Baritone (a.k.a. Octave) Violins/Fiddles

One of the first things Don Rickert Design set out to do is to design and build the best acoustic baritone violin in the world. There are several instruments referred to as 'baritones'. You can find out about this topic by reading the extended post, especially information about the New Violin Family, also known as the Violin Octet. When we say baritone violin or baritone fiddle, we are talking about an instrument with the exact nut to bridge length (just under 13") as a standard violin or fiddle, but tuned an octave lower.

We have extensively tested several models with professional and amateur old time, bluegrass and Scottish fiddlers, expert level viola players, 20 or so violinists in the Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestra and a former violinist in the Russian Chamber Orchestra.

One model is based on an enlarged Chanot-type (i.e. cornerless or 'guitar-shaped) violin, another on a modified 14" (i.e. student) viola and yet another on the concave back 'Cradle of Harmony', patented by the artist William Sidney Mount in 1852! We have judged further work on the small viola to be a waste of time and are evaluating where to go with the Chanot-type instrument (which actually sounds pretty good).

Photos of the Chanot-type baritone being played: One of the players is Natalie Haas, known for here 'New Age'/Traditional fusion style on the 'cello.

Laura Risk, one of the finest fiddlers (and teacher) on the planet.

A very fine viola player and fiddler giving the Chanot-type baritone prototype a try. Her playing was beautiful and her insights were extremely helpful.

   

Want to here it? Click here for an all too brief sample of Natalie Haas warming up with some nice Darol Anger riffs.

Several photos of Natalie appear below.

      

We are ready to go into production with the Sidney Mount inspired instrument. We made a number of modifications, including adding about a lot of airspace by extending the rib width from the standard 30 mm. to 42 mm., utilizing a bassbar based on current best practices (not a Zaret Patent Bassbar!), a viola soundpost to equalize the volume of the higher and lower strings. The top plate is made from Western Red Cedar, know by classical guitar experts for its low rich tembre. Finally, the soundholes are of the Chanot-type and smaller than standard practice in order to increase 'turbulance' inside the instrument. The result is an instrument with unbelievable projection and a nice deep tembre (unlike some other instruments, which are loud but 'thin')...this instrument sounds like a fine 'cello!