A Growing Market

Five String Fiddles and their larger cousins, the Five-string Violas, Cellos and Double Basses, are gaining popularity, year by year.

The Website:

Originally, I simply combined my five-string offerings with my traditional instruments. As a result, people were hard-pressed to find them, as they have been a little on the “obscure” side. However, people demanded my five-string instruments more often than my classical instruments. Eventually, I decided that they ought to have their own website. 

So…here we are! The website is up and running, and our visibility is increasing!  I will continue to add content, articles, photographs, etc. as new builds occur, and as  time permits.

The Instruments

My personal instruments are made either of traditional woods (European Maple and Spruce), Domestic Maple and Spruce, or any combination of a number of other woods. Koa is hard to come by, but I have used it once, and it worked very well. Bubinga is still easy to get, and it can make an excellent choice. I have used Myrtle with Port Orford Cedar, resulting in a very fine instrument that was completely domestic to Oregon (not including the fittings which were Ebony.)

Here are links to the individual Instrument pages:

Five String Fiddles

This would include any 5-string instrument that is violin-sized.

Five String Violas

This would include any 5-string instrument played on the shoulder, that is larger than “violin-size.”) They can sound wonderful!

Five String Cellos 

Obviously, this is the next size up, and played between the knees as a rule, sitting down. (But some use a strap, and play while walking. Pretty challenging, I would think!)

Five String DoubleBasses

These are the really big ones. They rest on the floor, and are usually played standing up, though some players, nowadays, are using a tall stool, so they can sit and play.

Commission or Speculation?

I do build a few instruments on speculation. If you like something I have already made, (and which remains unsold) then we can talk about how to make it your own. If you know what you want, and I haven’t got it, then we can talk, and decide whether I am the luthier who can make your dreams come true. 

Go to “Chronology” to see all the five-string instruments, or give me a call, if you want to talk.