Luthier vs Violinmaker... Is there a Difference?!?
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
- Master Violin Maker Olaf Grawert talks about the difference between a violinmaker and a luthier...
and you will be surprised...
And what do Gallows have to do with violinmaking?
Be fully informed when you buy your next instrument. Get Olaf's free 7 essentials when buying an instrument report here: olafgrawertviolinstudio.com/7...
00:00 Funny Skit - Finding a Luthier
02:00 I explain about the difference between a violinmaker and a luthier
04:00 Gallows?!?
05:52 The tools used in violinmaking
07:51 Summary
#myviolinmaker, #olafgrawertviolin #violin
Website:
www.olafgrawertviolinstudio.com
Social:
/ olafgrawertviolinstudio
/ olafgrawertviolinstudi... - Hudba
The secret of your laidback attitude is that you never fret.
Comment of the year. 😀😀😀😀😀
Noice 😏😎🎻
Sensational.
Good one !
😂
"a violin maker is a violin maker"
*Ah, peace and understanding.*
"... makes violins, violas, cellos, and double basses"
*Ah shoot, here we go again.*
:P
If you make violins, violas, cellos, and double basses, you could call yourself an “Orchestral Strings Luthier”
but double basses arent in the violin family.
@@sirspongadoodle the plot thickens
@@shipsahoy1793 or a luthier of quatuor string instr.
they'll be strong opinions about insignificant things no matter what ..😂😂
Oh! I didn't know this. I thought that Luthier were the ones that makes violin, viola and cello. I learn something new today AMAZING
Those instruments that walked through the door were all so pretty, I hope they find the proper care they deserve!
I just got a job as a luthier (violinmaker)! Before this, I have years and years of making aerospace parts by hand with very tight tolerances and being a bench jeweler. Even though I have no experience woodworking or violin playing, they offered me the job on the spot. I am so excited to get started!
Great to hear... Make sure you read 'The Art of Violinmaking' by Chris Johnson and Violin Restoration by Hans Weisshaar.
And just learn all the measurements... The Strobl book is good for that
being a jeweler would be really cool.
Stradivari was a violinmaker.. and a guitarmaker, and a lutemaker.. as you can see if go to museum in cremona and see the molds and templates.. Another luthiers was maker of some kinds of instruments, like hoffmann or schelle or edlinger. But today, nowadays any carpenter with a milling machine calls himself a luthier bekause he makes electric guitar bodys..
there are lots of shades of gray between black and white..
Im a luthier of lutes, and a fan of your channel
That´s right. Sometimes in my workshop we have to take the most jobs we can to make the profit and the people bring us other instruments aside from bow strings like guitars, electric instruments and etc. We have a specialist in any case, also we started to fix wind instruments like trumpets and saxophones so nowadays we have to be know-it-alls
Just being curious, do lute makers work with plucked instruments in general or just the lute? I would imagine that bowlback mandolins would be closer to lutes than they are to violin or guitar, so if there is no mandolin luthier around, does a lute maker also fix mandolins?
@@eufemiahz1556 this depends if the luthier likes to do the work or not; in my case, im not interested in instruments outside lute family but..a luthier can repair a mandolin off course.
Hahaha!! Love the new characters. Hope they’re going to make more appearances.
Thanks for clearing up the definition.
Tools! I love seeing tools of the trade! Maybe you could do a video on different tools and what they're for and how they're used in the process of making an instrument, would love to see that 🤩
Olaf: your new violin, with one piece back looks great. Congrats!!
hello olaf,i love that you made this video,im a guitar maker but before i made guitars,i was more on repairing and had some violin repairs at the beginning of my shop,yes thet all have strings and wood but on construction there are so many differences,for one what i learned from violin was what glue you use affects the sound and their viscosity i was so amazed on the violin i studied it and learned how complex and why some are good and not,what i learned from violins actually made me a better guitar maker i suppose,i love violin makers and what you guys do,let say even if i was to make a violin it will not be near the expectation a person will get from a real violin maker.much respect and love your content been following your videos for a long time
Suffice it to say that “luthier” is a general term which needs an adjective specifying instrument type.
Loved the bouzouki hippie!
Peace out dudes 🙂
Good video, thank you for explaining.
I am a hack guitar luthier (I do mostly work on my own instruments, and I've build a few) and I know enough to recognize that the skillset of violin making is a universe apart from making guitars.
Still I am fascinated to watch you work. You are truly skilled.
A luthier is a maker of instruments of the long and short necked lute taxon. Also of hybrid instruments such as the Stoessel lute (a fretted zither played like necked instrument). As a luthier myself, I make them all. Violins are the hardest to make which explains their cost. As is usual, your videos are amusing.
But... Is that a Brett's cosplay??? Ahahha
All your characters are just so funny! Thanks for explaining so well!! 🤣
Can it get any better on my birthday?
Yes. Yes it can.
Olaf in a wig, duh.
Great video!
- Ana
Edit: I got a triangle. Wow. I am so ready to annoy my sisters with it now!
Happy birthday!
🎵Happy Birthday to you🎵
Much love from Honduras Olaf!!! :D We’re currently in a bit of a pickle over here due to the iota tropical storm, but I still had the chance to see your vid :)
Wonderful to hear... keep safe and lock everything down... Yes, it's that time of the year... In Australia we get them between December and March
I hope to finish off another violin I started sometime back next year as I let other distractions get in the way. Doublebass's with necks coming out were taking up too much room in my small workshop & was glad someone else started doing it nearby (he played it too) along with fretted instruments. Violins, violas & cellos are much nicer to stay with (& also electric violins etc). Hopefully 2021 will be a good year for health & business.
FIVE OUTFIT CHANGES! Olaf is going all-out on the theatrics this time!
Great video! 👍 ❤ And the new violin is looking great too! ...Reminds me I have to go work on mine...
I'm not even a musician but ever since I found Olaf, I was wondering if there were any luthiers in Jakarta. I wondered where Indonesian violinists go for their violins. But when I searched luthiers in google maps, all I found were guitar makers. 😅 when I looked specifically for Violinmakers, only then I found one guy (he's also German). Thanks for the further clarification 😅
I would imagine with the tropical weather he gets plenty of repair business. I wonder if guitars are more popular because the flat top plate makes them more resistant to shifting humidity
Ikr there aren’t many violinists around me either, I only know one friend who actually plays violin
@@screaminggecko7660 i think guitars are a more mainstream choice of instrument in general. Even I have one and I don't even really play it unless needed. Hahaha
@@raudhaslsbl hmm there are always enough violinists in my school to fill the orchestra so I'm guessing there are more than we think but I don't know where they bought their violins from or if they bought VSOs. And I don't know how they take care of their violins. But obviously guitar is the more popular choice of instrument.
I only know of this one violinmaker in Bandung, my friend (who is a darned good violinist, just saying) rely on him for all his violin-related needs
Though called "violin makers", Almost every shop I have been to also take care of double bass. I guess it's just because double bass are close enough to the violin family (i.e. a family friend). Real twoset fans might not agree with this
the violin you made looks amazing! I want to hear how it sounds 🤣
The difference between a violin and a lute is not big. Both burn about the same amount of time. A piano is much different. This one burns much longer.
(referring to an old joke my grandfather was told)
and a trumpet doesn't burn
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker yes, biggest difference possible
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker Of course trumpets can burn, you're simply not getting your fire hot enough good sir.
Luthier is to violinmaker just like a square is a rectangle. A square is a rectangle, but a rectangle is not always a square (or a gallow maker 😉).
Good Set Theory.
is it more sad that:
1) Olaf has to turn away so much business
2) many people don’t understand what Olaf does
3) many instruments likely don’t get the care and attention they need due to (understandable) ignorance
Try knowing a bit about cars and seeing how those are treated...
That's some quality content keep it up Luther
I learned so much from the video. Thank you for this video 😁
Ich liebe es einfach wenn du deutsch redest🤗
Ich auch 😊 Aber irgendwie ist es auch immer wieder komisch, in einem englischen Video Deutsch zu hören
@@emilia1911 ja weil es so heraussticht aber zu wissen das er ebenfalls deutsch ist finde ich mega. :D
@@derschuller irgendwie schon
It's nice talking to you too olaf !
I hope that new violin sounds as beautiful as it looks! I have people ask me to repair their instruments because I can repair, build, and fancy up furniture and other woodwork! LOL! Here in The States, your local Guitar Center can usually recommend, or may have a contract with a really good appropriate repair person no matter what instrument you play. I would imagine that most dealers know who's who among the local repair shops and builders.
Hi Olaf! I am a big fan of your work. I first heard of you from Two Set Violin. I would love to purchase one of your violins.
Thanks for the video, I learned something new today! How hard is it to make a bass compared to making cellos or violins? Surely the sheer size would be a challenge, but is that the only difference in making bass?
I do like the violin! It’s looking so beautiful!
The funny thing is that I actually got my mandolin from a string instrument store/luthier workshop that is specialized in bowed instruments. They happen to also have a small collection of plucked instruments and they fixed my problems with the frets and stuff…
And they told me if I needed some serious repairs, I should go to another luthier - who is a professional guitar maker
jajaja you are great olaf! cheers from argentina!
I was waiting for someone to come in and bring their double bass. Or octobass.
...or theorbo!
Nice to know that.
This is a really cool vid
Nice German bits ... Greetings from Germany. Enjoy your Vlogs very much.
Maybe you should have the Address of a Guitar Repair Shop ready :)) So you can send each other Business :)) Geigenbauer yes :)) Oh such a German word. Galgenbauer... ROFL :)) But I see why It could be understood wrongly :))
An internet violin maker with a shop with apprentices, can't hair a bow and probably would not be the best choice to fix a crack, but is very good at things associated with making like setup, bridges, sound post, etc. I suspect many luthiers do both and makes instruments to fills open time, the making training and apprenticeship may be missing and they may not get top dollar for their instrument compared with a well known maker but get a lot more than a factory violin fetches.
4:23 My dad worked for a pharmaceutical company, we said pharma company for short and as a kid I only understood "farmer" and often wondered why he had to be away during the week.
can i ask how much an original Olafvarius costs?
Nice hummingbird
Therapist: Bogan Olaf is not real, he can't hut you
Bogan Olaf: 0:01
actually in Italian is LIUTAIO (lee-u-tah-yee-oh)
In my town the sign actually says ”luthier geigenbauer“
Wow! I love the stripes on your violin, Olaf! Do you know who will end up playing it?
Was wondering about this and turns out my guess was right
:)
I think Bass lutiers also can make Coaches , Barns and covered bridges with their tools 😊
Once a guitar i had had a damage to the bridge that translated into slightly damaged ribs inside so the top layer was slightly combed inside. To fix it i cut a pencil to size and shoved it in. The top layer was now again straight and later i fixed also the bridge with super glue... Funnily enough the guitar remained intonated and easy to play... Maybe the only case of a guitar with a sound post 😂
as a harpist... I was actually mildly disappointed that you didn't have a harpist walk in during the skit portion 😂
Are there any videos of the Violin that you made? Thanks!😎✌️🌞🎻
I always imagined it like mechanics. You can't take a boat to a car mechanic.
Two questions if I may. You use the term maker. Do all violin makers make their own violins as well as fix them typically? Also speaking of guitars. Why do modern guitars use truss rods to counteract neck tension but violins and other historical string instruments don't? Thanks ☺️
Violins don't have the enormous tension on the neck that steel string guitars have. Nylon string guitars would not need a truss rod I'd guess... Steel string guitars have about a hundred pounds of pull on the bridge compared to about fifty pounds of pull on a nylon string guitar. CF Martin is famous, in part, for developing X bracing when the transition was made about a hundred years ago.
@@johnsee7269 thanks for the reply. I guess string instruments have a huge amount of pressure on the top plate that is supported by the soundpost. Where as guitars don't have the bridge transferring that weight to the top as we do.
Oh I get it! It’s how how anybody who works with wood can be called a carpenter. But within carpentry are several specific specialties
OLAF:
I enjoy your shows. Quite informative, and also entertaining, although I am not a string instrument player (I'm into accordions)
Out of curiosity; are both the inside and outside of the back and top-plate of your violins contoured ? By that I mean are all four surfaces chisled, gouged, planed, shaved, etc. in order to produce the contour, or is the wood also bent over some form to sort of mold the top & bottom contour. ?
Thank you,
Understand lahh 👍
In reference to the violins that you your self make, when do you know what the price of violin will be? Do you decide a price range before you begin? or wait until your finished and then judge the price. - or - At what point do you decide.
6:02 Actually that's incorrect . The back plate of the Guitar is slightly curved :)
True, both the back and top of a guitar can be radiused, but done (some, fat fingers) makers like making them flat also. Depends on the maker's taste.
@S Macca oops!
Didn’t know you were German 😂 greetings from Germany. Like your vids
Olaf, do you make double basses? I've seen violins, violas and cellos in your workshop but not a double bass. Would love to see a video about the challenges in making one and architecture of the double bass if you do.
It would be cool to see a viola or a cello being made, too.
Olaf I want to learn to make Violin’s please tell me where can I learn this in Australia?
Shawn :)
I have a question I was just talking to a young man wanting to start learning violin but he is left handed . My question is do you have to change the position of the bass bar and sound pin ?
"guitars have flat tops and backs"
*Laughs in arch top*
I love your french pronounciation😍😊 (and in Montreal nearly every violin shop, guitar shop can be found by searching luthier, I don't think that the expression "violinmaker" exist in french.)
Update:
The expression violinmaker is translated by luthier... so to find a violinmaker the search will be "luthier violon" and that is not a good formulation in french haha.
I thought it was Luthier de Violon
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker it is the correct term, but it is not really use... it is a bit confusing sometimes haha
In France, the proper expression is " Luthier du Quatuor", but they often accept the double bass (when the workshop is big enough).
@@entregrisetbleue689 what? I never heard of this! It is really interesting to see the differences between two places with the same language.
Is the process and internal structure for making violins, violas and cellos exactly the same as each other besides the different sizes?
It sure is
I noticed the bows hanging on your wall are hanging from their tips! I have all my spare (and derelict haha) bows hanging on my wall from their frogs! Is that something I shouldn’t be doing? Thanks
Olaf, how long does it take to make a violin start to finish? Also, how many coats of varnish do you put on?
About 2 months... probably around 10 coats of varnish, but it really depends on the look I'm going for.
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker thanks Olaf, love your channel! You should do a video about different fittings and ways to customize your violin.
In Dexbach is a keyed-fiddle maker/technician/virtuoso I call "Beren the Luthier" as a hidden reference to his secret mistress.
Arch top guitars?
Is Olaf acutally german? :D His german is MAGNIFICENT!
If i remember correctly, he lived in germany during his childhood. Now he lives in Australia.
Hmmm, so is an archtop guitar, with a carved top and back, a hybrid violin?
Of course it should rather be ”Violamaker“ or even ”Viola da braccio-maker“. But the name violin is probably better for PR reasons. In german it is simple, for the word „Geige“ does not only mean the Violin specifically, but also the whole family of viole. So we have
Geige, Diskantgeige = Violin
Bratsche, Altgeige, Armgeige = Viola
Violoncello, Tenorgeige, Mittelbassgeige, Kniegeige = Cello, Tenor/Bassviol
Kontrabass, Kontrabassgeige, Bassgeige = CB
Talking about Lutes: Fischart wrote a hymn to the Lute (Ein Artliches lob der Lauten). There he writes:
Sie bringt mit einem griff zuwegen
So viel, als sieben Menschen mögen;
Muteten stück bey jhr erklingen,
Wie die ein menschlich stimm möcht singen,
Erstatt so vil als siben Geigen
Oder vil Pfeiffen möchten zeigen;
Yes, but do you make fiddles?
I never thought I needed to see bogan Olaf, but I guess I do now
Olaf, you spoke German! Would you explore with us some of your German roots in a video?
The curlicues on a violin strike me as very baroque. There's the shape of the f-holes; the two pointy bits on each side where the side of the body switches from convex to concave and back, and of course the spiral at the tip of the tuning block. Are there acoustical reasons for those? Or could it be possible to achieve the musical result with less complexity? Are there people who do that?
I notice that even body-less electric violins retain the snail shells at the tip of tuning block, where it's surely nothing but a stylistic point. Or does that fractional extra weight change the balance? www.amazon.ca/Kinglos-Advanced-Electric-Fittings-DSJS1601/dp/B082Q5GQ43
I call myself a violin luthier to distinguish myself from the fretted instrument folks. Everyone I know has a guitar that needs work and I don’t have time for more than bowed stringed instruments.
So a luthier is the genus, and guitar maker and violin maker are the species?
Can you repair my viola?
No, I'm a violinmaker.
Man that Marvel shirt looks both 10 years old and brand new.
can you make my guitar sound like a violin then?
And there is a distance lute branch that went off to Asia and became the erhu family. :P
Guitarmakers hand carve lots of top and backplates! Hollowbody electric guitars like Gibsol ES-types and Gibson L5-types are definitely hand carved
Ich habe nie gewusst das Olaf Deutsch ist.
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet... 🌹
Olaf seems to have quite a collection of wigs. I wouldnt be surprised if he was...a SPY!
i’ve just watched 3 olaf videos and so far he has at least 3 wigs.
4
5
It's simple -- a violin maker is a luthier who specializes in a certain very popular family of traditional bowed stringed instruments.
So if anyone is accused of luting it won’t be you. 👍
Carved archtop guitars and mandolins are a thing though! :( I wonder how many luthiers in the world can actually carve an archtop guitar without "guessing" half of the stuff...!!! :(
I'm guessing that Olaf gets this at least 25 times a day.....
Hey Olaf, this happened a few months ago. I dropped my violin and a chunk of the wood just came off. The worst thing is, I cant even find the chip of wood that came off. Can you please tell me what i should do cuz im pretty sure that this may evolve into a bigger problem later on. Is there any way i can prevent it from getting worse? There hasnt been that much degradation in the sound quality till now. And i live in Kathmandu, Nepal so im pretty sure there are no Luthiers or Violin makers around this area to repair it.
This is the picture of my violin.
drive.google.com/file/d/1ZjbgvF-qahiYNCEksjbh-XUGsCAupY4s/view?usp=sharing
Hmm.... it is easily repaired by a skilled violinmaker, but not so easy if there is no one around. It is probably something best protected with some shellac varnish until somebody can repair it.
The violin looks like it has artificial varnish, so a bit of shellac won't devalue it.
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker Where can i buy some shellac varnish, is it easily available? And how should i use it? Do i just need to smear it over the chipped part? Im worried i may damage the violin if im not careful.
(P.S. Thank you a lot for answering Olaf! I was really worried for my violin)
It's mini-me
Shouldn't it be "violin/viola/cello/double bass-maker"? I guess that's a bit of a mouthful.
That's an ugly sentence, I hate that...
in italian LIUTAIO
A violinmaker has more wigs.
I'm actually from Germany and your pronunciation is pretty good.
Can you actually speak German ?
Olaf: Tells a story about growing up in Germany.
Comments: Wow, your German isn't even that terrible.
@@tabs4211 Oh sorry I may overlooked this 😅
olaf did u ever seen videos rosa string works.he is old school kind luthier he repair and build whatever his customer ask.his main focus mandolins but time to time he build and repair violins .
ofc u right whole diffrent techics involve.but as u mantioner if u skilled carparnter woodworker know all about music, prieces work i technical diffrences anyone can build up any kind industment.
but problem isnt effectiver for everyone.im pretty sure u can repair or build them.but its will cost u lot more time.u didnt have custozes some jigs for them hold like half store long parts jigs extra item is harder.so yeah im not critized people is focused one kind industments so better job they do less time and money cost with better experince both customer and luthiers for.
so diffrence for my pov is non.ofc im talking about decent good works.so im not musician or carpenter or woodworker or luthier.i dont know u build doublebasses or not.if not i bet not becouse of u cant just up reason less customer for rare occusion for holding ton of meterials jigs etc at shop isnt so wise while viloning and violas close sizes and cellos are populer it maybe those too.
again im total noob just talking general culture learn from u and other luthiers tv documenteries youtubes etc.if i mistaken some aspect or offend u somehow sorry(and sorry for grammer too i self learned and have some mental issues affect my writing and talking)
2.57 why is his German pronunciation so good? I’m shocked
Maybe because he is from Germany 🤔😉
Except for archtop jazz guitars . . .