Don Rickert Musical Instruments

Video Treat: A Master (Andrew Gonzalez) Playing Our Violoncello da Spalla

With high-end bespoke musical instruments, "trying before buying" is not usually a realistic possibility. It NEVER has been. Potential buyers who cannot wrap their minds around this fact are limited to used instruments or mass-produced instruments from large musical instrument mega-stores, who have the cash reserves necessary to absorb the losses associated with returns as part of the cost of doing business. Buying a master level instrument is a lot like buying a new car... 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 →

T-Rex Octave Viola by D. Rickert Musical Instruments with Demo Video

Attention!: This is an older post. Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. How good can an acoustic octave viola sound? The T-Rex Octave Viola sets the standard. Note The T-Rex Octave Viola by D. Rickert Musical Instruments and other amazing low-pitched acoustic bowed instruments are available at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Go Right to YouTube for Demo T-Rex Octave Viola Demo on YouTube Introduction Since the inception of our ongoing adventure as an... Read more →

Modern Travel and Backpacker Violins: Baroque Pochettes and Modern Travel Violins at the Don Rickert Musician Shop (Part 2 of 2 Parts)

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... Read more →

Demos (video with audio) of the Fat Strad Deux 5-String

Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Demos (video with audio) of the Fat Strad Deux 5-String See the D. Rickert Fat Strad III 5-String Violin at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. The Fat Strad Deux 5-String Fiddle is a now called the D. Rickert Fat Strad III 5-String Violin. It uses the same acoustically advanced body as our D. Rickert Fat Strad Acoustic Octave Violin. David Thames Demonstrating Fat Strad Deux 5-String Mezzo Viola... Read more →

David Thames Demonstrating B-Rex 5-String Octave Viola (aka Chin Cello)

Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. The B-Rex II 5-String Octave Viola, discussed and demonstrated on this page, has been replaced by the T-Rex Octave Viola, which is available at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. The new T-Rex is available in either 4-string or 5-string configurations. Links David Thames Demonstrating B-Rex 5-String Octave Viola (aka Chin Cello) (Link to YouTube Demo) The NEW B-Rex II 5-String Octave Viola (Photos) B-Rex II 5-String Octave Viola... Read more →

Authentic mid to late 19th Century Fiddle Setup (Civil War era and later)

Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Note: Listed price is for the initial deposit, which includes includes gut strings by one of several Master String Makers specializing in gut strings AND special offers on Master Bows . We will contact you about additional required work for the conversion, which is generally in the $200 - $300 range. We will retro-setup a violin of your choosing to a meticulously authentic mid to late-19th Century Fiddle.... Read more →

NEW YouTube Videos by Don Rickert Design (and Don Rickert Lutherie)

First, you might have noted that we are starting to use the name Don Rickert Design rather than Don Rickert Lutherie. The reason for this is that we are branching out from just designing and making stringed instruments. Lutherie only refers to the design, making, setup and repair of STRINGED instruments. We are also in the process of consolidating our various brands (Don Rickert Design, Old Mill Musical Instruments and Rickert-Fiddarci) under a single brand,... 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... Read more →

Is it a Tailpiece or a Chin Rest? How About BOTH!

The Tailpiece-Chin Rest Combination from Dov Schmidt Dov Schmidt, himself a violinist and conductor, is also one of the most innovative suppliers and inventor of ground-breaking bowed string instrument accessories such as chin rests and tailpieces (http://www.dov-music.com/). We have begun using Dov Schmidt Harp-style tailpieces on a number of Don Rickert Lutherie instruments. These tailpieces achieve astounding d’ and g string response by increasing the length between the string and the tailpiece on the lower... Read more →