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How Our Instruments Are Made.
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Geometry
My model, arches, and graduations are all based on "Golden Proportion" (.618) geometry, for centuries designated as a phi (F). Its presence can be found in the sacred art of Egypt, India, China, Islam, and other civilizations. Also many aspects of nature like organic life, the human body, lightning, and sound evolve through the laws of Golden proportion. The Cremonese used this knowledge in the construction of their instruments. incorporating the same principles in all my instrument's archings and graduations gives them a unison of voice that when played together is rarely heard.
"There must be no decoration, only proportion." Quote from St. Bernard of Clairavaux, who inspired the architecture for some of the most incredibly resonant acoustic twelfth-century churches.
Graduations
The thicknesses or graduations of the top and back plates are very influential on the sound. Violinmakers start out using widely accepted standard graduations. With experimentation and experience they proceed to change their graduations by to thinning or thickening certain areas of the plate for desired acoustic effects. Most times separate schemes are developed for graduating the plates of different instruments.
I took a different approach. I graduate my top and back plates using consistent patterens based on Golden Proportion geometry. This allows for uniformity of plate flexing and optimum velocity of vibrations throughout the plate. Of course the density and tuning of the plate is always taken into account, and the whole pattern is made geometrically thinner or thicker accordingly.
ARCHES
There are many books, some of which I have listed at the bottom of this page, that have been written on the Golden Proportion and how it was used to construct the instrument form. But until now there was nothing written about how to geometrically construct arches with the Golden Proportion. I am sure there are many geometric and mathematical paths to achieve the same result. This is just a condensed description of the way I design my arches.
6/11 is the classical proportion that dictates where the bridge placement or Menzure of a violin will be. 16mm is the classical violin arch height
The line where the arch begins is set up by F ^5 the distance from Menzure to plate edges and from center line to plate edges.
Centerline Construction
Tops Back
These lines will determine the center of the arcs that comprise the upper and lower bout center line. For the top plate mark the F line from Menzure to arch line, and F^2 for the back. The height of the F line is determined by subtracting the Menzure height * F^5 from the menzure height.
The top and back plate centerline arcs are constructed as 3point arcs, mirrored from the base of the top Fposition to the arch line.
The centerline is finished when the midpoints of the upper and lower arcs connected through the Menzure.
Mirrored 3 point arcs are then connected through the centerline with the arc tangent to the arch line.
The middle section of the arcs (which will be used in the final instrument arch) are determined for the top plate by using the golden division of 1/2 the arc (centerline to edge), hile the back arcs use the golden division ^2of the arc.
This middle section of the arc (that goes through the centerline) is saved while the rest is cut out to the desired recurve.
Notes of interest: If looking strictly at the centerline, the lower bout seems fuller. But the upper bout is narrower crossways than the lower bout. So the arcs formed crossways on the upper bout are fuller than the arcs on the lower bout. Therefore the fullness of both bouts look the same when looking at a finished arch from the top.
Varnish: Personal Reflections
by Anton KrutzLike most luthiers I have experimented for years with different grounds and varnishes. I've accidentally had cooking resins explode, blown a hole in my wall, caught my leg on fire, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. All in the name of finding "The Great Look!"
For those not familiar with the term "ground"; it is the sealer that goes on top of the bare wood before the varnish is applied. As far as I am concerned, it is the most important variable in the finishing process. The ground is actually what gives varnish its luster, beauty, and a look of depth, as well as improving the sound of the instrument itself. The ground achieves this by a multi-process application: First, I apply an organic layer, which colors the wood, giving it a golden brown refractive sheen. Second, I seal it with a clear (fresco painters) casein. This is what hardens the outer surface of the wood, makes it impermeable to moisture, and most importantly gives it a coat uniformity.
For example, imagine a mattress with individual coil springs. Those springs are like the cells in wood. If you lay down on the springs without having a one piece spring net on top connecting all of them, then you will only strongly compress the springs you're laying on. But, if that spring net was there, then your weight or force you were exerting would to an extent, be distributed among all the springs. The same concept applies to instrument plates, especially the top plate. Each note causes different sections of the plate to vibrate, so the casein film helps distribute those vibrations to the whole plate. Improper grounds are why many instruments do not improve and even wear out with time, especially the factory made ones which usually have no ground at all. Last, I apply a layer of fused amber on top of a fresco layer of lime. This accentuates the figure in the wood and adds dichroism, which is the bending of light as it enters (the ground in this case) and is refracted out.
The emphasis of most books and topics of discussion is on varnish though. Its function is to protect the instrument, provide a colored transparent film to accentuate the ground, and not be constrictive to the plates' vibrations. The latter of its functions eliminates all spirit and lac varnishes. Those varnishes are as restrictive as a tight trench coat around an athlete.
That leaves oil varnish. The oil varnish I use now is a simple one of fused amber and sun-thickened linseed oil. Several lightfast (primary colors of) red and blue pigments and lakes are used for richness of final color. But there are tons of recipes and I sure feel like I tried a hell of a lot of them.
When I first started experimenting, the goal was to make the varnish rather than the ground have the refraction and dichroism, through chemical reactions etc. Since most of the authors were convinced the answers to "The Great Look" lay in the varnish, all kinds of exotic procedures were found to torture the varnish and its prosecutor as well. Many of the procedures were tedious, time consuming, and inconsistent. One time after five hours of preparation I overcooked some varnish by two minutes. It turned into unliquifiable solid mass.
INSANE! Its ironic how even after five hundred years of instrument making and countless volumes of written material on the subject, luthiers are still experimenting. Looking at other professions one can see standards that are followed. If a better process is discovered and proven to be effective, it then becomes the standard. Not so in violinmaking. Every luthier has their own personal varnish war stories and secret victory recipes.
Testimonials about Anton Krutz's Instruments:
Anton Krutz Cello
Hello Anton,
Thank you very much for the cello you made. I love it.Sincerely,
Olga Redkina
Pittsburg, PA
www.olgaredkina.com/
A.K. Viola
Emma bought one of your personally made violas and has been playing it hard the last few months. Tonight, she performed a Bach Prelude for an Honors Recital. The viola had wonderful tone and filled the 1000 seat auditorium beautifully. It was powerful and had the bella canto voice singing at the top of its lungs. She also made assistant principal chair for the Omaha Area Youth Orchestra Symphony as a sophomore. She is in love with your instrument and I want to thank you.
By the way, how is the archtop guitar going?
Jim Ritter in Omaha
2007 Anton Krutz Violin
This is easily the best modern violin I have ever had the pleasure of playing. The depth of sonority, sweet tone and wide palate of colors inherent to the instrument make it very versatile, suitable for both solo and ensemble performance. It is both powerful and sensitive, and responds equally well to the grittier modern repertoire and the more tranquil and elegant classical pieces. The ease of playing the violin brings out the best in my playing, and makes performing a joy. I couldn't be happier to have acquired this instrument!
Carol Carlson, Member of the Lawrence Chamber Orchestra, St. Joseph Symphony Orchestra, newEar Contemporary Chamber Music Ensemble, Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra Artist Certificate, International Center for Music, Park University, May 2008 (pending); student of Ben Sayevich Bachelor of Music, Violin Performance, Truman State University; student of Dr. Sam McClure; graduated magna cum laude and with departmental honors in music Alumna of the Aspen Music Festival and School, 2006; student of Carole Cowan; member of the Aspen Festival Orchestra
A.K. Violin
When my violin was stolen, I immediately began searching for a worthy replacement. Over the course of nearly two months, I visited numerous local violin shops and dealers for the perfect fit, and none compared to what I found at K.C. Strings! I needed a violin that had a bold sound in an orchestra setting, and also had a rich sound in a solo setting. I found what I was looking for in my Williams and Krutz violin, of which I am now a proud owner.
Not enough can be said about the staff at K.C. Strings. It is rare to find such personalized assistance in a shop that carries so many instruments and bows. Their unique staff keeps me coming back time and time again for any service my violin or bow needs.
Thank you K.C. Strings for the beautiful violin. After playing on it for a few months now, I am assured I made the right choice in choosing to buy from you!
Jerry Wohletz
A.K. Cello
The cello anton made for me is great. Symphony players I interact with say it is one of the best in the symphony when used there. It has depth of tonal color better than any I have played. I sold my 1844 Charles Gaillard...I never played it! The staff was always friendly and Anton is great about adjusting it...he wants it perfect for me.
Thanks, Dr. Robert Wade, Master of Science in Psychology, Doctor of Dental Surgery
A.K. Violin
The thing that I love the most about the shop is that every single one of their instruments has an individual character to it. Sometimes several violins (when they are of the same series) may look very similar to each other, but when you play them you realize that each one was hand crafted and a lot of care went into making them.
My violin had a very distinctive sound that I just loved immediately. I tried a lot of violins at the shop, but I would always come back to the one I ended up buying. What I'm trying to say is that the fact that they have such a great variety is a good thing because individual musicians have individual needs that a generic, mass produced instrument may not be capable of fulfilling.
The people who work at K.C. Strings are really nice and they are always willing to work with you. They are all about getting their instruments in musicians' hands, so they are very understanding and cooperative.
Manuel Tabora. I've been playing violin for 6 years now. I am currently a violin performance student at Washburn University, taking lessons from Dr. Larisa Elisha. I also serve as concertmaster for the Washburn Symphony and String orchestras.