A Mid-Century American Violin, affectionately dubbed, “Sycamore.” I find this violin to be absolutely charming and quirky in the best of ways. Delightful. Firstly, the back, sides and scroll are fashioned from Sycamore. For those of you that don’t know, these facets are usually made from maple. Sycamore can be roughly one-third less dense than maple, but it’s use in violin making is not unprecedented, although uncommon. Most examples of such are from England and the United States. Although this particular violin bears no label, I do believe it is American work in between 70 and 90 years of age. The violin has been cleaned to a point; there is so much texture to the varnish and an absolutely delicious craqueleur which I wished to mitigate without wearing away.

“Sycamore” has been refitted with a fresh set of rosewood pegs, and also received a fingerboard planing, a new nut, a freshly fitted soundpost and a French three-tree Despiau Superieur bridge, with a carved button, titanium tailgut, an engraved ebony tailpiece, rosewood chinrest, and Evah Pirazzi strings (with a Goldbrokat E). This violin is a canon; loud and powerful, with quick response and a subtle sweetness to the sound. Complex, with modularity.

Definitely, a must try!