Bass viol in d
after Francesco Linorol.
Treble viol in d"
More about Richard Jones Viols
Inspired by Michael Morrow's challenge to viol players who, he claimed, were complacently playing early viol music on late viols, I started making viols in 1978. My aim was to provide instruments for my own performing group, The Galloway Consort, and by 1985 it had become clear that working closely to the models & methods of the original makers was the only possible route to producing an instrument that would be historically accurate, and right for the music we wanted to play, the rich and exciting repertoire from the first three quarters of the 16th century.
The intervening years have seen the development of instruments which have maintained the integrity of what is known of the instrument and its set-up in 1540. Equally importantly, I have responded to feedback from modern players both in my own group and leading professional players of renaissance viols. The association with Alison Crum has been particularly valuable.
The resulting instruments are satisfying to play on two counts; they work well as musical instruments and players can be confident that they have in their hands an instrument built and set-up as closely as can be known to an instrument emerging from Francesco's workshop in Venice in 1540.
Richard Jones trained at Loughborough College in the 1960's. He has been teaching woodwork, including musical instrument-making, ever since. Several of his pupils have gone on to make instruments which enjoy a good reputation amongst professional players. He has been making "early-instruments" since 1975, specialising in renaissance viols. In 2000 he established his own workshop in South West Scotland and is now making his instruments available to a wider public.
Viols are made from locally grown hardwoods from sustainable sources wherever possible. "We have a hardwood planting policy to ensure we grow more wood than we use."
Choice of timber: typically ripple sycamore for the back, ribs, neck and fingerboard; spruce for soundboard (not grown locally) and boxwood or fruit-wood pegs, but clients may specify other woods. Should a repair ever be necessary in the future, this is simplified by the use of hide-glue in making all our instruments.
Strings are all gut. George Stoppani Real Guts or Catlines as standard for the lower strings.
Finish: Oil-varnished to a rich golden colour to bring out the natural beauty of the wood.
Current models:
- a-tenor: string stop 480mm
tuning: a' e' b g d a - g-tenor: copied from the Vienna Linarol (SAM66)
string stop: 555mm
tuning g' d' a f c G - d-bass: string stop 700mm
tuning d' a e c G D - A-bass: string stop 950mm
tuning a e B G D A'
These sizes work well at a pitch standard or A440 and go as low as A392, as on some of the music examples. Viols at other pitch standards and other sizes are also available.
- d-treble: string stop 355mm
tuning d" a' e' c' g d
The Workshop: The workshop also makes other renaissance stringed and woodwind-instruments, and welcomes commissions.
4-course Guitar: based on 16th century illustrations.
Vihuela: [6-course] based on an illustration in Luis Milan's 'el Maestro'.
Bows:The workshop has recently developed a family of bows.
These are based on the typical bow which appears in paintings throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. They have a clip in frog and work particularly well with the Linarol viols, but are well suited to all types of viol up to the 18th century. This type of bow, rather than one adjusted by a screw-fitting, was the typical bow for stringed instruments from around 1500—1700. My bows are made from beech, which is less dense than pernambuco, in a variety of lengths and weights.More details available on request.
Hair length : 600 –670 mm Weight : 30 –75 gms