See these amazing instruments at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. 

Bowed Instruments (Regular Offerings) > Octave Violins, Violas and Octave Violas

These are bowed instruments tuned an octave lower than a standard violin or viola. We have more experience (more than 15 years!) and have, over the years, produced more models of instruments in this category than any other lutherie on the planet (we are pretty sure about that anyway).

Our Bowed Octave Instruments

When we started our company almost a decade ago, it was the musical instruments division of Wiederholt & Rickert Partners, LLC (DBA Don Rickert Research & Design), a design research and new product development firm.

Our musical instrument endeavor, originally called V-Gear™, is now called D. Rickert Musical Instruments, whose online retail operation is called the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Our original focus was creation of “impossible” acoustic instruments. Our original focus was two-fold: One part was the design and creation of amazing travel violins, which is the topic of a future post. See: Bowed Instruments (Regular Offerings) > Travel and Backpacker Fiddles.

The second part of our original two-fold focus was designing and making the best acoustic octave violins in the world: This translated to creating instruments that were powerful, loud and sounded amazing, all without the aid of amplification.

Due to our obsession with continuous improvement based on customer feedback and the fact that we are part of a company that invents new things, our octave violins have evolved dramatically, resulting in our current product offerings, which now includes octave violas, both 4 and 5-string, as well as octave violins. In addition to making our octave bowed instruments even more powerful and sonorous, we have found ways to reduce the expense of making them, resulting in lower prices than our originals, which sold for more than $3,000.

Our octave violins and violas are widely regarded as the best and most innovative, and are played by some of the greatest violin and fiddle innovators in the world, including the musician responsible for the re-birth of the octave violin, Darol Anger.  At least one of our octave violins (possibly two) can be heard on recent album, “Abundance”, by Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas.

For our current Octave Bowed Instrument Offerings, see the following categories and product offerings at the Don Rickert Musician Shop.

Bowed Instruments (Regular Offerings) > Octave Violins, Violas and Octave Violas

Fat Strad 8vb Acoustic Octave Violin 

Bowed Instruments (Regular Offerings) > Octave Violins, Violas and Octave Violas > Fat Strad 8vb Acoustic Octave Violin

This is the very latest entry to D. Rickert Musical Instruments' long history of making incredible purpose-built (made to be an octave violin or fiddle...not a conversion of a regular instrument) violins and fiddles. The new Fat Strad 8vb is, as the name implies based on the Fat Strad body.

The Fat Strad 8vb Acoustic Octave Violin, while not the largest octave violin we have ever made, is, in fact, the most powerful (loudest) octave violin, yet possessing a nice, warm, focused timbre, we have made to date.

Size and Dimension Information

The Fat Strad 8vb Octave Violin has a 14” long body and a 13” playable scale...same as a violin, fiddle or small viola. The ribs are approximately 37mm rather than the 29mm to 30mm more typical of an instrument this size. Overall, the Fat Srad 8vb Octave Violin will feel quite familiar to a violinist or fiddler.

V-8vb Long Scale Octave Violin

Bowed Instruments (Regular Offerings) Octave Violins, Violas and Octave Violas > V-8vb Long Scale Octave Violin

The V-8vn Long Scale Octave Violin is a completely new instrument from D. Rickert Musical Instruments. It is for the player who is up to handling a small viola sized (15.5” body) instrument in order to gain a lot of extra power and “bassy” punch from his or her octave violin.

Sonically, the V-8vn Long Scale Octave Violin is, metaphorically, an octave violin on steroids. It is louder, darker and richer in low frequency overtones (i.e. more bass “growl”). Technically, it is closer in size to what an octave violin should be in terms of acoustics.

For the violinist or fiddler, moving up to a substantial larger instrument is a commitment that will take some practice. The playable string length is 13.5”, compared to the 12.8”-13” playable length of a violin. The larger body requires a “heavier hand” with the bow than a violin; even an octave violin. Holding (while playing) the larger body is different from a violin; not necessarily more difficult.

The experienced viola player will already have the necessary skills, especially with regard to bowing, for this instrument. Learning curve for the experienced violist is negligible.

This instrument is based on the Tertis wide-body design

Named after Lionel Tertis, regarded by many as the greatest viola player of the 20th century (or possibly ever). Tertis preferred a larger viola in order to get an especially rich tone from his instrument. Tertis pattern instruments are wider than violas of the same body lengths. On average, a Tertis pattern instrument a has:

• An upper bout that is 6% wider
• A middle bout that is 21% wider
• A lower bout that is 4.5% wider

T-Rex Octave Viola

Bowed Instruments (Regular Offerings) > Octave Violins, Violas and Octave Violas > T-Rex Octave Viola

The T-Rex Octave Viola is the replacement for the The B-Rex II 5-String Octave Viola. Unlike the B-Rex, the default configuration for the new T-Rex is as a 4-String octave viola. This means that it is tuned exactly like a cello. For this reason, people often call such an instrument a “chin cello.” A 5-string version of the T-Rex is also available at an additional cost. For now, the 4-string version is a standard offering (ships in less than 30 days); while the 5-string version is a special order item than ships in 60 to 90 days. If there is sufficient interest, the 5-string version will become a standard offering with a fast shipping time.

The T-Rex is based on a 16” Tertis wide body pattern viola. It is also available with a 16.5” body if requested.

This instrument is based on the Tertis wide-body design

Named after Lionel Tertis, regarded by many as the greatest viola player of the 20th century (or possibly ever). Tertis preferred a larger viola in order to get an especially rich tone from his instrument. Tertis pattern instruments are wider than violas of the same body lengths. On average, a Tertis pattern instrument a has:

• An upper bout that is 6% wider
• A middle bout that is 21% wider
• A lower bout that is 4.5% wider

Coming Soon: An Electronic 5-String Octave Violin-Viola 

This entirely new instrument from D. Rickert Musical Instruments is an electronic chambered (semi hollow) body 5-string instrument with the same playable scale as a violin (about 13 inches). It is tuned like a conventional 5-string violin, which covers both the violin and viola ranges (from low to high C-G-D-A-E).

Due to its internal active electronics and special pickup with 20 transducer elements (4 per string) by Barberra Transducer Systems, it is capable of doing what is widely regarded as impossible…flawlessly synthesizing an output either -1 or -2 octaves lower than a standard violin or viola WITHOUT the use of special strings (it is all done electronically).

One octave lower (-1) is that same as a 5-string cello (a full-size cello with an added E-string on the treble side). Two octaves (-2) lower is the same as the Contra-bass of the New Violin Family (aka Violin Octet). In -2 octave mode, its open low C string is two whole steps (4 notes) lower than a standard double bass or electric bass guitar!

How much will it cost?

We have not priced the new instrument yet; however, you should get your head around a figure of about $2,500 (not including signal processing equipment for octave synthesis, amplifier, etc.)

Want to learn more?

We will have formal announcement, with all of the specifics, of this new instrument soon. If you want to learn more now, call us, email us or use the “Contact Us” link at the Don Rickert Musician Shop. You will find our email address and phone number there as well.

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Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas in Concert at Studio Red Hook