A selection of our Most Popular Cases
Korean £56 -  the first violin case for most players. Shaped, blue canvas cover, music pocket, 2 bow holders, accessory pocket, velcro neck fastening and pop-fastened rucksack straps. Weight 2.1 kg.
Padded Korean £69 - a deluxe version of the previous case and weighing 2.2 kg. This case has a blue canvas covering with large padded pocket and two bow holders.
Gewa Lanara £140 - thermoplastic shaped frame with padded back and sides, black screw attached canvas cover with burgundy velvet interior, suspension storage, two bow holders, rucksack straps and blanket. Weighing 2 kg it's light and easy to carry around.
Hiscox £112- for many years the most popular oblong case we have sold. Although not the lightest case, weighing in at 3.25 kg, it is the one that can take the most punishment. A case you can fall on and not damage your violin! It features a very strong plastic frame with a black, burgundy or blue canvas cover (replacement covers are available, increasing the length of the case's life). It has a plush red interior, suspension storage, two bow holders, and a shoulder strap.
Gewa Gambara £172 - thermoplastic oblong frame with wooden sides, black, burgundy or green canvas cover with colour co-ordinated velvet interiors, four bow holders, string tube, rucksack straps, music pocket and accessory pocket, blanket and hygrometer. 2.8 kg.
Negri £225 - Plywood oblong frame, tough nylon cover in either blue or brown, velvet interior, four bow holders, string tube, music pocket and blanket. Weight 3.1 kg.
Gordge Classic £435 - hardwood oblong frame, tough brown canvas cover with leather trim, olive velvet interior, four bow holders, string tube, blanket. The cotton velvet case absorbs moisture and acts as its own humidity control. 3.3 kg. A range of colours may be supplied to order. In our opinion the best and most beautiful case!
We have recently added BAM and F.E.L. to our case lists which look set to become very popular…

•Lisa Mungaven, Nick Woodward & Isabel Why

In the Workshop

2001 has been another busy year. The quartet of instruments in late 18th century specifications was delivered to the University of Bristol in the spring and two more violins are in the varnishing stage ready for the end of November. The next instrument of the set is a violone - a small five string double bass, based on an original by Anton Posch 1729 - now in the musical instrument museum in Vienna. This is designed to be tuned F A D F# A.
Two seven string bass viols, copies of an instrument by Michael Colichon were completed in September. These were both made with seven piece bent fronts. All of the early English and many French viols were made with bellies of bent wood - the construction is similar to that of a barrel - and they do sound better that way. Playing English consort music on a carved front viol is as accurate as playing lute music on a guitar. It can be done of course, but it's not the sound that was intended for the music.
The five string violin project is underway to make a larger, deeper ribbed, higher arched violin with an added C string. The prototypes were well received by the folk, jazz and classical players who tried them. I have two teachers who would rather take one five string around their various schools than carry two valuable instruments to teach violin and viola. The same body is designed to work as a four string viola for younger players and violinists who don't want to adjust to a longer string length! We should have the first of these working early in 2002. These instruments aren't really violas of course and the C string would not satisfy many viola players, so in 2002 we will be working on the five string viola with an added E string. (That's three octaves in first position!) The five string cello - for which of course there is good historical precedent - has long been a cherished idea of mine and we are currently experimenting with a range of bass viol strings to create the high E.

•Nicholas Woodward