Talking about the Modern Viola
In the modern viola contralto the measures of the body are approximately from 39 cm to 42.5cm. In my opinion, using relations between length and width that do not exceed what we are used to seeing, a small viola should not have to measure less than 40.5cm, if not it loses its characteristic sound as viola.
My Gasparo da Salo “Kievman” model, (1.5cm longer than the original instrument) meets all the requirements of a small concert viola.
On the other hand, the Tertis model is a marvel of design and sound, which was created on the basis of many experiments led by the violist Lionel Tertis and is one of the few instruments that was developed down to the last detail by a musician and not by a instrument builder. Although it is large (42.7 cm), it is so comfortable that even small musicians with small hands can comfortably play it
The Viola
Tertis
The model Tertis was created on the basis of many trials according to the violist Lionel Tertis and is one of the few instruments that were developed down to the last detail by a musician and not by an instrument maker.
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This model is so well designed that it is almost impossible to make a bad sounding instrument with it. Although the instrument is large (42.7 cm), it is so comfortable that even musicians of small stature and with small hands can play it effortlessly.
Our model is designed in such a way that it can be played equally well with modern or baroque set up, you only replace the strings together with the tailpiece.
Accordingly, we deliver the instrument with two sets of strings and two different tailpieces.
The arching of the back is very flat, so that even gut strings with low tension can make the body vibrate easily.
The plates are both of two mirrored pieces: the belly of Italian spruce, the back with good marked flame of Balkan maple, as well as the ribs and the neck. The top of the fingerboard is made of solid ebony, the core of lightest red cedar and the edges of flamed maple. This reduces the fingerboard to an exact weight, which dampens the sound to the right degree as well with modern or gut strings.
As with the fingerboard, the edges of the tailpiece are made of flamed maple, which creates the overall aesthetic of a baroque set up. Purfling is handmade of Mexican Katalox and Maple. The current bridge is of “Mexican cherry tree” (Prunus salicifolia), a piece of wood of a more than 100 years old tree.
The varnish is a combination of resins and pigments in alcohol and in turpentine or oil, concluded with French polish with combined resins (Benzoin, Alcamfor, Rosin, Mastix and Turpentine of Venice). The color is a warm brown.
This instrument has an exquisite, deep and powerful sound. You simply cannot stop playing this beautiful instrument when you perceive the incredible range of harmonics that it emits!”…
“Maybe I fell short sometimes there are no words to express something so good.”
Hiram Herrera
Available
for sale
How it sounds?
The Viola.
Kievmann II
The small viola “Kievmann” by Gasparo da Saló is, according to my information, one of the few instruments by this great author that has not been modified at some point. I made a replica of the original 39.3 cm model for the second time, increasing it proportionally to 40.5 cm.
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Alder aleman flamed wood for back and ribs and a low density italian spruce for the belly resulted in an ultra light and comfortable instrument. Personally, I feel to have a violin in my hand when I play it. The ebony fingerboard comes from an antique viola, as does the tailpiece. The sound is more powerful than what we might expect from a relatively small instrument, the tone is open up to the highest positions with the warm timbre – typical for Gasparo da Saló’s instruments.
Available
for sale
How it sounds?
The Viola.
Saló
Gasparo da Saló’s small “Kievman” viola is one of the few ones by this author that has never been modified and one of the best viola models I have ever experienced.
I proportionally enlarged this model to the largest extent possible so that it is still comfortable to play. The result exceeded any expectations. I don’t want to say more. I’ll await the comments of the musicians who will play it.
Available
for sale
