video – D Rickert Musical Instruments

How Good Can an Octave Fiddle Sound?: Demos of the NEW Double-Fat Strad Octave Violin

Sep 28, 2025

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in D. Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Low-Pitched Instruments, Octave and Baritone Violins, Video and Sound Demos

Introduction Anyone who has followed this blog for the past 15+ years or has ever spoken to me about musical instruments will know that I am passionate about Octave Violins, which are regular violins modified and fit with special strings to play one octave lower. They are between violas and cellos pitch-wise. They, the good…

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…

Video Treat: A Master (Andrew Gonzalez) Playing Our Violoncello da Spalla

Jul 27, 2018

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Donald Rickert

in Announcements, Baroque Instruments, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Historic Instrument Replicas, Low-Pitched Instruments, Video and Sound Demos, Violoncello da Spalla

With high-end bespoke musical instruments, "trying before buying" is not usually a realistic possibility. It NEVER has been. Potential buyers who cannot wrap their minds around this fact are limited to used instruments or mass-produced instruments from large musical instrument mega-stores, who have the cash reserves necessary to absorb the losses associated with returns as…

Going Electric: Part II of A Different Way of Achieving the Range of an Octave Violin and Octave Viola

Jul 24, 2015

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Donald Rickert

in 5-String Violins and Fiddles, About Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Electric Violins, Low-Pitched Instruments, Observations and Opinion, Octave and Baritone Violins

Attention!: This is an older post. Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. This article is by D. Rickert Musical Instruments, a highly regarded designer and maker of acoustic purpose-built octave violins and violas, as well as 4-string and 5-string electric violins. All of these instruments are sold via Don Rickert Musician Shop. Introduction This…

A Different Way of Achieving the Range of an Octave Violin and Octave Viola: Part I

Jul 23, 2015

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Donald Rickert

in 5-String Violins and Fiddles, Backpacker Violins and Pochettes, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Electric Violins, Low-Pitched Instruments, Observations and Opinion

Attention!: This is an older post. Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. This article is by D. Rickert Musical Instruments, a highly regarded designer and maker of acoustic purpose-built octave violins and violas, as well as 4-string and 5-string electric violins. All of these instruments are sold via Don Rickert Musician Shop. We have…

T-Rex Octave Viola by D. Rickert Musical Instruments with Demo Video

Jul 22, 2015

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Donald Rickert

in Announcements, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Low-Pitched Instruments, Octave and Baritone Violins, Tertis Violas, Video and Sound Demos

Attention!: This is an older post. Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. How good can an acoustic octave viola sound? The T-Rex Octave Viola sets the standard. Note The T-Rex Octave Viola by D. Rickert Musical Instruments and other amazing low-pitched acoustic bowed instruments are available at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Go Right to YouTube for…

Modern Travel and Backpacker Violins: Baroque Pochettes and Modern Travel Violins at the Don Rickert Musician Shop (Part 2 of 2 Parts)

May 3, 2015

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Donald Rickert

in 5-String Violins and Fiddles, Announcements, Backpacker Violins and Pochettes, Baroque Instruments, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Historic Instrument Replicas, Video and Sound Demos

Attention!: We have more recent articles about Travel Violins. Better still – See the Travel and Backpacker Fiddle category at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Modern Travel and Backpacker Violins D. Rickert Musical Instruments makes some of the world’s finest Modern Travel Violins (aka Backpacker Fiddles) and more models (6 models currently; one a 5-string).…

Demos (video with audio) of the Fat Strad Deux 5-String

Feb 21, 2015

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Donald Rickert

in 5-String Violins and Fiddles, Announcements, Don Rickert Musical Instruments, Don Rickert Musician Shop, Low-Pitched Instruments, Octave and Baritone Violins, Video and Sound Demos

Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Demos (video with audio) of the Fat Strad Deux 5-String See the D. Rickert Fat Strad III 5-String Violin at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. The Fat Strad Deux 5-String Fiddle is a now called the D. Rickert Fat Strad III 5-String Violin. It uses the same acoustically advanced body as our D.…

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