viola da gamba making

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A good instrument has a beautiful sound, plays well and has a certain radiance. The client's wishes are preeminent. The time spent on the waiting list is used to reach agreement on the particular model, types of wood, and the theme of the decoration. Your wishes may be very clearly defined : I want a Jaye consort bass with a 76 cm sounding string-length. Or: I'm allergic to maple wood. Or more abstractly: the sound must remind me of the smell of hay. Or: I play in a group which plays Renaissance music and we're lacking something in the middle parts.

Gesina Liedmeier

Gesina works directly from historical examples. Her detailed knowledge of original instruments in museums also enables her to develop new models.
She prefers to use European hardwood, such as walnut and fruitwoods as well as the classical flamed maple, in the tradition of the old masters.

The price includes a carved head and a simple inlay, and perhaps a small extra decoration like a rose or painted ornament. For this price you also have the choice between a comfortable modern tuning mechanism or authentic boxwood  tuning pegs. If you choose to have an inlaid fingerboard or some other more elaborate decoration there will be additional costs. There is no discount for the omission of the carved head or inlay.

Tielke comes with vaulted back with application and inlaid fingerboard and tailpiece. No tortoise or ivory, imitation materials based on caseine or nice woods.

Don't hesitate to e-mail  with your questions. Gesina would be delighted to exchange ideas with you. For a down payment of € 1000- one can reserve a place on the waiting list. The time involved may vary, so please ask for an indication.

viola da gamba pricelist July 2022

Type price excl. VAT price incl. VAT
trecento viella € 9917,36 € 12000,=
5 string protoviol end 15th c € 9917,36 € 12000,=
Lorenzo Costa tenor G or A € 9917,36 € 12000,=
peanut treble viol € 8359,50 € 10.115,=
pardessus de viole € 11570,25 € 14000,=
treble viol (Diskantgambe, dessus) € 11570,25 € 14000,=
viola d'amore € 13223,14 € 16000,=
alto viol in a € 12.396,69 € 15000,=
tenor viol (Altgambe) € 13223,14 € 16000,=
bass viol (6 or 7 strings) € 16528,92 € 20000,=
Tielke style bass viol € 24793,39 € 30000,=
bass viol in GG, violone € 33057,85 € 40000,=
extra: rose € 661,15 € 800
extra: decorated fingerboard and tailpiece € 3719,01 € 4500,=
extra: vaulted back € 3305,79 € 4000,=
small painting or decoration with precious stones and/or laid gold € 495,87 € 600,=
large painting or decoration with precious stones and/or laid gold € 1322,32 € 1600,=

Prices for decoration without violmaking (decoration work by Gesina, viol made by a collegue):

simple head   € 1735,78 excl vat  or  € 1892,= incl vat (neck delivered by collegue)
pegbox reliefs  € 1735,78 excl vat or € 1892,= incl vat (neck delivered by collegue)
rose € 1444,95 excl vat or € 1575,= incl tva
small painting or decoration with precious stones and/or laid gold € 550,46 excl vat or €600,= incl vat
large painting or decoration with precious stones and/or laid gold  € 1467,89 excl vat or € 1600,= incl vat
burned or scratched drawing on fingerboard and tailpiece € 963,30 excl vat or € 1050,= incl vat
intarsia for fingerboard and tailpiece for bass viol €4311,93,=excl vat or € 4700,= incl vat

booklets 'the making of...' available, check the archive

Gesina Liedmeier

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