Interview With Violin Maker Sam Zygmuntowicz

Interview with Samuel Zygmuntowicz: violin maker, public speaker, creative director of the Strad3D project was born in Philadelphia to Jewish Holocaust survivors from Poland. His clients include Isaak Stern, Leila Josefowicz, Yo-Yo Ma, David Finckel, Cho-Liang Lin, Maxim Vengerov, Joshua Bell, and the Emerson String Quartet.
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[@compmeist]

Thank you for posting this. I wonder what Guarneri was trying to accomplish with the length experiments with the f holes. I too believe we can make the violin better today.

[@badiarov]

In my opinion, it's proportional to begin with.

[@johngeddes7894]

Compmeist: The f hole AND the C bouts were both longer, and this allows the entire sound chamber to flex a little more, and creates the potential for the violin to have a much deeper bass than other violin designs. Graduations of top and back also are very important.

[@midnighttutor]

This is an interesting discussion and I appreciate learning something, namely the history and significance of the term bridge. But there is one word that is conspicuously missing: Sacconi,. Didn't he investigate and document the ancient sources and put all that down in his book?

[@badiarov]

Thank you. Sacconi is an important book and has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the past. However, is it possible that further research has been conducted since the epochal publication of Sacconi's book, leading to new discoveries?

[@midnighttutor]

@@badiarov I agree with your hypothesis! To that end I recently saw a lecture by Ken Parker a famous archtop guitar maker who has a scientific approach and he mentioned that the benefit of the purfling channel on a violin is to weaken the top around the perimeter which gives better low frequency response. I had never seen this discussed before including in the Sacconi book and Maestronet forums. Have you come across this concept and do you think it has validity? Thank you.

[@johnsoloninka322]

Dmitry…I did not hear any of the insights you have learned that you said you would share? Really interested to hear.

[@badiarov]

Yeah, I did not want to interrupt Sam. My insights are shared in the free three part training for luthiers here on YT, and in more depth in my book.

[@SMay-rg5vh]

Really fascinating to hear what Sam has to say.

[@badiarov]

Thank you for adding. I appreciate. It was fascinating talking to Sam.

[@snails9505]

I'm interested in how Stradivari etc might have altered the body shape - if at all - if they were making their instrument to play at 440hz like today, rather than about a half step down as was then?

[@badiarov]

When Stradivari made violins, violins were played at all kinds of pitches, from 382 to 465 and maybe even higher, and a huge variety of temperaments. Today it is just 440, and just one temperament. Except for musicians like us. I hope this helps.

[@snails9505]

@@badiarov yep that's a useful way to look at it thanks! guess was just no standardization, so makers had to account for that

[@johnsoloninka322]

Sam…the strad vs new experiments by Fritz, Curtin and Tao showed that modern makers can make instruments preferred over golden period instruments. I don’t think there are “secrets”. There are great makers…and a fraction of their instruments will be the best ever made!

[@badiarov]

true.