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:
Having our instruments in the hands of some truly world-class musicians has been a real blessing. There are some really good demonstration videos of our violoncellos da spalla out there. This page brings them, or at least the ones we know about, into one place. Click and enjoy!
Those videos on YouTube and several other video streaming services have previews. Those on Facebook do not.
If you are interested in exploring the possibility of purchasing a Violoncello da Spalla by Don Rickert, please visit Don Rickert Musician Shop. We are one of the most prolific makers of these instruments in the U.S. We are located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia on the North Carolina border.
The one and only Albert Chang (aka SleightlyMusical) talks about and plays his violoncello da spalla by Don Rickert. If you need to ask who Albert Chang is...
Albert Chang, also known as sleightlymusical or TheAlbertChang, is a Twitch streamer, YouTube personality, musician, and magician, who is known for his instrumental covers, musical medleys and magic tricks. Albert also streams games where he plays League of Legends and does IRL streams with live music and magic tricks. He is an incredible musician with an international following that most of us could only dream about.
If you want to hear video game and movie soundtracks, K-Pop (remember Gangnam Style), rock covers and other non-baroque stuff played on the violoncello da spalla, you will want to see this!
Peter Walker playing a Scottish Highland lament on violoncello da spalla
Check out the cello da spalla and nyckelharpa by members of the Swedish group Vasen near the end of the video stream. The cello da spalla in this video is NOT by Don Rickert. It is included here as inspiration to those interested in the violoncello da spalla's use in genres other than baroque.
Check out the cello da spalla and nyckelharpa by members of the Swedish group Vasen near the end of the video stream. The cello da spalla in this video is NOT by Don Rickert. It is included here as inspiration to those interested in the violoncello da spalla's use in genres other than baroque.
Don Rickert on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/donrickert. This link gets you to my detailed contact information, my websites and social media.
About:
Cool Instruments for Hep Cats podcast, Episode 3, with luthier Daniela Gaidano on the Violoncello da Spalla is available NOW on YouTube and Spotify.
Host is Dr. Donald Rickert. Daniela Gaidano is a violinist, violist and luthier specializing in making violoncellos da spalla. She worked for the famous string maker, Aquila, where she was part-owner for 15 years. She is based in Northern Italy near Austria. Host, Don Rickert, is a musician and luthier as well, who makes various stringed instruments, including violoncellos da spalla.
I am not against marketing. After all, if you make things, you have to find ways of telling potential buyers about what you do. There is a time and place for sales pitches, self-promotion and such. I mean, this post is marketing for the podcast when you think about it.
The ‘Cool Instruments for Hep Cats” podcast is just NOT the time or the place for self-promotion and marketing. It is more than one hour of just really interesting information and informed opinion. The podcast is also a politics free zone. But it is a positive energy zone!
Check out also…
Episodes 1 and 2 (audio versions), with Dr. Roger Landes, are available on Spotify. Episode 2 (video version) is available on YouTube. Note: Episode 1 was audio only.
The episodes with Dr. Landes are about Irish (and Greek) bouzouki, octave mandolin, citterns and related tenor and baritone range, double-course, plucked instruments. The links shown above get you where you need to be for the Roger Landes episodes.
Sponsorship:
The ‘Cool Instruments for Hep Cats’ podcast is brought to you by D. Rickert Musical Instruments. I (Don Rickert) am the owner, designer and luthier.
Contact:
Don Rickert on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/donrickert. This link gets you to my detailed contact information, my websites and social media.
These are some of the image assets presented by Guest Daniela Gaidano in Cool Instruments for Hep Cats Episode 3. Host: Don Rickert of D. Rickert Musical Instruments.
In this episode I talk to Dr. Roger Landes about bouzoukis (Greek as well as Irish), octave mandolins and citterns. Episode 2, a continuation of Episode 1, features discussion and demonstrations of several of Roger's very cool instruments.
Upcoming episodes in the near future deal with such fascinating topics as 5-string and other alternative cellos, violoncello da spalla, octave fiddles and travel violins, with episodes focused on a plethora of other out-of-the-ordinary musical instruments to follow.
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:
Learn more about other really cool tenor and baritone range violin family instruments
If you visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop website [www.DonRickertMusicianShop.com], you can also learn about other tenor range violin family instruments, such as our octave violins and tenor-tuned (octave lower than a violin) violas. Tenor-tuned violas are also sometimes called octave mezzo violins. Violoncellos da spalla, octave violins and tenor violas are all sought by violinists, fiddlers and violists seeking to explore the cello range on much smaller instruments. Our 5-string mezzo violins will be interesting as well to players wanting to explore the lower frequency ranges.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
If you are interested in finding out more about this instrument in progress, I am keen to discuss. I will be starting yet another very soon as well. That one can be either a Standard or a Standard Plus model.
Because it is more than half-finished, this lovely instrument can be in your hands before Summer (yes, 2023 😊).
Also, if you know anything about the custom lutherie business, you will appreciate the desire to keep the schedule of instrument builds as full as possible. In other words, I am motivated to work with prospective customers on price, for the instrument as well as a custom case.
In upcoming episodes, you will be able to see and hear at two instruments just like the violocello da spalla in progress being played and discussed by some incredible players.
Our new podcast, “Cool Instruments for Hep Cats”, went live with Episode 1 on March 28th 2023, will have several episodes on the Violoncello da Spalla and other 5 course cellos. Interviews with musician, luthier and violoncello da spalla expert Daniela Gaidano, as well as renowned violoncello da spalla players, Andrew Gonzalez and William Hurd have already been recorded. The first of these episodes about the Violoncello da Spalla will air either late April 2023 or early May.
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.
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 time was right for the violoncello da spalla as a standard product offering. Ours is a meticulously-designed and built 18” (refers to body length) violoncello da spalla in proper Baroque configuration. Our Violoncellos da Spalla are deliberately designed to to accommodate gut strings tuned to lower Baroque period pitch as well as more trouble-free and sonorous modern metal, silk or synthetic core (i.e. “Perlon”) strings, tuned to modern or period pitch. The point here is that our instruments are made to withstand the higher tension of modern strings while still performing exceptionally well with historic gut strings. Consultation on stringing and performing appropriate setup for the type of strings chosen is included in the price.
The violoncello da spalla (Italian for “'cello for the shoulder”) was, until fairly recently, a 5-string instrument of the violin family from the Baroque period that had fallen quite deeply into obscurity. It is a small baritone range instrument, about the size of a modern 1/10 size (child's) cello, that is tuned to C, G, d, a, e’ (i.e. like a full-size cello with an additional string on the treble side that is tuned to e’, which is an octave lower than the e” string on a violin)
It is thought by some that the violoncello da spalla was invented, or at least perfected, by the German luthier, Johann Christian Hoffman, a contemporary and probably a close friend of Johann Sebastian Bach. It was NOT called "violoncello da spalla" back in the day. That is primarily a modern moniker. Bach’s purported close relationship with J.C. Hoffmann has led to a now popular theory that J.S. Bach had a hand in the invention of the violoncello da spalla. This belief continues to be debated, often quite vigorously, by experts who study the history of musical instruments.
Anyway, what is now widely regarded as the primary candidate for distinction as the original violoncello da spalla, having been previously classified as either a "viola pomposa", "viola da spalla" or "piccolo cello", was made in 1732 by Hoffmann. It is this instrument that, today, is commonly regarded as the de facto “gold standard” for a proper Violoncello da Spalla.
The modern resurrection of the violoncello da spalla, and widespread attribution of the instrument’s invention to Hoffmann, is due largely to the Russian-Dutch luthier and media celebrity of sorts, Dmitry Badiarov. Badiarov, based in The Hague, introduced his first violoncello da spalla in 2004, essentially after Hoffmann, albeit, considerably more refined than the original 1732 instrument. While Badiarov, and his collaborator, Dutch violinist Sigiswald Kuijken, are more well-known, it was earlier research by the Dutch violinist and violist, Lambert Smit, that laid the groundwork for Badiarov and others involved in the 21st Century resurgence of the violoncello da spalla. Smit is regarded by many as the true father of the modern revival of the violoncello da spalla. Indeed, it was Smit who first posited the involvement of Bach, himself, in its invention. It was Smit who surmised that Bach’s Cello Suites and Cantatas were written, not for the full-size 4-string cello, but rather for the much smaller 5-string violoncello da spalla.
Since 2004, the violoncello da spalla has grown exponentially in popularity, largely due to Badiarov’s tireless ongoing research, teaching and and relentless evangelism. He also has made quite a few of these unique and very cool instruments for world-famous musicians and aspiring players alike.
How is the Violoncello da Spalla played?
The violoncello da spalla has been described as a "bass for violinists". Unlike the 5-string "chin cello", a.k.a. the 5-string octave viola (see image below),
the violoncello da spalla is held across the chest, secured with a strap around the shoulder and neck, as you can see in in the photo of violist and preeminent violoncello da spalla player, Andrew Gonzalez.
The violoncello da spalla is easily (a relative term) played by experienced violinists and violists. Indeed, experts believe that the instrument was invented in the early 1700s in order to minimize the learning curve of accomplished violinists and violists desiring to play a baritone range instrument.
Learning to bow the Violoncello da Spalla does not take much time at all, because, unlike a full-size cello, the bow is held the in the same manner as for violin or viola. That being said, any, if not most, experienced violinists and fiddlers, whose experience is primarily in playing the lead melody, will probably need to brush up on their music theory, particularly the principles for improvising baritone/bass harmony and chords. Put another way, they will have to learn the largely lost art of basso continuo improvisation. Of course, there are many fully-scored solo pieces for violoncello from the Baroque period, especially by J.S. Bach.
Interest in these newly re-discovered instruments is growing as part of an overall re-discovery of Baroque music and Baroque instruments, particularly those played with a bow.
Our violoncellos da spalla are inspired by measurements taken from the surviving instrument by Johann Christian Hoffmann (1732). As would be expected, our Violoncello da Spalla is 5-string instrument with a body length of 18 inches (14.5cm). It is tuned to C, G, d, a, e’. In other words, the tuning is the same as a full-size cello, but with an additional string on the treble side that is tuned to e’ (an octave lower than the e” string on a violin). It is held across the chest, suspended by a strap around the players neck, not unlike a modern guitar, but much closer to the chin (see the image of Andrew Gonzalez above).
Approximate Critical Dimensions
Overall length: 30” (75cm)
Body length: 18” (45.5cm)
Upper bout width: 8.25” (21.5cm)
Lower bout width: 10.25” (26cm)
Ribs: 3.15” (8.0cm)
Playable String length: 16.53” (42cm)
Note about string length: The playable string length of this instrument requires a slightly disproportionately long neck length when compared to the “ideal” string and neck lengths of a modern 1/10 size cello or an 18” viola.
Varnish
A number of varnish options are possible. Traditional hand-rubbed oil or spirit. I prefer spirit varnish these days. Here are some examples for reference when discussing your preference.
Light Golden Brown
Golden Brown
Darker Golden Brown
Medium Brown Semi-Antique
Med-Dark Brown Semi-Antique
Reddish-Brown Semi-Antique
Setup: Baroque or modern
Nut and saddle: Ebony or Micarta
Micarta is a synthetic material that has the appearance of ivory. It is slightly softer than ebony and, thus, much kinder to gut strings. Further, real ivory is absolutely banned worldwide!
Pegs: Wittner FineTune (default)
FineTune(tm) pegs by Witttner are internally-geared tuning pegs that look identical to traditional ebony pegs. The gear ratio is 8:1, thus making tailpiece mounted fine-tuners unnecessary. We modify the Wittner pegs as necessary for use with either modern or gut strings.
While we consider the Wittner FineTune pegs to be preferred option, traditional pegs, either modern or baroque style, are available for our Violoncello da Spalla Standard Plus Model.
True veneered spruce Baroque fingerboard
A proper Baroque fingerboard is not made from either solid ebony or maple. Rather, it has a core of quarter-sawn spruce, which is then clad with thick veneers (2mm to 3.5mm) of various woods, including ebony and figured maple. The fingerboard options are illustrated below.
Plain Ebony
Black-Dyed Flamed Maple
Dark Brown Katalox w/Maple Border
Dark Brown Flamed Maple w/ Natural Maple Border
Medium Brown Flamed Maple w/ Natural Maple Border
True Baroque tailpiece
A Baroque Tailpiece can be made from solid ebony or boxwood; however, Baroque tailpieces are more often made from maple, which is then veneered to match that of the fingerboard (see the images above).
Custom bridge for a Violoncello da Spalla
One type of bridge is best described as a hybrid between an extra-wide (for 5-strings) viola bridge and an extra-wide cello bridge. There are no commercial manufacturers of blanks for such bridges; therefore, we make them for each individual instrument in our workshop. The the past year or so, I have been using a relatively unmodified treble viola da gamba bridge. I am very pleased with the sonic results and look really cool!
Strings
Standard String Set
The standard string set for our Violoncello da Spalla is designed to achieve a balance between period authenticity and the expectations of the modern player with respect to sonority/playability/practicality, as well as reasonable cost. As one should expect, we also offer premium replica real gut strings.
You would think that strings for a 1/10 size cello, with a long viola string for the E, would work. Unfortunately, there are NO makers of premium strings in the 1/10 size. Premium cello strings in the 1/8 size tend to be a bit too long. Custom violoncello da spalla strings by Infeld-Thomastik are possible; however, they are almost impossible to get and are insanely expensive. Currently we are using with good results a custom set, made up of repurposed extra long viola strings, with a custom-made wound silk string for the C. We also offer a complete set of silk-core strings from Atelier Boussoir, which is owned by the French luthier and string maker, Eliakim Boussoir.
We will work with you to determine the best combination for your needs. String configuration is a matter for post-purchase discussion.
Gut Strings
We know that some players want to play a Baroque period instrument replica that is strung only with the type of strings that were available in the early 18th Century. We understand the appeal of gut strings, despite their high cost and typically short life. So, if you are committed to gut, we’ve got you covered. If you indicate that you may want gut strings, we will contact you to discuss the best string set to meet your requirements. We can supply Aquila gut strings for violoncello da spalla for an additional $100. We can also supply strings from the premier maker of historic reproduction gut strings, Gamut Music, Inc. (Dan Larsen). The additional cost for Gamut strings is considerable. A full set of period gut strings from Atelier Boussoir is a good and relatively affordable option as well.
Cases
The instrument comes with a padded soft case. We can supply a custom-made hard shell case. The current price for a wooden custom case is about $900. A custom fit ultra-light carbon fiber case runs about $1600.
We can also supply a custom-fit flight case (25 lbs. weight) for about $300.
Bow
The bow is your responsibility. If you like, we will find you the best deal possible for a Baroque cello bow in whatever price range you desire. Some players use a high-quality modern cello bow; however, that practice is becoming less popular. The least expensive good bows start at about $450, regardless of whether they are modern or baroque. Many players start out with a student-level Chinese-made baroque style bow, which costs about $200, and does a surprisingly good job.
You might find it strange that I am asking this question. After all, I am a luthier who makes violoncellos da spalla. Should I not just be happy when someone wants me to make one for them?
Before you read this, you need to know the following:
I am not playing “devil’s advocate” here. I am quite serious in asking the question.
I am not a violoncello da spalla “hater” or even a violoncello da spalla skeptic.
I do not care whether or not J.S. Bach actually had a hand in the invention of the violoncello da spalla or whether the instrument was actually a thing in the 18th Century. I do think that is cool, however, that Bach might have been involved.
Likewise, I do not care whether the violoncello da spalla is a “21st Century aberration”. Whether it is or not is simply irrelevant, although I think that it is rather rude to call it such.
Regardless of its actual use in the 1700s, the violoncello da spalla has a real place in the contemporary performance of Baroque Period repertoire.
I build instruments for a living and one of my favorite instruments to make is the violoncello da spalla.
My violoncellos da spalla are played by some of the preeminent players of the instrument.
Just remember what I just said as you read what follows. I am a violoncello da spalla devotee!
My Discovery of the Violoncello da Spalla
Thanks to Dmitry Badiarov’s enthusiastic evangelism, I discovered the violoncello da spalla about 10 years ago. I was absolutely smitten and certain that I needed one.
Having played fiddle for about 50 years at that point, I did what I know that so many others have done. I got the best fractional 4-string cello I could find and utilized my luthier skills to make it sort of playable. Finding a suitably-sized fractional cello is easier said than done, as 1/10 size cellos, which are the closest in size to a proper violoncello da spalla, are virtually non-existent. Anyway, trying to use a kid’s cello as an adult violoncello da spalla was not at all satisfactory so, being an experienced luthier, I set about making my own violoncellos da spalla—proper 5-string violoncellos da spalla without a child-sized end pin and not made out of plywood. After a few tries I got really good at making them. I have since made more than 20, including those played by some of the instrument’s preeminent players.
Do I like playing my own instruments?
I do indeed love the sound and playability of my violoncellos da spalla. I always derived great satisfaction in making great instruments that players love, and are worth every penny that they cost. Do I like actually playing my own violoncellos da spalla? Not really. What can I say. I can play well enough to determine whether or not an instrument is ready for a discerning owner, but I just like playing a violin or viola much better. When I want to play an instrument in the tenor and baritone range, an octave violin is my preference. I make those as well, and have done so for almost two decades. In the spirit of full disclosure, I have made many more octave violins than violoncellos da spalla, mostly because I have been at it for longer.
Is my experience related to the fact that—
I am more a fiddler than a classical violinist
I am old
I have gotten lazy (related to being old, I am sure)
I never became as immersed in the Baroque repertoire as maybe I could have been.
I did, however, spend several years as a teenager transposing Bach cello pieces for electric bass guitar, as I learned that Jack Bruce of the Cream (one of Eric Clapton’s early bands) used many Bach riffs in his incredible playing.
I have arthritis in my left hand and the violoncello da spalla is a bit of stretch size-wise for me. I half suspect that my arthritis may be due in part to playing too much Bach on a Fender Precision Bass slung low (very non-ergonomic) when I was young.
And so on…
All of those things I mentioned above are true, and that relates to my point. The violoncello da spalla, the enthusiasm of others notwithstanding, is NOT for everybody. That being said, I have seen players giving professional performances within a month of picking up the violoncello da spalla for the first time. What do these players have in common? They have all been VIOLists who had already reached virtuoso level skill on VIOLA. They are used to larger instruments and have mastered the skill of slower and harder bowing required for the viola.
I have also seen other accomplished musicians struggle for months, but who eventually conquer the violoncello da spalla after maybe 6 months of concerted effort. From my direct experience, this group has one thing in common. They are generally highly-proficient classical violinists and/or fiddlers (e.g., Bluegrass, Scottish, Irish). I have videos of some of these folks playing everything from video game music scores to 18th Century Scottish airs and laments on my website (www.RickertMusicalInstruments.com).
While I have heard about cellists transitioning to violoncello da spalla, I have not seen firsthand a single musician whose main instrument is cello master the violoncello da spalla without extreme effort. After all, for a cellist, bowing a violin, viola, and yes, violoncello da spalla is backwards! In fact, one of the world’s finest cellist/recording artist/music school professors, who is also a longstanding client, gave a hard pass on even trying the violoncello da spalla because of its playing position.
The group that experiences the hardest time with the violoncello da spalla is comprised of people who are beginners with violin or, occasionally, with viola. The violoncello da spalla is a lot of instrument to handle. If one is still learning how to handle a violin, the road ahead is always going to be a long one. It is a lot like my recent attempt to learn the accordion, after a lifetime of avoiding keyboard instruments. It did not go well.
Avoiding disappointment is an important goal.
While I derive great joy in making extraordinary violoncellos da spalla for those who are truly ready, I do not get any satisfaction in charging money to clients who will be ultimately disappointed.
One who has the disposable income can always get a luthier-built violoncello da spalla and sell it should they lose interest. That is true, but be aware that the current resale market for unusual instruments like the violoncello da spalla is not good. This is the case for new instruments as well. The post Covid-19 lockdown economy is a challenge for all of us in the high-end bespoke musical instrument business.
Why Octave Violin may be a better choice than Violoncello da Spalla for many players
Tuned exactly like a violin, only an octave lower
The octave violin’s four strings are tuned exactly like the first four strings of a violoncello da spalla. It lacks only the low C-string of the violoncello da spalla.
The C-string is important if you are playing Baroque or Classical pieces. For the fiddler in most traditional folk genres, as well as modern genres like Bluegrass and Country Swing, the C-string is often more or less irrelevant. Even fiddlers who play 5-string violins don’t always tune the low string to C anyway. The low string is often used simply as an extra drone string.
Note:
As a luthier, I have come to accept the paradox that the only reason a bowed instrument needs to be much larger than a regular violin is to optimize the playing of notes lower than G2 (i.e., G in the second octave below middle-C). The four strings of an octave violin (G2 to E4) do just fine with a body more the size of a regular violin. That is the paradox. Adding a low C-string crosses some threshold which, if crossed, requires a significantly larger instrument in order to achieve anything like a balanced response across all of the strings.
Those luthiers who build violoncellos da spalla know that achieving a balanced response between the C-string and the other 4 strings can be a challenge even with an instrument of its relative size.
Easier to learn and play
In my firsthand experience, whatever skill level that a musician has achieved on the violin (or fiddle) is pretty much immediately transferable to the octave violin. It is an easier transition than even to a 5-string violin, as the strings are usually closer together on that instrument. This goes for classical violinists as well as fiddlers in any of the traditional music genres. With only some admonishment to dig deeper and slightly slower with the bow, most can do a plausible job on the octave violin in an hour or less. In fact, because the octave violin is more forgiving than the conventional violin or fiddle, one’s playing often sounds better on the octave violin.
A well-made purpose-built octave violin is just as loud as a violoncello da spalla
A regular violin simply fitted with octave strings usually does not have really great projection; in other words, it is somewhat quiet. With a purpose-built octave violin fitted with modern octave strings, the sound is every bit as loud as a really good violincello da spalla. Purpose-built octave violins are usually somewhat larger-bodied than regular violins, which is often accomplished with higher ribs. There are differences on the inside also, such as graduation, bass bar and sound post position.
The octave violin has its own unique timbre.
Just as the timbre of a violoncello da spalla is different from a 4/4 cello, so is the tone of an octave violin different from either.
Less expensive
Purpose-built octave violins are considerably less expensive than violoncellos da spalla. In the case of the instruments that I make, an octave violin costs about ½ as much as a violoncello da spalla.
Want to hear what an Octave Violin sounds like?
The video below is a compilation of older videos of some of my early octave violins. I have included this old video because nobody does justice to the octave violin like Darci Jones, who plays in most of the clips. I plan to do a video of my most recent octave violin designs, and will post it when it is done.
In summary: For whom is a violoncello da spalla the right choice?
The answer to this question is actually simple:
Accomplished violists
Those who are interested in professional performance of Baroque Period repertoire, especially the works of Bach
Those who can justify (and afford) the $10K to $30K cost of a good violoncello da spalla
There are, of course, others who do not fit into those categories. Anyone who is passionate about taking up the violoncello da spalla, and has the means, should by all means do so.
In closing, here are some additional questions you should consider.
Have you ever played a viola?
Are you a beginner or an experienced violinist or violist?
Can you afford a good violoncello da spalla?
Do you need to answer to someone else, such as a partner or spouse, about how you spend your money?
The image is not a new musical instrument but a faucet. If you continue you will understand
I make my living making very good custom musical instruments, including:
Violoncellos da Spalla
Octave Violins
Travel Violins
Octave Mandolins
Citterns
Mandocellos
I would very much like to sell you one. If you are reading this, you can easily figure out how to contact me (706-896-0909; [email protected]).
Now, I’ll cut to the chase – Very few people are buying custom musical instruments these days. It is even worse than the worldwide financial crisis of 2007-2008. Well, maybe not worse, but just as bad.
Very few makers of custom hand-built musical instruments will admit publicly that the current state of affairs is really dire, which is a polite way of saying that it sucks! Why? — because it is generally not a good marketing strategy to say out loud that business is challenging and things like you might lose your home to foreclosure and the like. The “Market” could not care less. Well, the truth is the truth!
For me, the time of daunting backlog queues is a thing of the past. Since Q3 2021 it has been quite the opposite. You do not see economists on National News programs talking about any of this, as small businesses that make bespoke goods are, quite simply, a tiny segment of the overall economy. Since you will not be hearing from economists on the current dire situation for custom luthiers, I will tell you what I think.
The COVID-19 Pandemic and the "Lockdown"
The COVID pandemic, especially what we called the “lockdown” was bad in all sorts of ways. First, there was so much suffering and widespread death, as well as the long-term health issues for many survivors. And then were the businesses that were affected. Service industries like restaurants, and the entertainment industry, suffered terribly. Some businesses, like makers of strings for orchestral instruments (e.g., SuperSensitive), went out of business during the lockdown. The reason is that SuperSensitive absolutely depended on sales of inexpensive strings to tens of thousands of students in middle school and high school orchestra programs. The ripple effects were severe. For example, octave viola (aka “chin cello”) players are now without a source for strings, as SuperSensitive was the ONLY maker of such strings.
Given the aforementioned tragedies, I feel almost guilty about what I am about to say, but the COVID lockdown was really good for makers of high-end (i.e., expensive) musical instruments, large as well as small. For instance, 2020 was a very good year for manufactures like Gibson, Taylor, Martin and Fender. In fact, 2020 was the best year for sales in the history of Fender. This trend continued into part of 2021. Those trying to make sense of this attribute the spike in high-end musical instrument sales to the confluence of several things:
Thousands of adults were bored out of their minds.
Many of these bored people decided to take up a musical instrument.
The various stimulus checks, both under both the Trump and the Biden administrations, helped people to pay for their newfound hobbies.
During the 2020-2021 period, I had more orders for my violoncellos da spalla, octave violins and travel violins than I ever could have imagined. It was almost impossible to keep up with orders. Then, it was as if a faucet was turned off. I mean OFF! To this day I still mutter WTF to myself when I think about it.
So, here we are waiting for the phone to ring. Well, not exactly, as the downturn seems to have empowered the crackpots. Every custom luthier knows what I am talking about… people who find it interesting, comforting or whatever to engage a luthier in hours of prelude to what appears to be a likely commission. In reality, all these folks want to do is go through the motions of specifying the instrument they would like, as if they were ever going to actually buy one. That’s enough to get those pleasurable neurotransmitters going. It is very much like people who pretend that they are rich and take Ferraris on test drives. Yes, that really is a thing, believe it or not. I imagine that some of these people will read this and I have one thing to say—shame on you!
While I feel that I understand why sales spiked during the lockdown, as described above. I have no idea why everything grinded to a halt when the lockdown ended. I am really interested in your ideas should you want to share them.
First, thank you for your valuable attention. This will make sense if I can hold on to your attention for a few more minutes.
In the words of Aerosmith:
I'm back I'm back in the saddle again I'm back I'm back in the saddle again
Man, nobody can screech our lyrics like the great Steven Tyler!
Gene Autry expressed the same sentiment in his song of the same title, written in 1939 and recorded numerous times by him and widely covered.
If you have to ask, it means doing something that you stopped doing for a period of time.
I stopped building instruments for a while. Here is why.
After the passing of my Partner and Soulmate Alycen in August of 2021, I took a long hiatus from seeking new instrument build commissions. During a period of several months after her death I caught up on a distressing backlog of instrument builds, all of them violoncellos da spalla and a custom leather case for a violoncello da spalla. I also pretty much ignored doing frequent updates to my blogs and other social media, and boy, am I paying for that now! I have been posting lots of articles the past few weeks. I have regained “first page” status on Google searches for anything remotely related to “Violoncello da Spalla.” We have a long way to go with getting the word out on my octave violins, travel violins and such. And the market for mandolins is so large, that it could take a really long time to get there.
I am eager and ready to start building new instruments for my discerning customers. I have a special affection for the violoncello da spalla and it is, thus, one of my favorite instruments to build. I am also looking forward to making some of my octave violins, 5-string violins and violas and my famous travel violins. I am also now making high-end octave mandolins and citterns in partnership with luthier Jesse Hale, called Rickert & Hale, Luthiers. Prototypes are presently in the hands of expert evaluators. I will be showing at least one octave mandolin prototype (maybe two) at the upcoming Hoppin’ John Old-Time & Bluegrass Fiddlers’ Convention (Pittsboro, NC; September 15-17, 2022).
I will also be showing a new Violoncello da Spalla build in progress and a new Tenor Viola (viola with special design features and setup that is tuned an octave lower than a violin, which is a 4th lower than a regular viola). This instrument is perfect for fiddlers, as all of the fingering is the same as a fiddle, but an octave lower. If you are interested in my opinion on the use of Violoncello da Spalla, and octave violin, in Old-Time string band music, see:
Re-Booting a bespoke lutherie business is surprisingly hard, and, I must say, rather frustrating. I would much rather be making instruments than spending untold hours marketing them! But that is part of the deal for anyone who chooses to earn a living as a luthier.
Attention Economy
In the Attention Economy in which we live, getting noticed is a prerequisite for any kind of business, including small boutique businesses like making custom-built musical instruments. And once you get enough attention to actually sell stuff, you have to continuously remind people via blogs, YouTube and other social media to remember you and the great instruments that you make.
Put simply, the idea behind Attention Economics is that there is way too much information to consume, but humans can only pay attention to a tiny fraction of what they are bombarded with. Online selling platforms such as Reverb.com and eBay take advantage of this human attention deficit by more aggressively bombarding site visitors about what you are tying to sell, for a hefty fee, of course. Too much information and human’s mental limitations results in “attention poverty” for most who seek attention (i.e., selling stuff). Those who have the time and funding to game the system, (SEO, social media algorithms, etc.) get the most attention wealth. If you are curious about attention economics and its psychological theoretical underpinnings, here are some particularly good links:
The short explanation is that it is a very small 5-string cello that is suspended by a shoulder strap and played across the chest more or less under the chin, as shown in the image of our friend Peter Walker in full Scottish Highland dress. The violoncello da spalla has no well-established connection to 18th Century Scotland; however cello was definitely widely used in Highland fiddling as basso continuo to the fiddle. The dominant figure in Scottish Baroque fiddling, Niel (aka "Neil") Gow (1727 – 1807), was usually accompanied by his brother Donald on cello.
Anyway, the violoncello da spalla is an early to mid 18th Century (i.e., Baroque) instrument that is enjoying a resurgence of popularity, particularly among experienced viola and violin players who are Baroque period enthusiasts. Why violists and not cellists? (Actually, many cellists have taken up the instrument; however, most of my highly accomplished violoncello da spalla clients are violists). Because of its playing position, one bows from the treble side like a viola or violin, which is backwards to a cellist.
Cello has been used in Old-time music for a long time. The first time I saw a cello in an Old-Time string band was at the U.S. National Folk Festival, which was at that time held in Northern Virginia at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, in 1976. And the cellist was playing a 1/2 size cello da spalla style!!! Admittedly, it has never been, and still is not, common. That being said, it is my opinion that there is no better “second fiddle” than either an octave violin (tenor range) or a cello, including the violoncello da spalla (both baritone range). The octave violin is more well established in the Old-Time, as well as the more modern Bluegrass genre, but that is a story for another day.
Those familiar with the late great “Carolina Chocolate Drops” will know exactly what I am talking about here. It is indeed the case that one or two of my violoncello da spalla clients have actually competed in the “Non-Traditional Fiddle” category at Old-Time fiddlers' competitions--on violoncello da spalla!
If you have never heard cello backing up a fiddle, you simply must. Please check out the following videos that inspire me about the possibilities of violoncello da spalla in Old-Time music. I suppose that "haters" would maintain that such a match-up is anachronistic--REALLY?!?!?!? I mean, who cares! "Traditional" Old-Time string band music is about as far from being some kind of historical reenactment as is humanly possible. Further, the list of commonly used instruments has evolved radically over time. Since its origins in the Southeastern Appalachians in the 19th Century, the genre has had more names than you can keep track of. With the advent of phonograph records, it was originally distributed under the "Hillbilly Music" category. The moniker "Old-Time" became popular in the 1960s.
That is the great Rhiannon Giddens of Durham, North Carolina on fiddle and vocals. She is now a solo artist, performing with the likes of Yo Yo Ma.
Appearing in the last video are Natalie Haas (cello) and Brittany Haas (5-string fiddle). Natalie has recorded on more than 30 albums, many with the Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser, and is an Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music. Brittany has appeared on at least a dozen albums.
It is only a matter of time before some crazy violoncello da spalla player decides to cross over into Old-time string band music in a big way, I mean with high-quality YouTube videos and such. Or it could be a really good fiddler who decides to take up the violoncello da spalla. We have been talking to a few great fiddlers who are trying to find a way to afford a violoncello da spalla. Wish I could afford to just give them one!
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.
