The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-02-27

Beautiful Tone.
1t will probably come as a distinct
surprise to a vast majority Of the
people Of BOzeman and Galatin cOun-
ty to learn that there is in the coun-
ty seat a young man who, having been
born and reared on a farm and not
possessing technical training of any
kind, is turning out finished violins
that have been pronounced by instruc-
tors on the violin to be perfect instru-
ments, both in tone and in artistic
workmanship.
The young man is Claude C. Giles
pie, who is engaged in the Morton
shoe repair and auto top repair bust
ness on South Wilson avenue near
Main street. Three of his instruments
are in daily use by violin instructors,
as follows: Miss Fay Kidding, of
Spokane, Wash; Ed. Hammer, of Ne
vada, Mo-, and Ray Ashley, of Mia,
Nc. A fourth instrument was COM
pleted by Mr.. Gillespie several weeks
ago. 1t will be allowed to season
and dry out before being either stain
ed, vanished and hand rubbed, or
worked out in the natural finish. The
back and side walls of this violin is
of seasoned birch, the top is of fine
grained native spruce; the neck is of
old maple, while the fret board, keys
and tail piece are of genuine ebony
purchased from the supply depart
ment of the Orion Brothers music
house in this city.
Wants Public to View Work
A similar instrument is now in .oro-
cess of construction by MIR. Gillespie,
the following out of the birch back
piece having been started Monday
morning. While his time is pretty
thoroughly taken up with his auto
top repair work, his spare moments
being given w to violin making, ht
always seems to find time to explain
in his simple, direct woy to those whC
are at all interested, the details Of
violin manufacture by hand, without
special tools or machinery of an!
kind.
"You can say for me-" said Nh
Gillespie to The Courier man, chat
will be glad to show my work to any
one who is interested in handicraft il
wood, especially in "iolin making, an,
will be glad to explain my method
and answer any questions on the sub
ject within my knowledge"
Mr.. Gillespie, having recently hear
of a small quantity of very old jun.
per wood being found on upper Mi
creek in Park county, and which
being used by the William s. ID,
& Son cabinet shop in Livingston
the manufacture by them OF p&ylC
and floor lamps, decorative cand
sticks trays, and the like, has write
to the Livingston firm with a view
securing enough of the beautiful ar
precious "Claret and Rhine wine
colored wood, some of which is know
to be approximately 400 years oil,
make what he is confident will be t
first violin in the history OF mus
to be constructed entirely of hat m
terial.
Explains His Methods
For the benefit of the reads
The Bozeman Courier, who r-2y
interested in the subject, and T Il
benefit of those who did not kno
there was a violin maker in the e
tire northwestern country betwe,
Minneapolis and Seattle, Mr.. Gille
pie has prepared a short article, d
scribing in detail the methods he US
IN tlc making c. a violin, and viii
he believes can be followed with CO
siderable success by anyone WI
whether he is musically inclined
not, is at all handy with small to-
and possessed of just a trifle me
than the usual allotment of hum
pstienee.
Mr. Gillespie's article, "How