Don Rickert Musical Instruments

Announcing the Long-Awaited Violoncello da Spalla by D. Rickert

This is an old post! If you wish to learn more or buy this very cool instrument, our direct phone number in the U.S. is 1-706-896-0909. Our email is [email protected]. You can also learn more or buy now at: NEW Violoncello da Spalla Conservatory Model by D. Rickert or learn more about the Standard Model, see: Violoncello da Spalla by D. Rickert or, learn about the Standard Plus Model, see: NEW Violoncello da Spalla by D. Rickert (Standard Plus Model) We look forward to hearing from you. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Original Article >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> We announced this very cool instrument just several weeks ago and are already building three for customers. As of this writing, the next one ordered would be completed by mid-Summer, 2018. We are the one of the sources in the U.S. for true replicas of this 18th Century instrument. Introduction Over the past year, we received a number of inquiries about the violoncello da spalla. Recently, we started making them on a custom basis. We, in fact have a healthy backlog of commissions for these instruments. We decided that the time is right for the violoncello da spalla as a standard product offering. Ours is a meticulously replica of an 18” violoncello da spalla in proper Baroque configuration. While the instrument is built for gut strings, it can be strung with more trouble-free and sonorous modern synthetic core (i.e “Perlon”) strings. Background: What is a Violoncello da Spalla? The violoncello da spalla (Italian for “cello of the shoulder”) was,... 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 genres (orchestral violin, Old-time, Irish, Scottish, Cajun, etc.) is also included with the purchase of one of our instruments. As far as we know, this is completely unique to our company. Contemporary orchestral violin, as set up by the manufacturer Price: No charge, except for cost of any desired upgrades No changes to the manufacturer's setup, except for minor adjustments, and/or common upgrades, which will generally include a particular string type, special tailpiece and/or tuning pegs (e.g. Wittner FineTune internally-geared pegs) Specialized Fiddle Setups Note about bridge and nut adjustment for non-orchestral (i.e. fiddle) playing: This process is more involved and time consuming than it sounds. With fiddle setup, we are often trying to achieve the sweet spot between a low string height and buzzing that can occur if the strings are set too low. We go through iterations of bridge trimming in approximately 1mm increments. We have done so many setups that we can tell when the point has been reached when one more millimeter will make the strings too low. Contemporary Fiddle Setup... Read more →

Video of Dr. Rickert Installing Pure Gut Strings: UPDATE

Yesterday (Saturday, June 11) we shot most of the video of Dr. Rickert of Don Rickert Design installing 18th Century type gut strings (copper wound g string and unwound pure gut d', a' and e' strings) on a an 1780s style pochette. We were also shooting video for a demonstration of the use of basso continuo fiddle accompaniment using our new foot pump bass/chord/drone box (we have not named it yet), a free reed instrument similar to an Indian shruti box that runs on compressed air supplied by a powerful foot bellows rather than the traditional hand bellows of shruti boxes and harmoniums. both videos will be available on YouTube in several days Read more →

Video of Dr. Rickert Installing Pure Gut Strings on a Pochette

On Saturday, June 11, we will be shooting video of Dr. Rickert of Don Rickert Design installing 18th Century type gut strings (copper wound g string and unwound pure gut d', a' and e' strings) on a short bodied (but 4/4 playable scale) pochette. The principles apply to the installation of gut strings on any fiddle. The demonstration will include essential modification to the tailpiece, proper grooving of the nut and the right way to wind pure gut strings on the tuning pegs. If you want to learn to do it right so the strings do not slip on the pegs or break in the peg box or at the nut and tailpiece, you MUST watch this video. As far as keeping the old style strings in tune, especially during the summer months...good luck with that! A reasonable goal is to be able to play at least as much time as you spend tuning. We will post the link when the video is on YouTube. Read more →

Gut Fiddle Strings: Let the Truth Overcome Your Fear!

Metal wound strings and modern synthetic core strings (e.g. Dr. Thomastik) are wonderful for the modern fiddler, regardless of the type of music he or she is playing. The good ones, such as D'Addario Helicores and Infeld Super-Flexible rope core strings, sound great, are easy on the fingers (and your instrument) and stay in tune. Other very good synthetic core strings are Correlli Alliance, Pirastro Obligato and D'Addario Pro-Arte. Of course, these benefits can only be derived if your fiddle is structurally sound, it is well set-up and you use a high-performance bow. If any of these requirements are not met, especially the good bow requirement, you are wasting your money on good strings. So why would anyone want to use a 400+ year old type of string on a modern fiddle? The answer is simple. If you are serious about a genre of music from a byegone era going back to about the middle of the 18th Century, you should use the type of string that players used then and have your fiddle set up in the authentic manner of the period. The post-Baroque violin (i.e. the modern violin) is about 250 years old. If you want to play music any older than the 1930s the way it was really played, gut strings are part of the deal. To find out the details of what else is involved besides the gut strings, an article will be published within the next few days. For those who just can't wait, here... Read more →