Radio Amplifier Controls Violin Tone

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 33, 26 February 1932, Unnumbered Page

Radio Amplifier Controls Violin Tone

QNE violin virtuoso has equipped his instrument with a radio amplifier which increases the tone yolume fifty fold. The amplifier consists of a phonograph pick-up with loudspeaker mounted, by means of a bracket. } on the tailpiece of the violin, its needle making contact with the top sounding board just behind the bridge. Tone yolume is controlled by a_ potentiometer operated by an assistant who can regulate it at will from the faintest pianissimo to a fortissimo of far greater volume than any single instrument would be capable of producing, yet the tone is without distortion and even more warmth and fullness, 7 Hence the attachment is of special value in executing triumphal music where unusual volume is warranted. This suffices for one instrument, but in a quartet a device is added which equalises and blends the frequencies.