Donald Rickert

Brief Descriptions for Various Alternative Violin Family Instruments

Mar 11, 2025

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in 5-String Violins and Fiddles, Backpacker Violins and Pochettes, Baroque Instruments, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Observations and Opinion, Octave and Baritone Violins, Pochettes, Kit Fiddles, Pocket Fiddles, Tenor and Octave Violas, Travel and Backpacker Fiddles, Violoncello da Spalla

Introduction This post provides brief descriptions of the various alternative and extended range violin family instruments made by D. Rickert Musical Instruments. The descriptions include the normal tuning for each instrument, as well as links to other reference material about each instrument. There are two related posts: Travel / Backpacker Violin A travel violin, also…

Alternative Violin Family Instruments: Relative Sizes and Shapes of Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Range Instruments

Mar 10, 2025

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Donald Rickert

in 5-String Violins and Fiddles, Backpacker Violins and Pochettes, Baroque Instruments, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Observations and Opinion, Octave and Baritone Violins, Pochettes, Kit Fiddles, Pocket Fiddles, Tenor and Octave Violas, Travel and Backpacker Fiddles, Violoncello da Spalla

This article, which includes a photo essay, is about the different “form factors” of various “alternative” or “non-standard” violin family instruments, all of which are made by Don Rickert Musical Instruments. With a few exceptions, the images in the photo essay part of this post are of actual instruments made in the workshop of Don…

Alternative Violin Family Instruments: What Are They For?

Mar 9, 2025

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Donald Rickert

in 5-String Violins and Fiddles, Backpacker Violins and Pochettes, Baroque Instruments, Guitars, Observations and Opinion, Pochettes, Kit Fiddles, Pocket Fiddles, Tenor and Octave Violas, Travel and Backpacker Fiddles, Violoncello da Spalla

Related Articles: Alternative Violin Family Instruments: Relative Sizes and Shapes of Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Range Instruments Brief Descriptions for Various Alternative Violin Family Instruments In this context, “Alternative” or “Non-Standard” bowed string instruments refer to the following: Violin Variants 5-string Violins: See 5-String Violins and Fiddles Travel / Backpacker Violins: See Travel and Backpacker…

Just shipped a Violoncello da Spalla and Starting on A New and Very Special Instrument, the Violoncello da Spalla Artist Model (Number 1).

May 21, 2024

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Donald Rickert

in Announcements, Baroque Instruments, Cool Instruments for Hep Cats, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Low-Pitched Instruments, Podcasts and YouTube Channels, Violoncello da Spalla

Violoncello da Spalla Standard Plus Model I just shipped a very nice Violoncello da Spalla to its new owner in the US. This one was NON-commissioned, meaning that it was built without a specific buyer lined up. It is a fine example of my “Standard Plus” model. If I am counting right, it was my…

NEW Violoncello da Spalla Artist Model: Description and Specifications

May 21, 2024

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Donald Rickert

in Announcements, Baroque Instruments, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Low-Pitched Instruments, Violoncello da Spalla

The new Violoncello da Spalla Artist Model is for accomplished musicians seeking the best sounding and most playable instrument possible, as well a distinctively unique appearance. My new Violoncello da Spalla model is a departure from “traditional” violoncellos da spalla made by me and other top luthiers. It is definitely my most expensive model to…

Chin Cellos (Octave Violas) AND Tenor Violas are Back!

Apr 30, 2024

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Donald Rickert

in Announcements, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Low-Pitched Instruments, Observations and Opinion, Tenor and Octave Violas, Video and Sound Demos

Full disclosure: I LOVE violas, especially those that are tuned like a cello (chin cello or octave viola) or like an octave violin (tenor viola). It will be of interest to anyone who currently has, or is considering acquiring, a lower-pitched viola. The Chin Cello fad Do you remember the “chin cello” fad just a…

Index to Topics Related to Violoncello da Spalla in Past Episodes of ‘Cool Instruments for Hep Cats’

Apr 27, 2024

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Donald Rickert

in Announcements, Baroque Instruments, Cool Instruments for Hep Cats, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Video and Sound Demos, Violoncello da Spalla

'Cool Instruments for Hep Cats' is a video podcast (YouTube), which delves into the realm of unusual and intriguing musical instruments. Episode 5, Part 1 just posted on April 24, 2024. It is one of three entire episodes, comprised of 11 parts, specifically about the Violoncello da Spalla. The host for all episodes is Donald…

New Episode of Cool Instruments for Hep Cats with Andrew Gonzalez on the Violoncello da Spalla

Apr 25, 2024

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Donald Rickert

in Announcements, Baroque Instruments, Cool Instruments for Hep Cats, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Video and Sound Demos, Violoncello da Spalla

The video podcast (on YouTube), Cool Instruments for Hep Cats, Episode 5, Part 1 of 1 with the one and only Andrew Gonzalez has just posted. This is the first new episode in quite a while. In this one-part episode, Don Rickert and Andrew Gonzalez discuss the Violoncello da Spalla from the perspective of a…

It’s a Buyers’ Market for New Bespoke Musical Instruments.

Mar 27, 2024

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Donald Rickert

in Announcements, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Octave and Baritone Violins, Tenor and Octave Violas, Travel and Backpacker Fiddles, Violoncello da Spalla

Looking for the best prices ever on high-end bespoke instruments, especially: Violoncellos da Spalla Octave Violins Tenor and Octave Violas Travel Violins and Violas To find out more about the instruments I build, see: Don Rickert Musician Shop. “Buyers’ Market” means that it is exceeding hard for makers to sell their stuff to buyers. That…

Travel Violin Trade-in Offer Ends March 31, 2024!

Mar 24, 2024

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Donald Rickert

in Announcements, Backpacker Violins and Pochettes, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Pochettes, Kit Fiddles, Pocket Fiddles, Travel and Backpacker Fiddles

Recently I posted two articles on our newest models of Travel Violins and Violas. See: Travel Violins and Violas: Don't Miss Out on Substantial Trade-in Offer It's Travel Violin (and Viola) Time 2024! In both of the aforementioned posts, I said that we would give a substantial trade-in for several popular travel violins by other…

Author: Donald Rickert