This violin, known as “Meg,” is modeled after Fritz Kreisler’s 1733 Guarneri del Gesu’, and was completed by Thurmond Knight in August, 2009. The Sitka spruce used for the top is from Bosnia. The two piece highly flamed maple back, neck and ribs, are from Bosnia. Gentle antiquing with oil varnish has given the violin a golden-brown luster.
Thurmond was commissioned to make this instrument by Mel Pitts as a 30th wedding anniversary gift for his wife, Meg. They reside outside Denver, Colorado. Traveling to Vermont in the spring of 2009, Mel surprised Meg with a visit to my shop where they met me for the first time and were able to pick out the wood and model of the instrument to be constructed. Thurmond completed the violin in a little over 4 months and shipped it out to Meg in August, 2009.
