Carl Ludwig Bachmann

b. 1748 at Berlin ; d. there 1809. Made excellent violins, altos, and violoncellos on the Stradivari pattern with amber varnish; the proportions were good, the choice of wood excellent; amateurs often mistook his instruments for genuine Cremona work. He was a skilful viola player. 1765. was appointed Court instrument maker and Chamber musician to the King of Prussia ; 1770, founded the Amateur Concerts in Berlin, in conjunction with Ernest Benda, which he continued till 1797. About 1778 began to tune the long thick strings of double-basses by means of screw pegs, a method in use ever since.