The mystery of a pawn shop violin (+ FREE Sample Library) 

Missed opportunity to make the title of this video "W.T.F. made this violin"

W.T. Fisher was probably a poor man in the Ozarks, who could not afford a violin but knew woodworking and knew he could make one. So he did. It sounded good, and he was proud. It probably entertained his family and the families of his friends and neighbors. I think it’s fantastic you’ve saved the samples so the sound can be saved and used forever now. It’s something very special, this small piece of American folk instrument. It’s a sound not many people get to hear today.

you are preserving sounds we didnt even know existed. cataloguing and archiving these things is a big deal for me so thanks for your work.

Calmest man in Philly.

Pretty crazy to think of an amateur in the distant past lovingly making this instrument for themselves only to have its sound captured in a virtual instrument used by countless people here in the present. I'm sure their mind would be blown seeing this. Thank you so much for all of the amazing work you do!

When you were talking about the records you examined, I was surprised you didn't follow up on any of the "farmer" ones. This instrument was obviously made by a farmer. Every detail shouts it. The handwriting is by the Greatest Generation or before.

I had an ex-in-law who was a truck driver, and in his spare time he hand made several violins. I looked him up in the '40 and '50 census and sure enough he was a truck driver and there is no mention of his violins. (No, his last name was Powell, not Fisher.) Good luck on some random family member out there seeing this video, recognizing that violin, and contacting you. BTW: I like that sound of it. Much nicer than I expected.

I work at the said pawn shop and you're a genius

Everything about this video has you in it, from the nature of the instrument you found, your happening to have a few violin bridges kicking around the place, your tenacity in trying to find out about the maker and your optimistic investment of time getting it to a playable state, to your choice of "Cassette pong" among the effects presented by the LVX delay unit (which inspired me to google it-excellent). A delightful piece of work.

That was really impressive! It looks exactly like what a farmer with no spare money would make to satisfy his/her musical bent. My father grew up on a farm and the credo of all farmers was, figure out how to do it yourself or how to do without it. SO MANY of them were expert engineers, electricians, plumbers, masons, carpenters, auto mechanics and farmers out of necessity. Not only did the locals NOT have to go without, I bet they were thrilled to hear the music that came off that beauty!

I love the sound of that fiddle! Feel like I really have to make a boxfiddle. That slightly nasal and distorted tone is wonderful.

Hello David ..I just wanted you to know I have an almost identical violin made by an Alton Frissette in 1974 in Nashua NH... I was impressed that you tried to find WT Fisher. I hope information about him surfaces. I'd also very much like to find out about Alton Frissette. His violin is a work of art and a prized possession.

I love the homemade look of the violin and the sound of the samples. I wish you luck with finding out more about the creator, it would be amazing to have that backstory in more detail. Maybe he was a farmer, who carved his own fiddle for a hoedown?

It'd be worth going through some folklore collections of the Ozarks and surrounding areas in the Library of Congress and some colleges to look for a WT (and variations) Fisher as a player, or maybe people referencing him as a fellow musician or source of tunes. There's a few fiddles like that floating around there and on some old vinyl covers I have (no Fishers there though), and the guy from Otava Yo plays a similar instrument.

I think the wood type and signature are a path to both localizing and dating the violin. The handwriting style looks more like pre -WWII. The wood looks like - well, I’m not an expert on wood but I’m guessing that it may have been left overs from furniture making. The tuning pegs are probably the most recent addition. That’s not to say that type of tuner wasn’t there from the beginning, just they don’t necessarily last, and may be replacements.

If only W T Fisher knew his fiddle was heard and digitally) played all over the world. Always grateful for the free DS samples, David.

Everything about this is so wholesome - from the generosity of making the sample format and VST, to the research and documentation of it, to calling it "Decent Sampler" cheers me up. I'll be happy to write to Buckingham Palace and suggest you be granted honourary British citizenship and perhaps be made Sir Dave, keeper of the King's round robins.

A word that comes to mind after viewing this is "honesty". WT and David both. And another is yet again "connection". This whole DS project is a model of how digital technologies need not always separate and divide.

As a fiddle fan and mom of a young fiddler, I can say that this may be an ok-sounding violin, but it's actually got a fantastic sound for a fiddle. I would love to hear it played by an old-time fiddler, as I think it would sound absolutely amazing. When people didn't have access to professionally made instruments, they made them from what they could. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum has 2 fiddles built out of, I kid you not, matchsticks! They were actually played on the radio there in Bristol, apparently. And that spirit isn't limited to the rural South of the US, of course. Think of Brian May not being able to afford an electric guitar and building one with his dad, even winding his own pickups.

The depth of care and research that you put into these instruments is remarkable and at the very least entertaining. Thanks for all that you share with all of us.

My favorite hobby is building instruments and building experimental instruments is the best part of the best hobby. Thanks for posting! From now on I will be sure that every thing I build has a date, name and location on the label or engraved.

I’m also in Philly, so now I 100% HAVE to check out that Pawn Shop you mentioned on South St.

God it sounds amazing, i love how soft the sound is, I think the fact that it has so few extreme frequencies gives it such a lovely modest sound.

I like the look of the violin. Sturdy. Rustic. Not half bad for an amateur. It reminds us that art is for everybody. And it sounds nice too.

thanks so much...again

the World, Humanity at least, DESPERATELY needs more People like You, my Friend... Your work, You MO is remarkable! keep it up!

We feel a great amount of nostalgia and sadness in this video Thank you for your appreciation for the violin maker and for trying to find any information about him

Maybe, just maybe the name was a joke meant only for people in the 21st century. WT Fisher. It would have been too obvious to carve only WTF. "Fisher" was just to make us work for it. Maybe.

I found this video strangely touching. The instrument itself has a lovely voice in its way. As a guitarist I don't know much about the violin, so I can't tell if it's your playing or the instrument itself but I found the sound nostalgic and sweet. I'm a little heartbroken by it and I can't explain why. I do hope you held on to it, or at least gave it to someone who will.

What an awesome find. 10/10 on the cool vibes scale. Keep it and if you want to get rid of it send it to a folk music museum in the ozarks.

I'm loving the new video format with all the b-roll footage, it looks really professional like I'm watching a documentary lol

I lived on South St! It was back in the early 90s. Then i lived on Rodman in a brownstone.

David, i am simply impressed by your passion and your ability. I am a big fan of your sample library and I always enjoy working with it. I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you for what an incredible job you are doing and that we are all very happy with it. Keep it up, I'm looking forward to your new results. Ralf.

I love your videos because they are relaxing and always have more to them than just sampling an instrument. Thanks for sharing ❤❤

Man! What a work of art. Both, the violin and the sampling process. Thanks for sharing!

You are the best I’ve come across in this particular niche. I love the samples of old instruments and found things that this channel provides. I mean it you are the best! If I had a synth I would definitely get your decent sampler app. Keep up the work and peace be with you🙏

David, your efforts to restore old instruments and share their unique sounds with the world has always moved me. This instrument calls out to me. I'm literally weeping messy tears. There is something about rustic things that gets me right in the core and this is just a beautiful example of that. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I just played with this for a bit; I love the sound. Thanks a lot, not just for the library, but for creating Decent Sampler.

I adore your sample libraries

I actually teared up it made my bones cold as soon as he started playing

Thank you David. Your videos are always such a joy to watch, and the sample instruments you produce are usable and unique. The work and enthusiasm is very much appreciated!

this is fantastic, Dave. I was not betting it would sound that good! thanks (again!) for all you do, and all you have done for the sampling community.

God, seeing things that were lovingly created by passionate ppl from past eras makes me weirdly emotional, lol. It's incredibly sweet of you to name the sample library after him, despite his true identity being lost to time.

your vids are amazing! they are interesting and wholesome. one of the best series on RU-vid

Sounds lovely, can‘t wait to try it out! Thank you for all the amazing free instruments! :)

Great work David, thank you 🙏!

The first time you played it, it sounded so beautiful! It has some mysterious tone to it that I love

A lovely instrument! Im glad you took the time to try to discover who it was who had made it. I do hope this reaches the individual or their family!

turn the tiny tv into an oscilloscope!

Thanks for providing Decent Sampler. I don't record my music but I wanted to refresh my piano skills and the sound the application reproduces is amazing. Feels like I'm able to play an instrument that I would never by able to afford. So thank you kindly for providing and maintaining this wonderful tool.

Fantastic, amazing to think that the sound of W.T. Fisher will live on. Thanks for the sample pack x

You always have an engaging new adventure to share. Bravo

Im thankful for every free instrument you made, this is awesome ❤️

Good one David! Thanks for sharing this.

What a lovely video, and an utterly charming instrument! And -- just an aside -- but in an era of videos that are bloated to twice the necessary length by repetition, digressions and self-indulgence, *thank you* for respecting your viewers' time and making videos that tell us _just enough,_ and leave us wanting more. I wish more content creators understood that doing this is a gift to the viewer.

Very Eno sounding going through the pedal. Great work Dave

Another great story, and I was actually shocked at how nice that sounds. Great work as always.

Literally the definition of contributing to society. Thank you David.

My grandfather who was a musician his whole life, from piano, piano tuning, violin, guitar etc. He was also great in repair of instruments, students/parents would come to him for repair work etc. When I was a kid, he started dabbling in making, violins and violas. He made several over time. When he died my father and uncle inherited everything since my grandmother passed before my grandfather. But His instruments have been turning up, some my uncle pawned!!!! (long story) But this reminds me of that. :)

That fiddle sounds absolutely beautiful.

An old TV might be cool to do a scope mod to, basically driving the tube directly with an audio signal so you get a visualizer.

Mate, you are bloody brilliant. I love what you do.

THank you David, much appreciated. I think it's fantastic.....

Thank u so much for always putting out incredible content

Your videos helped inspire me to create my first sample-based instrument using a friend's kalimba recorded with a Zoom H1. With only seven notes, it was an easy instrument for an initial effort and turned out better than I'd hoped for. Notes are mapped in the same layout as the real instrument and I'm working on a song that uses it.

Such a fun and beautiful story! Thanks a bunch.

Are you kidding me?? The sound is beautiful!! I was not expecting it to sound that good.

Thanx for Vid & Sounds! Both great ✨🙏✨

Got goosebumps from this …..resurrection of a treasured artefact….thank you

Fantastic Video! Thank You so much!

Love your videos, what a lovely find. 🙏

Your videos bring me a lot of joy. Thank you.

Thank you for bringing this instrument to our attention, and making this library specially for us. I must give it a whirl!

Great job, love your work.

Love Retrospect, gotta check out that pawn shop!

Very cool🎻✨ Beautiful playing👍🏻✨

Lovely instrument. Sounds great. You are very lucky.

My friend, you made that old cigar box sound pretty good!

Gotta remember to hit up that pawn shop next time I'm on South :D

Excellent, as always!

You know I clic the LIKE button the moment the video starts... right? You know this channel is sooooo good, you gotta do it!!

Great work. Grettings

"It's a Beautiful Day in Philadelphia" sounds like a sitcom

Thank you Fisher & Hilowitz.

the story of art, you did it, bro! it is a wonderful labor

Fascinating video!

You are a music saint . Thank you.

Fascinating content as always.

In Brazil, there is an instrument that is more common on the coutryside that is called "rabeca". The rabeca is similar to this instrument you've bought, and you can find them in different sizes, with different tunings. It also has some difference in the manner you play than a regular violin

Great post!

Such a lovely little story. Thank you ❤

It sounds beautifully

I really like its timbre with its thicker tone. Amazing find

Great job! The sound reminds me very much of a Rebec which I built at an Early Music Workshop that I attended back in the '70s. The Rebec is a medieval three stringed bowl-back fiddle that was/is popular around the Black Sea in Europe. Although I sold the one that I built decades ago, I can still remember its hollow, haunting tone, evocative of another time and place, and which I hear echos of in your fantastic pawn shop violin. :)

Very surprising! Nice job!

I’m a fan of the work of the scholar Greil Marcus, and this instrument was definitely from the invisible republic. Preserving it is a public good. I wish our libraries museums and institutions were as meticulous in preserving instruments in this fashion

sounds amazingly well for what it looks like, and just well overall.

Fascinating! When you started playing, I thought you were editing in the sound of a normal violin as a joke; I had no idea it would sound so good. I love seeing violin makers break from tradition! coming from the world of guitar, I think it's a bit of a shame how every violin looks mostly the same. I hope you're able to track down more info about Fisher and I'm looking forward to an update video if and when that happens.

Amazing Job.

Wow! That was unexpected violin sound, beautiful and nostalgic!