Handcrafted Instruments by Hector Lidgate
VIOLA by Hector Lidgate - Instrument Ref: #114
- New handcrafted Viola by Hector Lidgate, based on a G.P. Maggini pattern
- English, 2015
- Length 16 1/4” / 41.5cm : Upper Bouts 7 5/8″ / 19.5cm : Lower Bouts 9 5/8″ : Ribs 1 3/8″ / 3.5cm
- Front of best quality alpine spruce with regular, narrow grain across the full width
- Maple back with light figuring with matching ribs and neck/scroll
- Ebony finger board, pegs and tailpiece with adjusters : Dominant strings
- Traditionally oil varnished in a light chestnut colour
- With excellent tonal qualities and ample power it will please players looking for a first rate viola
VIOLA by Hector Lidgate - Instrument Ref: #114
- New handcrafted Viola by Hector Lidgate, based on a G.P. Maggini pattern
- English, 2015
- Length 16 1/4” / 41.5cm : Upper Bouts 7 5/8″ / 19.5cm : Lower Bouts 9 5/8″ : Ribs 1 3/8″ / 3.5cm
- Front of best quality alpine spruce with regular, narrow grain across the full width
- Maple back with light figuring with matching ribs and neck/scroll
- Ebony finger board, pegs and tailpiece with adjusters : Dominant strings
- Traditionally oil varnished in a light chestnut colour
- With excellent tonal qualities and ample power it will please players looking for a first rate viola
VIOLIN by Hector Lidgate - Intrument Ref: #111
- Full size Violin, hand crafted by Hector Lidgate, to a Strad pattern
- English, made in 2011
- 14” / 36cm
- Maple back, attractively figured
- Front of best quality Italian Spruce, very closely grained
- Traditionally oil varnished in a light-chestnut colour
- Ebony pegs & soundboard, Wittner tailpiece with fine-tune adjusters, fitted with Pirastro Evah Pirazzi strings
- Plays extremely well, it is one of the best that I have made – highly responsive, good projection, very colourful and delightful to listen to. Will only improve with time and the daily attention of a loving owner.
New Handmade Violin by HJ Lidgate : Ref#113
- Full size violin, handcrafted by HJ Lidgate to a Strad pattern
- English, made in 2015
- 14” / 36cm
- Italian maple back, lightly & attractively figured, with nicely matching ribs
- Front of best quality Italian Spruce, even grained
- Traditionally oil varnished in a light-chestnut colour
- Ebony pegs & fingerboard, Wittner tailpiece with fine-tune adjusters, fitted with Dominant strings
- Good sound with early mellow tone, which will develop with regular use. Even, powerful, very playable
- Excellent value and a super instrument for an advancing student or keen player
Violin by Hector Lidgate - Instrument Ref: #101
- Full size Violin, made by Hector Lidgate to a Strad pattern
- English, 1995
- 14” / 36cm
- Attractive Maple back, light and evenly figured
- Front of Alpine Spruce with narrow grain in the centre, widening to the edges
- A very distinctive violin, in that I varnished this instrument in a red-orange colour close to that of Stradivari’s Messiah, and used a wide purfling for the edges – individual and unique
- Swiss-pattern ebony tuning pegs, ebony finger board and Wittner tailpiece with fine-tune adjusters, and Dominant strings
- A responsive instrument and with a lovely tone
Restored & Reworked Instruments by Hector Lidgate
CELLO, restored by Hector Lidgate - Instrument Ref: #306
- Cello to a Stradivari small pattern
- Of probably German origin, circa 1890, extensively restored by me in 2014/15
- Length 30″ / 76.2cm : Upper Bout 13 1/2″ / 31.8cm : Lower Bout 17” / 43.2cm
- Back and ribs are entirely original
- Front of best quality Italian Alpine Spruce, shaped, graduated and tuned to match the back by HL
- Neck and scroll are a faithful copy of the original, in good quality maple, made by HL
- Finished by HL with a traditional orange-brown oil varnish to complete the restoration
- New ebony tuning pegs and finger board
- Fitted with Jargar strings and a Wittner Ultra-light tailpiece : modern light-weight spike
- If you are looking for a very good cello at a reasonable price, this might well be the one : definitely worth playing
VIOLIN, Restored - Instrument Ref : #270
- Full size violin to a Strad pattern
- French, c.1890
- 14” / 36cm
- One-piece back, attractively figured
- Fitted with a modern tailpiece with adjusters, ebony tuning pegs and Dominant strings
- Very clean condition and with no evidence of repair
- I originally restored and sold this violin in 2004 and have recently welcomed it back from that customer after 12 years of contented playing
- Plays beautifully – highly responsive with a lovely mellow tone, this violin will do whatever you want it to do
Restored Violin - Instrument Ref #320
- Full size violin to a Strad pattern
- Italian, 20th century
- Length 14” / 36cm
- Labelled, Paoli Luigi, Trieste
- A beautifully made instrument in excellent, clean condition
- Moderately figured back, with matching ribs and neck that all hang together nicely
- Light chestnut coloured varnish in good condition despite evidence that it has been much played
- One of my ‘tame’ professional players had a vigorous session with this instrument and declared “there’s nothing I can find that’s wrong with it !”. High praise.
VIOLIN, Restored - Instrument Ref: #295
- Full size Violin, broadly to a Strad pattern
- Probably of French origin, c.1900 – 1930
- Approx 14″ / 35.9cm
- Original varnish, with a few stories to tell
- Back and ribs of maple with some figure : front of spruce with narrow grain in the centre, widening to the sides
- All ebony fittings with a Wittner tailpiece with fine-adjusters
- Quality fitted bridge and Dominant strings
- Restored and reworked by me in 2015, to achieve significantly improved tone and projection
- A good student violin that works well, attractively priced
VIOLIN, Restored - Instrument Ref: #310
- Full size Violin
- Made in France, c.1900
- 14 1/4” / 36.5cm
- Matching maple back & sides with modest figuring
- Front of close-grained spruce
- No evidence of damage or previous repairs, with edges unworn
- Original mid-brown varnish is showing it’s age on the front : evenly figured through the back which is attractive and where the varnish is in good condition
- New ebony pegs and fittings, Wittner tailpiece with fine-tune adjusters, and Dominant strings
- The combination of higher than average arching and careful graduation of the plates, gives this violin a most attractive tone
- Good student violin
VIOLIN, restored - Instrument Ref: #287
- Full size Violin, of Czech origin, to a Strad pattern
- Early 20th century
- 14” / 36cm
- With original red-brown varnish, appropriately faded & distressed with age and usage
- Fitted with a modern tailpiece with adjusters, ebony tuning pegs and Dominant strings
- During restoration of this instrument I repaired cracks in the lower wings of the F-holes
- Front and back plate thicknesses adjusted and satisfactorily tuned
- Plays well, powerful and good value