About My Gear
My main instrument, which I use for standard tuning, is a brand new violin
made by Kurt Widenhouse of Belmont, NC.
(see full details below)
For cross tuning (a.k.a. "high bass") numbers, I play Ashley's
1898 Hart & Sons violin from London.
I have two bows I like: a Viktor Fetique of Paris and an M. Pereira of Brazil. I use Jade rosin from Paris.
I don't use a "Kun"-style shoulder rest, as none of them come
even close to conforming to my body. However it's important to bulk up
the underside of the violin in some way, so I use a dense piece of foam
that I cut out on a band saw. I also use a higher-than-usual chinrest
because I have a long neck.
I use a mismatched set of strings: the E is a heavy tension Westminster;
the A and D are D'Addario Eudoxa because I like the very rapid response
and clarity; the G is a Tomastik Infeld Blue for a richer sound.
To amplify my violin I use a Countryman Isomax II hypercardiod microphone.
I mount it onto a chunk of hard foam pressed onto the string windings
just behind the bridge, with the face of microphone pointing diagonally
towards the top of the violin. I route it to a Sennheiser e-100 series
wireless system. That is then connected to a BSS AR-133 active DI box
and a Planet Waves tuning pedal.
When I have to provide my own PA, I use two JBL 10-inch powered Eon speakers
together with Mackie 1202 mixing board. Nothing exotic, but it works and
sounds better than most "minimalist" of this kind I've heard.
Earlier in my career I owned a fine Italian violin made in 1784 by Ferdinand
Gagliano, but was not able to keep it. For over three years now I have
sought out the finest contemorary violin makers hoping to find a new violin
that would come close the the quality I had previously enjoyed.
To no avail.
I tried instruments made by no fewer than 55 makers, many of whom are
already famous. The art of violin making has returned to a spectacularly
high level in our present age and I certainly saw a number of superb instruments;
yet none could live up to the great violins of the Cremonese masters (perhaps
100 years from now some of them will).
I first met Kurt Widenhouse in August 2006 and was duly impressed with
his work and his understanding of the intricacy of instrument design and
acoustics. In September 2006 he began making a violin for me using a late
Stradivari pattern. Ashley and I made several fun-filled trips to Kurt's
shop in Belmont, NC to discuss details of construction and see the new
violin in several stages of completion. You can see it hanging upside-down
in this photo:
Kurt is a master luthier whose violins are being played by top violinists
all over the country. He makes his instruments meticulously one at a time,
taking about 4 months to complete a single violin. I had to be very patient
before the new violin was unveiled!
To my great delight, the Strad model turned out to be absolutely perfect
for me! It spans the delicate tonal spectrum of at once possessing a clear,
soprano voice, yet not being too shrill; having breadth and richness without
being too dark; having ease of response and a very open tone.
In my opinion, Kurt has triumphed as a modern maker living up to the inscrutable
standards set during the Golden Age of violin makers. Be sure to visit
his website: www.widenhouseviolins.com