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Electric Violins

© Diana Barnum

Does it seem to some of you like electric violins are the wave of the future? Well history shows that they've been around since as early as 1935! Wow! If others have even earlier info, please do share & email me at: bdbarnum@copper.net.

The first company - made electric violin on record was made by Richenbacker. A new name for this violin was "Electro." It was made mainly out of molded Bakelite, then aluminum & wood. A line of electric violas, cellos & upright bass were also created. For detailed pictures of these historic achievements, visit Bowed Electrics Website at http://www.lightbubble.com/bowed/rickenb... .

Next up are nationally catalogued electric violins that appear around 1938 at http://www.lightbubble.com/bowed/nationa... . These are forerunners of the Alvarez & Barcus- Berry violins.

Even later in time came Leo Fender's late 1950's electric violins. They were quite heavy - made of wood, hence unpopular. Here are some wonderful photos at http://www.lightbubble.com/bowed/fender.... .

For a look at how far these electric musical instruments have come, take a look at Ted Brewer's Violins at http://website.lineone.net/~violin/violi... . These are beautifully shaped acrylic in many colors. I believe Mr. Spock played one of these in an early Star Trek episode!

For a wonderful book about the history of violins, visit The Electric Violin by Achieve Instruments at http://infoseek.go.com/?win=_search&sv=M... . Read content information & a book review by Darol Anger (remember his feature story?) & Strings Magazine.

Any lady readers or lady violin players you know? Well they're in on all this action, too. Check out Fiddle Chicks at http://infoseek.go.com/?win=_search&sv=M... . Click on Players to find lists of this jammin' ladies! OK, to be fair, there's a list of male players at Bowed Electric's site here http://www.lightbubble.com/bowed/pname.h... Both sites offer great resource sections worth checking out for all players!

But enough facts. Let's put it to the violins out there to see what they think of this technology! Here's a brief interview with an elementary school violinist, Master Michael Martin.

HI, Mike! What do you think of electric violins?

They're cool! I want to get one sometime.

Are you going to start saving for one?

Sure - I saved for an electric guitar last year & earned one. The music store owner let me put a neat red one in lay-away. I paid him my allowance every week & helped my parents mow the yard, clean (they own a cleaning business), and sold stuff at mom's yard sale to earn the rest.