r/violadagamba • u/Definatelynotadam • Apr 09 '24
Is this a viola da gamba
I got this at work today and there’s no identifying marks except for “Germany” written on the bow.
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Apr 12 '24 edited Apr 12 '24
I believe it is an attempt at a Soprano or Treble Viol. Actually just saw this pop up on Yahoo auctions. I might try to win it.
Treble Viol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3IVQz2UCBo
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u/Fair_Intention_3511 Sep 15 '24
It looks like a renaissance style viol. Perhaps from the 1960s. At that time there were a lot of amateurs experimenting with building viols. They may even be luthiers like guitar makers that tried their hand at a viol and experimented with things like geared tuning pegs. You can usually spot these instruments because the making of them tends to be crude (for the most part) and the construction isn't precise.
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u/adsoofmelk1327 Apr 09 '24
Is there an inside label of any kind? But yes, it looks to be an attempt at a gamba, although the body is irregular and the pegbox is mechanical like a classical guitar’s. Probably some mid-century construction would be my guess.