|
VIOLECTRA- THE TRUE PIEZO-ELECTRIC VIOLIN
Violectra's
success lies in its combination of an innovative instrument design with
a unique system of piezo- electric bridge transducer technology. ( 'piezo'
literally means 'pressure sensing'). This works by replacing the acoustic
body with a skeletal- frame body construction. The piezo-electric signal
produced is directly sensing wood vibrations with no possible loss of
tone production, distortion or feedback usually found when amplifying
through an air born acoustic body. Violectra works by the string tension
over the bridge being increased in mass by the wooden frame underneath.
This is similar to how a tuning fork increases in volume when struck and
placed upon a wooden surface. An active response is created by the interaction
with the arched and open frame of the body underneath. The result is a powerful
output with a balanced and full tone and the dynamic response more accustomed to an acoustic
instrument.
|
STRING MODELS
|

|
|
I have worked with Supersensitive String Co of Florida,
since the mid 1990's, and
now electric string players can choose between 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 string
violin and viola models, and 4,
5 & 6 string cellos models. This
has made many new instrument ranges possible including the range from violin to viola, cello, or double bass on
one instrument...
These opportunities have changed the face of modern composition
and improvisation. Many Violectra players are leaders in their versatility
of musical styles.
|
VIOLECTRA BRIDGES
|
The early Violectras used the Barbera Transducer System from New York from
1992-1995.
|

BTS Bridge
|
|
From 1995-2008, we used a bridge system developed for
Violectra instruments in collaboration with a leading manufacturer
of piezo transducer bridges; Alun Jones, of Ashworth Electronics, Cornwall.
The bridges were made at Violectra for
each instrument, and then sent to Ashworth Electronics for the fitting of the transducers.
The final bridge fitting was completed at
Violectra.
|
Violectra-Ashworth Bridge
|
|
Sadly, in June 2008, Alun Ashworth, of Ashworth
Electronics, died suddenly while rowing a boat. His
work of over 30 years in transducer technology was innovative and unique
and was used extensively in the amplification of all stringed
instruments, acoustic and electric.
Also a brilliant guitarist and musician,
Alun is greatly missed.
|

Alun Ashworth in 1998
|
|
I have developed my own ideas and production techniques with piezo bridge making
over the past 5 years.
The
Violectra bridge design is made of a solid inner of maple, that is covered
with hardwood plates.
They are now exclusively used for all Violectra
models.
|
|

Violectra Violin bridge
|

Violectra Cello Bridge
|
|