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You have requested a pair of Full View Cabinets, as shown here. They will be large enough to host full sized violins including a bow hook and a Hydration System* consisting of a Digital Hygrometer and a Humidifier.
A wide range of fabric backings will be offered toward the end of the project, after the wood is lacquered and its final color is available for review. Images of your installation location and instruments will assist me as I hunt for your fabric.
My proposed price for these cabinets is $1275 each, assuming they are made of common American Oak with a simple Polyurethane finish. I am strongly urging you consider upgrading the Hardwood & Lacquering for this project and here-in, I will present you several options.
Recall that unstained Oak with a simple Polyurethane finish is standard in my pricing. Beginning the list of upscaled hardwoods, Cherry adds $125 to the price of the cabinets. Hand rubbed satin lacquer is included in all hardwood upgrades. The luster and feel of this highly polished finish is nearly impossible to photograph, but I will do my best to show you why these upgrades are worth considering.
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First we have Fiddleback Maple. Otherwise known as Zebra, Flame, Curly ... this is the one of first tone-woods discovered by my Italian ‘relatives’ in Cremona. Violins have nearly always included this Maple on their backs and as such, I recommend it to host your violins. Harvested in the New England region, this a domestic timber. It can be colored to match almost anything, some guitars are outlandishly loud and this is the wood you most often see used.
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Maple of this nature is very difficult to find. The character and features vary greatly in the runs that come through the mills but I have collected a fine supply that will certainly allow us to build a pair of Violin cabinets. Fiddleback Maple, with a light coloration and Hand Rubbed Satin Lacquer will add $225 to the price of each cabinet.
On the left, Mr. Lester Polfus’ 1958 “Les Paul / Gold Top” hangs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in a Bird’s Eye Maple cabinet. Bird’s Eye is in the same price range as Fiddleback Maple and also includes a light coloration and Hand Rubbed Satin Lacquer.
Another domestic hardwood in my inventory is Black Walnut, shown on the right. If you like dark woods with rich character in the grains, Walnut is a great choice.
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Walnut looks best with a French Polish, consisting of an Oil (Teak or Rosewood, depending on the desired color) followed by dozens of layers of Shellac and Wax aggressively rubbed into the wood. This finish looks fabulous as a host for a violin. Note that Violins rarely have a shiny lacquered look on their faces. French Polished Walnut is a nice match.
Walnut adds $175 to the price of each cabinet.
On the left, a wood from Brazil called Jatoba (Wah•Toe•Bah). Often used for flooring, this is a tough wood. I swear I see sparks when I mill it. Although it is a nightmare to work with, it comes out phenomenally.
The cabinet you see here is called a Jumbo Shell, a style often selected for guitars. Note that the gold tones all flip flop as you vary your viewing angle. This wood is extremely iridescent.
Jatoba with a Hand Rubbed Satin Lacquer is priced at $350.
In this same price range, you may wish to consider a deep red wood called Africa Coral-Wood.
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African Coral-Wood, without any stain or dye, glows with a deep red. It has black grains and highlights. In rooms filled with a traditional furniture style known as Pennsylvania Red / Cherry, Padauk is a great ‘color match’. In grain details, Padauk puts Cherry to shame.
Honduran Mahogany is often imitated. Dozens of countries export Mahogany, but none are as rich as genuine Honduran. Genuine Honduran Mahogany is so fine that it is often mistaken as Teak.
On the left, an example of my “joinery fetish” highlights this photo of Honduran Mahogany. The wood tends to appear Golden Brown with darker pattern grains and deep pores.
The final timber I will present here is far from the last option on the list, but it is the most expensive. I offer it to demonstrate my range. Several more affordable options also exist in the breach of cost you see proposed here. As you ponder the options shown here, simply ask yourself whether it is a dark or a light wood you prefer. Next, think about how much you can invest in “character” of the wood. Given a budget, I assure you that a thrillng timber can be found.
Invariably, the most expensive lumber explains its value in its appearance. Rare is a loud message and the following timber screams as the most highly sought after exotic wood on Earth. It will, quite soon and quite sadly be unavailable. Consider the class of timbers known as “Rosewood”.
Traditionally,
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Cocobola costs $1150 per cabinet.
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Too many choices? Option overload? I apologize.
This phase of our project takes a lot of your time. I am notably wordy on the topic of my passion. Thank you for your patience. Forgive me my braggadocio as I proudly present my work. It is a humble craft after all but salesmanship forces me to toot my horn. Take your time as you consider these choices, your project holds an appointment in my shop with plenty of time to research these initial questions.
Thank you for considering my proposals. I am honored to help elevate the tribute, utility and protection that you offer to your instruments.
Play Often,
“Mitch”
PS: May I introduce myself? Let me tell you how it is that, after a Master’s Degree in Mathematics & 27 years as an Aerospace Engineer, I view Cabinet Making as a promotion.
Stephen M. Micciche is the name on my driver’s license, but no one can pronounce it so they all call me “Mitch”.
My wife Ann and I are from the Finger-lakes region of New York State. We met there while in Graduate School in the 70’s. We now live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. I used to be a Rocket Scientist at Lockheed Martin near Denver. As long as I can recall, my wood shop has been where I spent my leisure time. My career was a bit stressful. As a hobby, wood crafting had always been a pleasure. Now, it has grown to a passion and a labor of love.
Stringed Instruments are a tribute to wood. As an art form themselves, they are unique in that they also - in the right hands - produce art. Music has been an elusive hobby of mine since I was a child, but my career kept me too busy to pursue music seriously. Nevertheless, I played, studied and practiced guitar with a part time passion.
I did not expect my two hobbies to merge, becoming an avocation but that is what has happened. When my wife gave me a rare and valuable Arch Top guitar many years ago, I designed a Curatorial Enclosure to fend off the desert dry air we have in Colorado. When I realized how many people appreciated my theory - that a fine instrument should be seen as well as heard - I knew I had a good excuse to retire early and begin enjoying my work again. Space faded in luster as my assignments began to include “Management”. Now, I manage to have fun for a living.
Ten years after this all began, my work hangs in fine museums and hosts some of the most valuable collections of guitars, mandolins, violins and harps in the world. The honor of being selected to craft such enclosures is difficult to describe. If you grace me with a commission to host your collection, you will witness a reverence that harkens an old fashioned form of art. Hand crafted, one at a time and customized to your specific needs.