Friday, July 31, 2026

lucky day

Pirate Luthier update

After a bit of a drought period in terms of new violins coming in, I had a lucky day this week discovering a violin (number 38) and two violas in one lot at the Gloucester Green market. They appear to have come the same journey because all three instruments have been "decorated" with splodges of red paint. initial tests show the paint isn't water soluble so I'll probably have to leave it on.

Will share some photos once I've put strings on them. I'm not entirely against the red paint. In the meantime here's how I carried the three of them back from the market (hashtag #carryshitolympics). I'm really glad I decided a few months ago to have the big blue coop bag in my shopping bag when I go into town just in case any instruments need carrying. It would have been tricky without it:

The instruments are short of almost everything (although they do have cases and their soundposts are in place), but I also picked up some accessories from a friendly freegler on the same trip, so it will work out in the end. Will have to order viola strings though. And pegs are beginning to become a crisis. The three instruments only have eight pegs between them, and not necessarily well-fitting ones either.

 


 

NB I've now moved the list of instruments that pass through my pirate luthier workshop to a permanent page which I will update whenever necessary, independent of the blog entries.

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