Violin Gallery

This violin was made by hand at the turn of the 20th century, on a bench in German Tyrol, which is a region in the Alps between Austria and Germany. The makers name was Andreas Luther, which can be seen on the original label.

The instrument was originally made for a right hand player, as are all violins; I am left handed! it's a popular concencus in the music world that you must learn to play right handed if you are left handed, I had a problem with this attitude! The problem is though, is that there are constructional characteristic to a violin that hands it. This is in the form of a sound post and a base bar that are positioned inside the instrument to produce the correct sound.
I researched this problem extensively, and during this research I was lucky to find a gentleman that lived locally that was a retired cabinet maker that had spent 30yrs working on such instruments. He outlined the initial problem, which is that the instrument would need to be split apart to have the internals adjusted to suite my freaky left handedness. If the instrument was in it's true original condition he would be able to split it as animal glue would have originally have been used, and animal glue softens with heat. Paradoxically, if it was not original the likelyhood of moderm wood glues would have probably been used, which in effect would destroy the instrument trying to get it apart as the glue would be stronger than the wood. Fortunately, the instrument was original and animal glue had indeed been used.

The following pics are a record of the transition. Through the process of being split apart, having the base bar being re-positioned, a slight adjustment to the finger board alignment and a touch up of the finish; taking care not to alter the original patina, but to correct the very poor later polishing attempt. I am very lucky to have a very kind Uncle that is an accomplished and qualified french polisher. The instrument was then re-built, the sound post replaced on the opposite side and a new bridge, honed to suite. New strings were then fitted, the opposite way around to suite left handed play.

I live in hope Mr Luther would smile if he saw what I have done to one of his instruments, I fear though, if he heard me play it, he would most certainly turn in his grave.