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Ventura di Francesco de’ Macchettis
Linarol Model 1582 Bass Viol

I have always been a fan of the Italian Renaissance viol. The clean, elegant 16th-century work of Linarol and Ciciliano established the aesthetic prototype for the finest Italian violins that came later, and these Venetians set a standard of craftsmanship and design that has never been exceeded. 

I became acquainted with these makers at the Muziekinstrumentenmuseum in Brussels in the late 1970s, long before the collection was moved to its current location. At that time, access to the instruments was, shall we say, more lax than it is today. At that time, Karl Moens had just started his training as a curator, and he guided me through the row houses adjacent to the museum that housed the reserve collection. With his help, I studied the Venetian technique of making instruments with ribs inset into the back without linings.

Fast forward to Vermillion, SD, when the Witten-Rawlins collection was installed at what was then called the Shrine to Music, later renamed the National Music Museum. Walking through the galleries for the first time, I encountered the Linarol bass viol. I recognized the work as Late 16th c. Venetian, but I was confused by the edges. Based on my experience of the viols in the Brussels collection, the instrument should have overhanging edges, which is indicative of instruments made with inset ribs. The edges on this instrument were flush with the ribs. I made a mental note of the oddity and, in 2002, made arrangements with Andre Larson, the curator, to come and study the instrument in detail.

I found the edges of the back and front had, at some time, been removed and worked even with the bibs. Light-reflecting off the ribs at certain angles allows one to see the abrasion on the ribs where the varnish has been rubbed off in that process. Additionally, the edges looked like the back was made of two pieces of wood laminated together like plywood. Upon close inspection, I noticed that it looked like the ribs had indeed, at one time, been inset into the back. During the process of removing the edges, the ribs had been removed and the trench had been filled in, and then the ribs reglued on top of the filling, resulting in the appearance of a laminated edge.

I decided to copy the instrument as it might have been made originally with inset ribs, and the result is this instrument. It is a nice, light Renaissance-style viol with a resonant, clear tone. 

Instrument Specifications:

  • Model: Ventura di Francesco de' Macchettis Linarol 1582

  • Production Year: 2003

  • Front: two piece Engelmann spruce

  • Back and Ribs: quilted maple

  • Neck and Head: maple

  • Pegs: rosewood

  • Fingerboard: maple with ebony veneer

  • Tailpiece: maple with ebony veneer

  • Endpin: rosewood

  • Bridge: maple

  • String Length: 64.5cm

  • Body Length: 62cm

  • Width Upper Bouts: 33cm

  • Width Lower Bouts: 36cm

  • Rib Depth: 12cm

  • Strings: gut strings

Price: $5,500

Price includes: instrument, a hard-shell case, a set of synthetic strings, and one year warranty — shipping is not included in the instrument price. FedEx Ground shipping within the 48 contiguous United States and packing with insurance will be calculated separately. See our Terms of Sale for complete warranty, payment, and shipping details.

Reference: Ventura-Bass-Viol-10-2024

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