Call 0422 945 752
or email philip@atelierphilipsmith.com
Woobys Lane
Battery Point, TAS, 7004
Australia
+61 (0) 422945752
Philip Smith is a master maker of stringed instruments and their bows. A master of refined artistry and exquisite tones from his master-crafted bows and instruments. One of Australia's finest luthiers!
Maker Restorer Repairs Sales of Violin Viola Cello Double Bass and their Bows
The new web site is up in draft form but not quite fully running (take a look. www.philipsmithluthier.com) hence another blogspot post.
Tomorrow the new violin, cello and I are off to the capital to be tested by some of the state's finest musicians. Access to this kind of feedback is invaluable in the making of my instruments, and provides an excellent day out of the 'office'.
Getting the most out of a pencil...
As to the violin, the scroll is finished and the neck is in. Almost done. It is taking on its own identity. Next, it'll be strung up in the white and given to a violinist for playing and feedback. Then to summon all my nerve to take on the harrowing task of varnishing.
Repair work from schools is piling up as holidays are over in a couple of weeks.
A trip to Hobart has renewed the desire to do more playing and more work in our island's capital. The home of the
and a bigger population certainly provides a lot more musical and professional opportunities than the smaller town in which we live.
Next week it's off to tutor Double Bass at the
Launceston Youth Orchestra Strings cam
p.
Now it's looking like a real violin. After the cello, progress on the smaller instruments seems to happen so fast.
With this one the lower bout ribs are in one piece, so it has no join at the lower block. No join should mean no coming apart.
This morning has been spent wrestling with reticent suppliers and recovering from the shock of their post-global-financial-crisis price rises. Now to the task of cleaning up and rubbish removal. The piles of wood shavings are ankle deep around the workbench. Aaaah, a luthier's life ...
Progress is being made on the website www.philipsmithluthier.com with the help of a local photographer, Ben Southam, who has provided some fantastic shots of the workshop and instruments. The site will be updated and launched soon.
Great progress has been made working on the commissions through Christmas and New Year. Weather in Tasmania has been unpredictable at best. It certainly hasn't felt like summer yet. This has provided me with good conditions for getting some work done.
Currently working on a cello and its really getting somewhere. This one is my own interpretation of a Mantagnana cello. It has a slightly diminished width yet attempting to retain the essence of the Master's model. I am aiming for a player-friendly version yet retaining the robust, earthy tones associated with Montagnana.
This commissioned violin uses my preferred Guarneri model, the 1742 'Alard'. I am currently tuning the plates and its not there yet but coming along nicely.
Now cello no.5, in the form of tonewood from Germany, is sitting in Customs and I need to fill in forms and negotiate for its early release, not to mention paying them a small fortune for the privilege. One of my least favourite jobs.
Details:
I made this in 2005 for a double bass student of mine. The playing dimensions are the same as a double bass. This makes it easy to swap between playing the two. This bass has a real double bass quality of sound.
