Luthier Bob Murphy, of Murphys Music, Melville, NY, demonstrates a technique he uses to make a mediocre factory violin better–a method that pioneering female luthier Carleen described as “ditching” which involves carving the free violin plate around the edges to make it more flexible.
“The difference is night and day!” Bob exclaimed. Murphys Music on Walt Whitman Road in Melville consistently uses innovative techniques to improve instruments and enhance strong connections to the community. They enthusiastically hosted a short book talk last Wednesday afternoon featuring Quincy Whitney and her new biography American Luthier: Carleen Hutchins–the Art and Science of the Violin, ForeEdge, 2016.