, indicates that we are best known, in descending order for the following:
Modern Travel and Backpacker Violins
The world’s finest and more models (to meet different player needs)…5 base models; all customizable!
We sell more travel violins than anything else, by a long shot. Yup, real musicians are willing to pay 3 to 5 times as much for a real luthier-built travel violin than for a toy instrument.
Octave Violins, Violas and Octave Violas (aka “Chin Cellos”)
Best and most innovative. Ours have been played by some of the greatest fiddle innovators in the world. Our instruments are on some CDs by some of the greats, including the musician responsible for the re-birth of the octave violin, Darol Anger (and most recently Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas, their “Abundance”CD).
There are only a few other 5-string violins in the same class as the models we offer. We offer our own Fat Strad Deux 5-String Mezzo Viola (violin length with viola ribs and bass bar) and the Realist 5-String PRO e Series.
Baroque Pochettes (the ancestors of modern travel violins)
These are the 19th Century instruments used by itinerant Dancing Masters (Dance instructors), and the inspiration for our modern travel violins and fiddles.
Musical curiosities, especially cigar box fiddles, made to master violin standards (i.e. not cheap!)
We do not currently have any of these for sale, but when we do, they always sell quickly. Contact us if you want us to make you one (email, the Contact Us link or telephone…all available at Don Rickert Musician Shop). Get your head around a minimum of $1,000 before calling!
Authentic Baroque Violin reproductions
There are fake “replicas”, readily available on eBay (modern violins “dressed up” to look sort of like Baroque Violins, and authentic Baroque Violins, which are the kind we sell. Some of the finest Baroque musicians are proud owners of our higher end instruments.
Meticulously accurate historic period setup (violins, fiddles and parlor guitars)
When one purchases an instrument from us, part of the buying process is specification of period setup. We refine the setup preference with consultation, either in person at our studio, on the telephone, video conferencing (e.g. Skype) and email.
We also offer period setup as a stand-alone service. See…
While we have not advertised parlor guitar setup, particularly setup for Civil War re-enacting, we have set up quite a few modern guitars as plausible mid-19th Century gut-strung guitars. We have even set up re-enactor guitars with synthetic gut strings (generally Nylgut) that can be played with a stiff leather ukulele flat pick!
Genre-specific setup (violins and fiddles)
Either in conjunction with a period setup or a contemporary setup (the most common case), we do absolutely correct genre-specific setup, including, but not limited to:
Classical violin
Scottish Highland fiddle
Irish Fiddle (and its many regional sub-genres)
Old-Time Fiddle (New England, Southern Mountain and everything in between)
Bluegrass Fiddle
Cajun Fiddle
Gypsy Fiddle
Things For Which We Appear to Be Not So Well-Know (Yet)
New Violins and Bows
These are violins and fiddles from the Post-Baroque or Pre-Modern Period (about 1770s) to the present (modern violins and fiddles). We offer a number of setup and accessorizing options to replicate any specific period or playing style from 1770s to the present day.
We are very pleased to announce our “Golden Era Old-Time Fiddles”. These fiddles replicate the very best (and most sought after today by Old-Time fiddlers) of the so-called “factory fiddles” imported by the millions from Markneukirchen, Saxony, German and neighboring Bohemia, Austria-Hungary (now the Czech Republic) during the years from 1880 through the 1920s..
We also have the best collection of authentic early 20th Century fiddle accessories that you will find anywhere. We are one of the few makers of late 19th Century and early 20th Century chin rests on the planet.
Unless you have been following Dr. Rickert’s experimental instruments over the past decade, you might not know that our workshop has produced quite a few electric violins and MIDI-capable electronic violins (as well as some truly odd contraptions). A few of these have entered in and done quite well in major international new musical instrument design competitions.
You might not be aware that Dr. Rickert has lectured on electric musical instrument design in major University Industrial Design programs, including the Georgia Institute of Technology (better known as Georgia Tech), where he was an Adjunct Faculty Member when living in Atlanta.
Dr. Rickert designed and built his first electric violins, mandolins, basses and guitars about 40 years ago. We still have an intact electric bass from among Don’s early work.
We have not seen the point of introducing new electric violins or mandolins until such time as we had some designs that were unequivocally better than any thing else on the market. That time has arrived!
When using any kind of amplified instrument, especially violins, in live performance, the live performance rig is essential. Relying on the sound engineers to cobble together a way to plug into the main sound reinforcement system and personal monitor system is ill-advised and done at your own peril. If you are using effects processors of any kind, the interconnection of these processors is extremely complex, as the correct sequence of the effects in a "chain" is critical. Getting the order wrong will often result in nothing working properly. Most professional performance have an expert design his or her performance rig.
With four decades of designing live performance rigs for amplified fiddles, violins, mandolins, banjos, guitars, basses and even instruments such as dulcimers and accordions, combined with live performance demonstration of experimental electric and electronic violins in major musical instrument design competitions, we have the knowhow and experience to design a rig for you!
Cost ranges from under $1,000 for a living room setup to several thousand dollars for a large venue setup.
Our performance rigs are guaranteed to work.
If you ever tried to do it yourself or rely on the sound technitians, you know what I am talking about.
Our rigs are ready to be plugged in and send the right kind (e.g. correct impedance) of balanced signal to the master sound board.
Fretted Instruments
Mandolins, Octave Mandolins and Mandocellos
The Octave Mandolin is a mandolin family version of a tenor guitar or tenor banjo that is tuned in the Celtic G-D-A-E tuning (in other words, an octave lower than a mandolin). The only important differentiator from the tenor guitar is that, instead of four individual strings, an octave mandolin has four (occassionaly five) pairs (called "courses") of strings. Each string in a pair is tuned in unison.
A mandocello is to a bowed ‘cello what a mandolin is to a violin. The mandolin is tuned like a violin and a mandocello is a large mandolin tuned like a ‘cello. The primary differences, of course, is that mandolin family instruments are played with a plectrum rather than a bow and they have twice as many strings…actually four, or sometimes, five pairs (called courses) of strings, each pair being tuned in unison.
These instruments are seeing increasing use in Celtic music, Progressive Bluegrass and In Alternative Old-Time (aka "Neo Old-Time", "Old-Time Punk" genres.)
Included here are guitars that replicate instruments from the early 19th Century (called the "Romantic Period") to the 1930s. In the interest of being able to offer quite affordable instruments (all well under $1000), these guitars are customized/modified modern factory-built instruments of the "parlor guitar" type. This basically means that they have much smaller bodies than contemporary guitars. They would not have been called parlor guitars in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. They were simply called guitars.
These are meticulously accurate hand-built replica instruments and cost between 5 and 6 times as much as our modified factory-built reproduction instruments. Hand-made in the workshops of D. Rickert Musical Instruments (Don Rickert Musician Shop)
Tenor banjos
Even though D. Rickert Musical Instruments has never sold a regular production banjo of any sort, old blog articles we have published over the years about the difference between tenor banjos and Irish tenor banjos and related banjo articles continue to be the NUMBER ONE (i.e most popular, predominant, persistent, etc.) topic that leads visitors to our blogs, and sometimes even to our online store, Don Rickert Musician Shop.
If we saw even a hint of possibility that anyone would actually buy a new tenor banjo from us, we would design and build a really nice one. We are considering instituting a “bounty” (i.e. finder’s fee) program to start rescuing vintage tenor banjos from their imprisonment in hundreds (or even thousands) of small music stores, flea markets, antique shops and pawnshops throughout the U.S. We would then restore and sell them.
