Based on 13th and 14th C examples, this viol has a very low bourdon string. It has a solid maple body with a high grade spruce soundboard, maple tailpiece and bridge,walnut fingerboard, boxwood nut and 4 strings from a Sensicore Treble Viola da Gamba set with a 1/4 cello bass string for the bourdon. It has excellent resonance and volume. The scale length is 16.5″ and it comes with a medieval bow and a custom fitted hard case. It is available for immediate shipping.
$999.95US
Based on one of the fiddles found on the Mary Rose, Henry VII’s warship which sank in 1545. Probably built by one of the sailors, it shares construction details with earlier instruments. This instrument is probably much nicer than anything found on a warship of the time, but it looks quite nice. It has a solid cherry body with a spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, maple fingerboard and a boxwood nut. It has a fine French polish finish and good quality viola strings. It has a viola scale length with a raised curved bridge and great resonance. It comes with a custom made case. There is no bow included with the is instrument, though, either a medieval style bow or a bow based on the one found on the Mary Rose are both available at additional cost. It is available for immediate shipping.
$629.95US
Like the fiddle below, this instrument has a figured solid walnut body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge and fingerboard, boxwood nut, synthetic core strings and a French polished finish. It is also tuned GDgd and comes with a custom case. A medieval bow is available at additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
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This fiddle has a thick solid walnut body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, a flat maple bridge, figured maple fingerboard, boxwood nut, tied on nylgut frets, synthetic core strings and a French polished finish. It is tuned GDgd and comes with a custom case. There is not a bow included but a medieval bow is available at additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
$549.95US
Another fiddle based on the above illumination, this one has a solid cherry body with a fine spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge figured maple fingerboard, boxwood nut and modern violin strings. It has a hand rubbed French polish finish. It comes with a custom made case. There is not a bow included with this instrument, though a medieval bow is available at additional cost. It is available for immediate shipping.
$524.95US
Here is a budget fiddle based on the above illumination. It has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge, cherry fingerboard, boxwood nut, modern violin strings and tied on nylon frets. The bridge on this instrument is fairly low with a shallow curve. Available for immediate shipping.
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Based on one of the few existing medieval stringed instruments, this is attributed to St. Catherine de Vigri from the 15th Century. It has a solid cherry body with a 2 piece spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, boxwood nut and violin strings. It is quite a small and relatively quiet instrument, but has nice tone. It has fine French polished finish and is available for immediate shipping. It comes with a custom made case. No bow is included, but a medieval bow is available at additional cost.
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Based on a number of 14th and 15th C examples this viol has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge, maple fingerboard, boxwood nut and modern viola strings. It has a big voice and good tone. It comes with a modern bow, but a medieval bow is available at additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
$379.95US
Based on a number of different iconographic examples, the bowed vihuela dates from the mid to late 15th C. It was either played up as in the picture above, or across the body, though many that have been sold are played gamba style. A strap has been included to address this. The instrument has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, white oak tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, ebony nut, nylon tied on frets and gut strings. It does not come with a bow, but a medieval style bow is available for additional cost.
$ 629.95US
Another bowed vihuela, this one has modern nylon viola da gamba strings. It has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, curly maple fingerboard and a boxwood nut. It does not come with a bow, but a medieval style bow is available at additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
$599.95US
Based on a number of different 12th C examples, this flat bridge viol has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, cherry fingerboard, boxwood nut and modern violin stings. It comes with a modern violin bow. A medieval style bow is available for additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
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Based on 13thto 15th C examples, but particularly the 14th C picture shown, this fiddle has a full violin scale length. These fiddles have a shallower bridge and flatter fingerboard than a modern violin. This is the most popular style we make, both because they sound good and because they are the most familiar seeming to anyone with experience with a modern violin. They have solid poplar bodies with a spruce soundboard, maple bridge,white oak, maple,walnut or cherry tailpiece, walnut fingerboard, boxwood or ebony nut and modern violin strings. They each come with a modern bow. A medieval style bow is available at additional cost. Available shortly.
$294.95US
A short video of a similar instrument can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O70VkGYX0FM&context=C3c4cbabADOEgsToPDskK3gz3eEbEvlXUksLrVbSnZ
Based on one of the two fiddles found on the Mary Rose, they have a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, cherry fingerboard, walnut or maple tailpiece, flat maple bridge, ebony nut and modern violin or viola strings. The tuning can be changed by swiching strings and lengthening or shortening the scale. It comes with a modern bow, but a bow based on the one found on the Mary Rose is available for an extra charge. An instrument is available for immediate shipping.
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Like the instruments above except that it has a raised fingerboard and a curved bridge. This will be more comfortable to modern players and it also has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard with a soundpost, black walnut tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, boxwood nut and modern viola strings. It is set with a 16″ scale length and comes with a modern bow. A bow based on the one found with the Mary Rose is available at additional cost. Available shortly.
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This 15th C fiddle has excellent resonance and volume. It has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, walnut or cherry fingerboard, white oak or cherry tailpiece, maple bridge, Boxwood nut and modern viola strings. It comes with a modern bow but a medieval bow is available for extra cost. Available shortly.
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Here is another example of the 15th C fiddle, it has a deeper solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, oak tailpiece, maple bridge, cherry fingerboard, boxwood nut and modern viola strings. In addition, it has tied on nylon frets. It comes with a custom case and a medieval bow is available at additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
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This 5 string version also has a solid poplar body with a spruce top, walnut tail piece and fingerboard, maple bridge, ebony nut, tied nylon frets and a set of nylon treble viola da gamba strings except for the high D string which is gut. It comes with a modern bow, but a medieval bow is available at additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
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This fiddle is based on 13th and 14th C examples, though the most famous is probably the 13th C Manesse Codex. This fiddle has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, walnut fingerboard, white oak tailpiece, maple bridge, boxwood nut and modern violin strings. Comes with a modern bow, though a medieval style bow is available at additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
$299.95US
Pictured is a selection of bows that we make for our instruments. They are usually made of white oak and except for the two pictured here, they all have black horse hair. There is some variance in size, but they tend to be in the same range as a 4/4 violin bow. They are not intended to be unstrung when not in use. Available for immediate shipping.
$40.00US ea.
Based on 13th and 14th C examples, this fiddle has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge and fingerboard, boxwood nut and modern violin strings. It comes with a modern bow. A medieval style bow is available at additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
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Barrel bodied fiddles based on illuminations from the 13th through the 15th Centuries. They both have solid poplar bodies with spruce soundboards, maple bridges, ebony nuts and modern violin strings. The fiddle on the left has a raised walnut fingerboard and white oak tailpiece. The fiddle on the right has a flat cherry fingerboard and walnut tailpiece. They come with a modern bow. A medieval style bow is available for additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
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Based on a 15th C Italian woodcut. This fretted fiddle has a solid poplar body with a spruce sound board, walnut finger board, a flat maple bridge, oak tail piece, rosewood pegs, boxwood nut and violin strings.
It comes with a modern bow, a medieval style bow is available for additional cost.
$349.95US
Based on an Italian painting dated 1380-1420, this viol has a solid polar body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece and fingerboard, maple bridge, boxwood nut and modern viola strings. It comes with a modern bow. A medieval bow is available at additional cost. Available for immediate shipping.
$349.95US
Based on a musician on the 12th C St Marie cathedral, this is a common form of viol for the era. It has a solid poplar body with a spruced soundboard, white oak tailpiece, maple bridge, mahogany fingerboard, boxwood nut and modern viola strings. It comes with a modern bow. A medieval bow is available at additional cost.
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Based on a musician from the 12th C Eglise de San Foy Morales, this instrument has a solid poplar body with a spruce soundboard, cherry tailpiece, maple bridge, walnut fingerboard, boxwood nut and modern violin strings. It comes with a modern bow. A medieval bow is available at additional cost.
$379.95US