CHACONNE

In the process of the repair and restoration of the great old Italian instruments, we aim to have them brought as close to the original state as possible.
After removing excess wood from patches inside, completing repairs such as reinforcement with Japanese paper and then resurrecting the old Italian instruments in a near original state, the strength has been kept evenly balancing the tone if we tap the surface of the body and check the pitch.
“CHACONNE” is made with a method to improve the strength balance by checking the pitch tapped on the surface of the body, based on the theory obtained during the restoration work of old Italian instruments.

Different from the theory of carving the arching inside and out while measuring the thickness which is commonly done in modern construction methods, we use a technique that balances pitch to improve the strength balance of the body. The entire body vibrates uniformly and the front and the back of the instrument resonates. This allows the instrument performance to be dramatically improved and the sound to echo and reach further away just by playing lightly.
In the era when Antonio Stradivari lived he had no tool to quickly and accurately measure the thickness of wood as is done in the present. In order to produce a large number of string instruments using wood with various characteristics, it is quite reasonable to carve the wood in this way, constantly keeping strength balance in mind by tapping the wood.

The structure of a “CHACONNE” is completely different from simply copying the appearance, size and thickness of the Stradivari. We aim for the sound to resemble a Stradivarius, not the shape. In fact, in a survey in 2011, it was found that the overtones of the Stradivari and the “CHACONNE” are very similar.

Also in 2017, when a Japanese popular TV program featured the Stradivari, it was discovered that the acoustic characteristics of the Stradivari also exist in a “CHACONNE.” The professor of acoustics who actually conducted research and analysis commented that “The resemblance between the Stradivari and the “CHACONNNE” is incredible!!.”

It has long been said that “The secret to the sound of the Stradivari lies in the varnish.”
A team of experts from France and Germany announced that “the main ingredients of the varnish used on Stradivarius we reoil and rosin, which were actually common varnish materials in the 18th century.”
Even before this announcement, we focused on oil varnish and have continued to improve it through repeated research.

 We use golden-yellow varnish made from drying oil and rosin for the ground to produce the rich sounds of mid-low tones. We apply dark red-brown varnish made from volatile oil and rosin for the surface. By using volatile oil, almost only rosin particles remain on the surface and it produces beautiful high frequency sounds. Applying these two kinds of varnish, not only does it look more like old Italian violins, but it also makes it possible to produce a richer and more beautiful sound.