[ Ref. https://mechanicalmusicpress.com/registry/mills/mnc.htm
After reading through all of the data shown and attached to the
Violano-Virtuoso entry, I am prompted to ask about the violin(s)
themselves.
Because I have observed only a few machines that have had the
expertise and technical level of restoration required for them to
play at the highest level possible, it is difficult to determine
what the quality of the violins that were used really was.
In none of the data do I find listed who the make or maker of the
violin(s) was. Are they fine, high quality? Are they European or
American? Did Mills make or contract them or were they off the shelf
and modified as necessary.
This information should be at least as important as the technical data
as, after all, it is "Music" that is what those marvelous machines
is all about.
Cecil Dover
Los Angeles
[ Mike Ames put those questions to an old-timer stringed instrument
[ restorer. As I recall, the expert said the Mills violin was a good
[ quality instrument, fitted with a special finger-board installed
[ by the maker, that could been made almost anywhere. -- Robbie
|