New instrument! A rebec - kind of an early precursor of a violin.
New instrument! A rebec - kind of an early precursor of a violin.
Most parts are cnc-carved. The body is usually carved from a single block of wood, but for my cnc, I split it into three parts, including a decorative strip of amaranth.
Vibrating string length 29.5cm (3/4 violin). Strings are Aquila F-Red superior tension, G-D-A.
Materials used: maple, spruce, amaranth, ebony.
Some build pics:
Some more pictures:
Love the tailpiece! Rustic simplicity at its finest.
It looks as if somebody tried to make a Greek Lyra from memory!
That's probably because they're closely related. Every region in Europe has their own variation of a small, pear-shaped, three-stringed instrument. There's the Russian gudok, Bulgarian gadulka, Spanish rabel, and so on...
That's beautiful!
Will you make a bow as well? Would it be possible to get a presentation of what it sounds like?
So far I just use a baroque bow. I work on a cherry bow from time to time, but it's quite difficult.
And here is a Quick vocaroo where I play a few notes on each string.
Love the sound of it! Are you making these on commission or just as a hobby?
I can imagine making bows is an incredibly delicate matter - I don't have time to fall into the rabbit hole of the history of bowed instruments right now, but I can feel myself slipping!
That's a pretty sound. Very nice work!
Did you use a particular finish on the amaranth, or are you going to let it naturally shift?
It's all absolutely gorgeous, by the way!
I just used standard alcohol-based varnish. Tbh I when I started this build, I didn't even realise it would do that. 😅
Amazing!!! 🤩
Wow CNC rebec! Old tech meets new. I take it the fingerboard and tailpiece are also amaranth?
Yes, and even the bridge is amaranth!
Very cool - where does one get the tuning pegs? Or did you make those too?
Those are standard (albeit fancy) "french eye" tuning pegs from Thomann Germany. The endpin is in the same style. Maybe for the next instrument I will try to make them myself.
Bro made a Lute and called it a new instrument 😂
I wish. Lutes are an entirely different beast. Definitely on my bucket list, though.
A lute is plucked and has many more strings. This is bowed
Well, it is freshly made.