Discerning professional or amateur string instrument players who prefer older instruments turn to dealers who also specialize in instrument repair Louisville KY when seeking specific qualities.
Rich Sound
Many musicians point to the deep and robust sound that characterizes old string instruments compared with newly manufactured ones. Many connoisseurs argue that this quality is due to old manufacturers’ reliance on handcrafting and fine listening skills to achieve optimal proportions and tone. Some researchers believe the main reason for the difference is the older manufacturers’ use of preservative varnishes consisting of potassium, sodium, zinc, and other minerals that prevent the wood’s rotting and cracking. These researchers theorize that such measures help retain the wood’s molecular integrity over centuries.
Old Growth Wood
The wood chosen for most fine instruments is typically spruce or maple sourced from slow-growing trees from densely populated forests. The tight rings characteristic of these trees makes their wood dense, durable and hard. The hardness contributes to the characteristic resonance of gives high-quality string instruments. It helps to prevent warping from swelling and contraction with changes in humidity and temperature. Present-day manufacturers tend to get their wood supplies from overharvested forests of rapidly growing trees with widely spaced rings. Old-growth wood is difficult to find today for reasons including forest thinning measures to inhibit wildfires and the damaging effects of industrial and agricultural pollution.
Expert Restoration
Professional or amateur string players who prefer older instruments must purchase from knowledgeable dealers who can provide essential provenance information. Dealers who have the skills and training to undertake necessary repairs are also desirable sources because most older instruments require some form of mending or parts replacement depending upon their age. Purchasing a string instrument from such dealers ensures that musicians know the quality of an instrument’s restoration.
Experts in string instrument repair know the appropriate parts and materials necessary to reproduce the tone their clients seek.
