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Fungus and violins! Or how to make a Strad :p
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NoirVelours
Quebec

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May 21, 2012 - 5:51 pm
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If you have not already found this article I strongly suggest reading it. It's about how fungus can help improve the quality of a violin! I wonder where they are in their research and testing, looks like I will need to dig a bit more to find an update.

http://missbakersbiologyclass......in-making/

"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov

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TerryT
Coleshill, Warwickshire
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May 21, 2012 - 6:27 pm
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With all the rain we've had recently, I'm surprised there aren't mushrooms and ferns growing in my violin!
But then, maybe my violin is improving and not me!! facepalm

I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....

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cdennyb
King for a Day, Peasant for many
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May 21, 2012 - 6:32 pm
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great link NV! That was very interesting to say the least. Who would've known that the high density wood, made to be low density by getting eaten by mold would produce a violin like a Strad.

What next? Only technology will tell.

"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein

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NoirVelours
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May 21, 2012 - 6:59 pm
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It adds a whole new dimension to "the wood is alive" lol. I'm more and more amazed everyday at how complex a violin is! Not even talking of playing it. No wonder it's often called the most difficult instrument (true or not).

"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov

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KindaScratchy
Massachusetts
May 21, 2012 - 8:34 pm
Member Since: March 14, 2012
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That's fascinating, NV. I had heard that the quality of Stradivarius violins was partly due to weather conditions of the time and how they affected the quality of the available wood. The other part, of course, was Stradivari's expertise.

The first thing that came to my mind when reading this article was: is anything done to halt the decomposition process or does it continue? In other words, does the fungus continue to decompose these violins? A $25,000 violin may be somewhat more reasonable than a $1 million violin, but who would want to spend even that much if it will be reduced to a pile of dirt in 10 years.

frown

When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,

I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.

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Fiddlestix
Michigan, USA

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May 22, 2012 - 11:17 am
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As cheap as 25 Grand huh ?    I'm puttin in my order this afternoon. In the meantime, it's supposed to rain today so i'll start my decomposition process then. I wonder how long and how hard it will have to rain to fill it with water?  dunno

                  roflolrofl

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