Vergilio Lima Luthier English

Vergilio Lima

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"Making acoustic high quality instruments, has been my full time professional ocupation since 1978. Precision tuning, clear tone, playability and aesthetic care are my goals. Alaways using aged woods and up to date technics."
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Vergilio Lima

Links

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Produtora cultural Marinea
http://www.brasilfesteiro.com.br/

Revista on line "Companhia das cordas"
http://www.ciacordas.com.br/cia_rev6.htm

Dicas de construção
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/pagelist.html

Fornecedores de materiais
http://www.juststrings.com/hannabachclassicalguitar.html
http://strings.com.br/index
http://www.internationalluthiers.com/violinparts.html
http://www.internationalviolin.com/
http://www.riwoods.com/
http://www.stewmac.com/
http://www.warmoth.com/
http://schrammguitars.com/russian_rosettes.html
http://www.bancadasrondon.com.br/

Bandolins e Bandolinistas
http://www.mandolincafe.com/
http://www.almabrasileira.cjb.net/
http://www.bandolim.cjb.net/
http://www.dudumaia.com/
http://www.doisdeouro.com/

Violas e violeiros
http://www.caboclovioleiro.hpg.ig.com.br/
http://www.violacaipira.com.br/
http://www.ericmartins.mus.br/
http://www.mundocaipira.com.br/
http://www.gedeaodaviola.hpg.ig.com.br/
http://www.ivanvilela.com/
http://www.paulofreire.com.br/
http://www.pereiradaviola.com.br/
http://www.robertocorrea.com.br/
http://www.fernandosodre.com.br/
http://www.rodrigodelage.com.br/
http://www.andresiqueira.com/

On Focus

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New materials are aways a challenge that may bring process. Carbon fiber hass been tried in structures and parts. High strencht and lightness are the main points.

Available Instruments

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For updated availables instruments list, visit here.

www.instrumentos-vl.blogspot.com

Courses

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Information about courses is available at
http://www.curso-val.blogspot.com/

Tips

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A-Recommended care with your instrument

- Never tune the instrument higher than A440 Hz.

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- Wipe the instrument well after each use, especially those areas that have contacted the skin.

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- When not in use, keep the instrument in its case (the case protects against shock, and minor variations in temperature and humidity).

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- Store the instrument in a cool dry, well-ventilated place.

.....Temperature range: 60-85 F

.....Humidity range: 35%- 70%

Frequent measurement of the inside-case humidity with a hygrometer is highly recommended, to ensure that the humidity is within the acceptable range. Long periods of excessively low humidity can cause the wood to crack. Excessively high humidity can cause the glue to deteriorate.

- For long-distance transportation, check the compartment pressure and temperature conditions. For air transport, a pressurized compartment is recommended.

During long - distance transport have the instrument de-tuned 2 or 3 whole tones.

- Never leave the instrument exposed to direct heat or sunlight.

- If the instrument becomes damaged through accident or defect, loosen all strings immediately, and have the instrument repaired as soon as possible. Due to the effect of string tension, some problems can cause irreparable harm to the instrument, if not attended to in time.
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B-CARE USING WOODEN PEGS

1- Wooden pegs are conic dowels inserted in a conic hole in the headstock that when well adjusted provide accurate and long lasting tuning. They are the oldest string tensioning system for musical instruments.

2- In tuning a note, it is recommended that the string should be raised into pitch (from lower to higher frequencies) not lowered. If the pitch is too high, lower the pitch somewhat and then raise it to the desired point.

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3- For instrument safety it is recommended that the peghead should be held with one hand while the other hand tightens the peg.

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4- If the peg slips back too easily, you can add small amounts of chalk powder to the parts of the peg and hole that make contact.

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5- If the peg has stopped turning smoothly, you can add small amounts of graphite powder.

Finish

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Searching for the ideal varnish, I have tried nearlly every material over the yaers.

Mastering shellac application is very delicated. It gives unmatched beauty and great acoustic to the instruments.

Besides being possible periodic touch up.

It is the only finishing I have in later years.

Labels

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Most of the labels used to identify my instruments along the years.

10 string viola and guitars, firsth label
1979 - 1980

Violas and guitars label

1980 - 1994

10 string viola and guitars
after 1995

Honour to "Violas de Queluz" label

Acoustic bass label

Violins, violas and cello labels

Logo VL used on eletric instruments

since 1993

Calling card with firsth adress

1978 - 1987

Calling card

1995 - 2003

Calling card since 2003

Woods

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How would it be possible to pull sound from different woods, transforming them in-to musical instruments without knowing their natures? Impossible!

This is a day-by-day process. One can only get the needed closeness with wood by dealing everyday with this marvelous natural material. Only then you can choose one or another piece for this or that function.

In talking about instruments there is a complication: Our tradition of instrument came from Europe, so we began in using here the woods available there. Imported or national, each wood exhibits it’s own characteristics and needs special preparation Drying properly is of utmost importance. All woods must be completely dried before use. Kiln dried wood is not the same as naturally dried wood. Even the season of cutting the tree will make a difference in the resulting wood.

The experimented timber fallers would say: “in order to get good wood, one should only cut trees in the months without R” ( may, june, july and august – in Portuguese: maio, junho, julho e agosto). When we look closer to we find that the basis for this belief lies in the fact that these is the season of lowest rain fall over a large portion of Brasil, so the trees have less fluids in them Although there is a diversity of woods found in tropical forests, the preoccupation in establishing similarities to traditional instrument-making woods is recent. Some tropical woods substitute for traditional woods with advantages.

IPT-USP (Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas – Universidade de São Paulo) conducted study in species with commercial uses. FUNARTE-IBDF (Fundação Nacional de Arte – Instituto Brasileiro de Desenvolvimento Florestal) did research into finding Brasilian woods which were equivalent to traditional European woods. Much individual research has been done by luthiers. But musicians, the final consumer, resist in accepting an instrument made with non-traditional woods.

In my personal history of learning about woods and deciding which ones to use to get the best possible results (considering acoustics, mechanical stability, durability and aesthetics) I can’t omit three great wood-working masters from whom I learned a lot in endless talks full of tips and practical examples, that gave me the basis for knowing better this noble material: Sr. Heraldo Ramos, retired Woodcraftsman from Belgo Mineira, Sabará (coincidentally “Santa Cecília Musical society” president and player in their band for many years). Sr. Edyl Lourenço, honorably graduated from “Escola Técnica de Minas Gerais” today dedicated to making musical instrument cases. And Sr. Fernando Fé, graduated from SENAI Scholl in Sabará, passed away years ago, who in his latter years was famous for his massive wood sculptural work in the plywood era.

Here are photographic samples with brief descriptions of the woods I most commonly use for instrument making.

Restoring

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Restoring and repairing are for me a great school. Instruments from ancient time and other cultures, bring challenges that may result in great unespected solutions.

Building

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The building process on instruments of differents families have much in common.

Odd Instruments

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Some times a very uncommon request comes as a challenge.

Eletric violin

14 string viola

10 string Bb Mandolin

Bows

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The only wood that prooved standing the demands for a very good and long lasting bow is our "Pau Brasil ", Caesalpinia Echinata. Connected to the origins of our country's name, this strong and redish wood is known world wide as "Pau Pernambuco"or Pernambuco wood because of it's export main point in Brazil, Pernambuco state.

My work with bows today is restricted to repairs and re-hairing. Special thanks to Mr. Luciano Rolla and Mr. Severino who have shared all their knowledge about bows with me in the past.
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Here are some samples of my latest attempts to make some good bows.

Acoustic Bass

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This instrumen has a 3/4 size and yet a full string lenght of 103 cm. Sides are 17 cm high all around.
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Flat back and carved top made in Brasiliam cedar weights only 7,5 kg. Fingerboard is Rosewood.
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Table of specifications and acoustic test results available under request. .

Cello

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Mariana and cello.

Viola

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Tradicional woods : Maple and Spruce or brasiliam woods may be used.

Size is your option on request: from 39 cm to 43 cm.

Violin

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Despite their goldem age 300 years ago. And so have established hard to brake patterns, I believe there are still acoustic and aesthetiic experimentations to be done that may lead us to marvellous results.

*Did you know that recent research on stradivarius period varnish, shows indications that it was possibly made by someone else that not the violin maker himself.

Orchestra Instruments

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- Violin

- Viola

- Cello

- Bass

- Bows

Cavaquinho

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Made in two sizes and two wood combinations to match your needs.

Neck width is also your choice.

Eletric "Proteus"

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This instrument was thought for those who need to travel and don´t want to risk their expensive acoustic guitar on air transport.

This is a "folding" guitar that once fitted on it´s case has just a violin size. It can be taken in the airplanes as hand baggage.

When unfolded it shows guitar´s normal dimensions and specially keeping the same body contact points with leg, right arm elbow and chest. It doesn´t give you that "emptiness sensation" some compact guitars may give.

Neck, action and pick-up were studied to keep feeling and sound as close as possible to acoustic guitars.

Classical or steel guitar neck available.

*Proteus was a greek god that could change its form as wanted.

Tenor Guitar

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Four stringed small body guitar, tuned in fifths like the cello. Was used in the past in some "chorinho" groups. Some solists are re-discovering it.

This one is made on Ivorywood with Alaska hard Spruce top.

Steel String

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8 String

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Made over the six string instrument structure, it has two extra bass strings that are usually adjusted to suite Barroque music.

The bridge is made with a two piece sadlle to improve tunning.

The neck has a side atachment that keeps the six string sensation for left hand avoidingstressing sensation of very wide necks.

7 String

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Flamenco Guitar

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Tradicionaly made on Spanish Cipress. Seqouia or Spruce is used at top. Ebony pegs and fingerboard. A collor less "golpeador" protects top from finger nails scratchs. Very light instrument, it has low action and a wider neck as caracteristics.

The so called "Guitarra negra" uses Rosewood and not Cipress.

Tuning machines are optional in place of wooden pegs.

Classic Guitar

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Classic

Back and sides on Brasilian Rosewood, (naturaly not kill aged wood) Top on Canadian Cedar or Spruce, Ebony fingerboard (scale lenght fron 640 to 655mm) goldem machine heads, bridge on Rosewood. Hand aplyied shelac is the standard finish. 51 mm wide neck at nut and lower acction setting is standard. It is made with the “ Brasilian Bossa Nova playing style” in mind.

Premium Classical

Follows the same materials description,but uses all extra quality wood selection, aged for longer periods. The internal structure is made out of a composite materials using carbon fiber and low densit wood for special sounding results. Extra volume and projection make possible greater dynamics variation. Standard neck is 53 mm wide at nut, string length up to 664mm.

For foreign orders, 50% of total value in US$ is required in advance and 50% when instrument is ready. Transportation back and forth to destination is always the buyer’s responsibility as well as transportation in the case of repairs needed under warranty conditions.

Delivery date will be set at the time of the order.
Specifications and prices may change without previous notice.

Guitars

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- Classic . . . . . . . . . . . - Flamenco

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- 7 String . . . . . . . . . . . - 8 String

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- Steel String

- Tenor Guitar

- Eletric "Proteus"

Viola's History

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Ten string brasilian viola history is only available in portuguese, but you can see photo descriptions in english below.

Zé Côco e Vergilio no "Violeiros do Brasil", Sesc SP, 1996

Oficina dos Meirelles - Queluz de Minas

Customized

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Details under request by e-mail.

Standart Model

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Details under request by e-mail.

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Old Style

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Details under request by e-mail.

Fac-simile violas

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Details under request by e-mail.

Violas - Brasilian 10 String Guitar

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My desire was to design and build a “new” viola worthy of the new generation of viola players.

From 1986 until now I have made several violas for this “new generation” players, with their input. Each one different from the others, each building on the results from much playing and experimenting.

Fac - simile ........................... Old Style

Standart Model ...................... Customized viola

Viola's History

Mandolins

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8 and 10 string

The Mandolins are made in different wood combinations that come to different aesthetics and acoustic results.

Wooden bridge with bone saddle, hand aplied natural shellac, string lenght of 350 mm and a 12 fret neck are standard.

Tradicional 8 string tuned E,A,D,G and the ten string instrument with an extra bass pair in "C".

Mandolim with Rosewood- 10 strings

Mandolim with birds - 10 strings

10 string with Bb 5º pair

A new instrument was created searching better results for the ten string mandolin.With longer scale (400 mm) and lower tuning: D for firsth pair, G for second, C for third, F for forth and Bb for fifth.

Using a normal string set and two .056W nylon string for fifth pair. A bigger string lenght and a larger sounding box provide a more appropriated bass resonance.

Instruments

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- Mandolins

- Brasilian 10 String Guitar

- Guitars

- Cavaquinhos

- Orchestra Instruments

- Odd Instruments

Special devices

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Copy router

Drum sender

Other views

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Workshop main space

Workshop entrance hall

Hand tools

Band saw, polishing disc, drill press etc.

Second floor stairs

Ana e Mariana working on finishing 10 strings viola and cello

About Sabara City, where the workshop is located.
http://www.sabara.mg.gov.br/
http://www.sabaranet.com.br/

Workshop

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"Workshop layout is consequence of endless search for better results. My childrem, familiar with this enviroment since early years, can help me now each one in a different area."

Vergilio Lima

- Other Views

- Special Devices

Biography

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Sorry, available only on portuguese.