Mike Mahar wrote:
Colin S wrote:
Waddy, it will have a close relative of the chunky marmalade, I haven't been given it yet, but it is a horrendously expensive real amber oil varnish, apparently it takes three old hags with a big cauldron on some Scottish moor to make it from eye of newt and tongue of frog or some such, anyway it's one of those things that if you need to ask the price....
Colin
Al Carruth has often said that if you want to start brawl enter a room full of violin makers and whisper the word "varnish". He also tells a story where a writer was visiting a bunch of violin makers interviewing them on their craft. Each of the makers extolled the virtues of their particular custom varnish formula. He would ask them what it was and, often, they would share it provided that he kept it a secret. The ironic part was that they all had basically the same formula. There was one exception. One very prominent builder said that he got his at the hardware store. I don't recall the builder or the brand/type of varnish.
I'm not implying that you shouldn't invest in this varnish. A lot of violin builders who know far more than I do swear that this is a critical component and that you shouldn't skimp.
Mike, I agree that a cheaper analine-dye spirit varnish would probably be just as effective in colouring and protecting the wood, but would it give me the same satisfaction or pride in my workmanship as using as close as possible the old traditional varnish? These old genuine ground Baltic amber varnishes date back hundreds of years and have been tried and tested over the centuries. Titebond would have held the wood together very well, but I still used HHG.
I use quite a range of old recipe varnishes and finishes (The one kept in a chunky marmalade jar for instance that was used on my recent Torres copy) in my restoration work on the historic instruments I do for the museums. When I build a historic replica instrument, this one is taken directly from measurements of the Liotti Stradivarius, probably the most original survivor which I have been priviledged to hold and my wife to play, I like to use as original finish as possible. OK there as nothing special about Stradivari's varnish it was just the available varnish at the time, and probably adds little to the sound, but why not get as close as possible for the sake of a few pounds (well quite a few pounds in fact!).
Colin
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FAQ
; you are not cooking it yourself, correct? How can you sleep??? 
Kidding! So where are you getting it, or is that a secret?