Foam is the most popular material for Violin or Viola cases of lower price range. They are either dart-shaped or oblong. Cases made of foam only are never shaped, that is, repeating the shape of the instrument, because this requires a material from which a thin sheet can be made, which is impossible in the case of foam. Although foam cases are comparatively inexpensive, they are not bad at all. And the main advantage is their weight. They weigh next to nothing, making them the most suitable for children and for those who don't drive. Foam cases, being softer than other cases, provide high level of protection because they absorb the shock.
STENTOR STANDARD Student Dart Shape Violin CaseDart shaped, lightweight foam construction, brown cordura cover, small exterior music pocket, with two straps |
GEWA PURE Sport-style Dart-Shape Violin Case, 4/4Sporty, light-weight foam shell dart case.
Foam shell |
GEWA Pure Oblong Blue Violin Case, 4/4Polystyrene foam shell |
This kind of case is just a little heavier than fully foam case, but still very light because the wooden part is not massive: it is only a side frame which makes the case stronger. They might be shaped and look quite elegant.
GEWA Strato Super Light Shaped Violin CaseMade in Germany with a wood frame reinforced polyfoam shell for an exceptionally light weight, yet strong, case. Hard shell wooden (plywood) cases Wooden cases are considerably heavier than foam cases, but they are the most reliable. They can be of different shape and they are normally covered with waterproof material. Cases made by Eastman are probably superior to all others in their quality. They are incredibly reliable and very comfortable. |
Eastman 075 Dart Shape Violin CasePlywood shell |
Eastman Hill-Style Oblong Violin CaseVelvet interior with detachable lined blanket |
The three-age system is the periodization of human prehistory into three periods: the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. It looks that we are entering the Glass Age now. Carbon as a material is getting more and more popular. Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) are used everywhere: aerospace, automotive and civic engineering, sport goods production, musical instruments. Many carbon bows show excellent playing qualities. Musical instrument cases made from carbon are strong, light and beautiful. This material allows manufacturer to make a case of practically any shape and color.
GEWA AIR 1.7 Shaped Violin CaseSpecial thermoplastic shell |
GEWA Air 2.1 Oblong Violin CaseSpecial thermoplastic shell with extremely high break resistance Padded, adjustable suspension system |
GEWA Air 3.9 Cello Case, 4/4-3/4This is a revolutionary new cello case, designed and made in Germany with very special materials and processes. Adjustable to securely and easily fit cellos from 4/4 down to 3/4 size. Accommodates cellos with a width of 18” lower bout and 14” upper bout. |
The word plastic sounds kind of "cheap" for today's ear. However, plastic is not "cheap" material at all. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) or thermoplastic is actively used in the production of aircrafts, cars, water pipes and... cases for musical instruments. And here the unsurpassed leader is the French company BAM.
BAM is the world champion in making cases for musical instruments. If you want to have the best case, buy BAM. Admiring glances of passers-by are guaranteed. The cases of this manufacturer combine the best possible qualities: reliability, light weight, variety of models, originality, style!
BAM Hightech Oblong Violin Case - with pocket |
BAM "Ice Supreme" Hightech Oblong Violin Case
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BAM "Classic" Violin Case
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Look at your Violin and see if it is clean. If not, clean it right now and try playing. You will see how much better it will sing! Rosin residues, greasy hand stains, natural dust, all these dampen the vibration of the Violin parts, thus affecting the sound. Not only will your Violin sound better, but you yourself will play better on the Violin that is clean and shiny.
Most rosin accumulates in the area between the bridge and the fingerboard, which make sense, because this is where the bow, abundantly rosined, makes contact with the violin. The rosin dust, if not removed after each practice session or performance, melts and then solidifies, turning into a kind of glue that is very hard to remove. Clean out the rosin regularly and do it properly. Some professional players use alcohol to clean the strings and the fingerboard. This method is very effective, but not recommended. Even a drop of alcohol on the lacquered surface of the violin will instantly provoke a chemical reaction with the varnish, as a result of which the violin will get an ugly stain that cannot be removed. On some cheap instruments, fingerboards are made not from ebony or rosewood, but hardwood covered with black paint. Alcohol will easily dissolve the paint and the violin will take on a shabby look.
We recommend using an alcohol-free dissolvent to clean the strings.
Designed by Larsen, one of the main string manufacturers.
It is absolutely safe for your instrument and helps to remove rosin nice and easy. Use it sparingly, but regularly.
For the lacquered parts of the Violin, you will need another cleaner. Here are some brands that we would recommend.
Works perfectly with any varnished instruments. It cleans, removes stains and polishes without making the surface "oily".
When used regularly, even one drop is enough to clean the violin or viola.
Hidersine Hidersol was first developed in 1912 and has been a staple in violin workshops ever since. It is recommended for the cleaning and reviving of traditional stringed instrument varnish. 25ml per bottle.
The original blend of: Graphite Powder, Petroleum Jelly, China Clay, Talc and Red Iron Oxide. Perfect for pegs which ceased to turn smoothly.
Will help to make tuning the strings simple and easy. Coat the surface of the pegs once or twice with peg-compound where they come into contact with the peg box.
The best way to stop slipping pegs.
String instruments are made from wood. It is spruce for the face and maple for the sides and the back. Unlike metal, or carbon fibre, wood is highly susceptible to environmental influences, especially to humidity change. Dry air during winter makes the Violin sound harsh. It can even destroy the instrument causing open seams and cracks. That is why using a humidifier is highly recommended.
This type of humidifiers has been very popular among professional string player for decades. Very simple low-cost, but efficient, way to protect the instrument against dryness
Directions:
1. Immerse GEWA Humidifier in water
2. Squeeze GEWA Humidifier to remove excess water. Gently wipe the outer tube dry. Place inside the instrument through one of the f-hole lobes.
Instrument case humidifier for violin, viola, mandolin, and other smaller cases. Long lasting and effective, easy to use.
In the larval stage it bores in wood and feeds upon it. This little worm eats any kind of wood, while being a great connoisseur of bowed instruments, finding them especially tasty. The unexpectedly formed neat hole on the body of your violin might not be a very pleasant surprise. There is an excellent remedy for this pest that does not cost a penny: PRACTICE MORE! Fortunately, our gourmet hates the sound of the violin.
1. An ear for music, an innate sense of rhythm, manual dexterity - all of these are undoubtedly very important, but neither you nor anyone else would be able to determine the level of your natural abilities until you learn how to play. Love for music and a passionate desire to learn how to make beautiful music - that is the true sign. If you have those qualities - go for it! Just be ready to dedicate a considerable part of your life to music.
2. It is hard to master a complex instrument such as the Violin without a teacher, who will help you to choose the right path and develop the correct playing technique, making sure you don't get bad habits.
3. Your instrument should be of good quality. Don't look for the cheapest possible violin, because it is very likely that you can get something unusable. A beginner has no idea how high the bridge should be, or how the fingerboard has to be shaped, or how much the bow stick should be curved, or where the sound post should be placed. He or she, probably, doesn't even know what the sound post is. An instrument, properly fitted, in a good shape, and able to produce pleasant sound is an essential prerequisite for a beginner.
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All Beginner Level Violins sold in our store meet the highest standard and is ready to play on. We'll look at some of them here.
Stentor Student Standard Violin is made by the British company Stentor. The outfit comes with an attractive, lightweight case with brown integral cover and a good student wood bow. The violin is made from carved solid tonewoods, with inlaid purfling, and blackened hardwood pegs and fingerboard. It is fitted with a textured plastic tailpiece with integral adjusters for easy tuning. It offers amazing value and should not be confused with low quality pressed timber instruments that have a short usable life. Fitted with Super-Sensitive Red Label strings. This instrument is available in any size and its smaller versions (1/8, 1/4 and 1/2) are especially good. They are bright in sound and very responsive, which makes them attractive for younger learners.
The Stentor Student I is the ideal entry-level student Violin outfit for students up to middle grades. This is an instrument that offers reliable, consistent performance and good tone, enhancing the learning process for the student. Each instrument is carved from solid tonewoods, with inlaid purfling, and good quality rosewood or vene pegs and fingerboard. It is fitted with a good quality bridge and tailpiece with integral adjusters. The outfit includes a reliable wood bow and well-designed, lightweight case with fitted interior, external shoulder rest pocket and music pocket, bow holders, as well as carrying straps. Fitted with Super-Sensitive Red Label strings.
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Next three violins come from Sinoman workshop in Toronto. All three are perfectly fitted with ebony fingerboard and ebony or Jujube pegs and a Guarneri-style chinrest.
Primo Prelude PN-20 is an entry level Violin outfit. Made from seasoned Spruce and Maple with Ebony fittings. Strung with D'Addario Ascente or ForTune strings. Come with composite tailpiece with built-in fine tuners.
Package includes: Primo 5101 Bow, a dart shape foam case and a rosin.
Primo Prelude PN-30 is an upgraded version of PN-20 model. It is designed for students of beginner or intermediate level and features a richer tone. It is fitted with beautiful Jujube pegs and chinrest.
The outfit includes: Primo 5101 Bow, a foam case and a rosin.
Primo Prelude PN-35, the most advanced model in the PN series, is made from carefully selected spruce and maple and fitted with ebony fingerboard, pegs, and chinrest. The violin is finished with reddish-brownish gloss spirit varnish with a subtle tint of antique. The violin provides beautiful sound, rich with overtones, and even on all 4 strings and in all positions.
Primo 5101 Bow, a foam case and a rosin are included in the outfit.
More Beginner Level Violins can be found on our website.
]]>It's funny that Spohr did not come up with this thing for convenience at all and it was not because the violin repertoire required more and more technical perfection. His goal was ridiculously trivial. Being a large and physically strong person, as well as having a massive chin and neck, he regularly broke the tailpiece with his vigorous playing. And, in order to protect his violin from himself, he came up with the idea of a tailpiece-guard - little wooden block, attached to the bout above the tailpiece. Two other prominent violinists, Pierre Baillot and his teacher Giovanni Batista Viotti, found other benefits in the Spohr's invention, and started promoting it as something that helped to improve violin technique. Very soon, the chinrest was widely accepted by most violinists and violists.
Today, there are more than 50 different types of chinrests. One of the most popular type of chinrest is the "Guarneri" type, which is mounted over the tailpiece with the cup for the chin to the left of the tailpiece. This way of mounting is the best for the instrument, especially old one, because at the center, under the tailpiece, there is a thick wooden block inside, which prevents the decks of the violin (or viola) from getting "squeezed" at the bottom edge by the pressure applied.
Guarneri Large Plate Violin Chinrest, centre mounted, made from ebony.
Some players prefer a chinrest with the cup centered over the tailpiece. The "Flesch" chinrest is of this type. It is attached to the instrument the same way as the "Guarneri" model, but the cup is right above the legs.
Wittner-Augsburg Violin Chinrest
Centre-positioned or left-positioned - it is mostly a matter of preference, but not only. The latter is good for players with shorter arms, because it positions the instrument at such an angle that the neck becomes closer to the player's face.
As described in the preceding section, some chinrests attach to the left of the end button. The advantage of this mounting is that in this way the position of the chinrest can be adjusted according to the player's preference. It can be moved closer or farther from the tailpiece.
Dresden Side-mounted Boxwood Violin Chinrest. The right end is shaped in such way that it partially covers the tailpiece.
We would not recommend side-mounted chinrest on an old instrument. The pressure between the chinrest clamps is so high that it can cause deformation or the wood, especially ribs, which are thin and narrow.
Deformation is much less likely with the centre-mounted chinrest. The wooden block that holds together the left and right sides of the bout, and which the end button is inserted in, is thick and strong enough to withstand extremely high string tension and protect the plates and the ribs of the violin or viola from deformation.
So, obviously, a centre-mounted chinrest is better for the instrument, but, unfortunately, it does not work for every player. Being placed over the tailpiece, it cannot be lower than it is possible, and some players, especially those with shorter neck, prefer really low chinrest.
Kaufman Ebony Chinrest is really low and almost flat. Many violinists find this model very comfortable.
Each violinist is unique, one of a kind, each has their own anatomical features and just personal preferences. Choosing the right chinrest sometimes takes years of experimentation. Fortunately, the prices for chinrests are not very high. Therefore, if you feel uncomfortable, or if your chinrest is causing any irritation, don't wait until it becomes worse or until the discomfort turns into muscle pain, and get a new chinrest, a part of the violin that is supposed to make your instrument a "part of your own body". Playing the violin or viola should be a real pleasure!
]]>The first manufacturers of musical instruments settled in Luby in the first half of the 17th century. The oldest surviving instrument from this region is the viola by Johann Adam Pöpel, dated 1664.
JAPöpel was the first known violin maker in this region and the founder of the Guild of Violinists in Markneukirchen, a German town located next to Schönbach, where he moved with 11 other luthiers. That was the time when Schönbach flourished as a center of violin making.
After the fall of the empire, the production of stringed instruments in Schönbach reached incredible proportions. In 1929, the number of violin makers and apprentices in this tiny town numbered 1,500! The total production volume at that time was about 150,000 pieces of instruments!
After the Second World War, based on the decision of the victorious powers, the majority of the German population, including violin makers, had to move to Germany, where they established their new workshops. Schönbach was renamed Luby.
In 1948, when the Communists came to power, production was gradually nationalized and eventually unified under the banner of a large state-owned enterprise called Cremona, which was renamed Strunal after the fall of the regime, when the production began to be privatized, and in addition to Strunal, several small companies were established, such as Akord Kvint and Ars Music. The result is the redistribution of production into mass and high-quality and separate development of these two different activities.
The Harald Lorenz HL4A orchestral Violin is hand made in Luby, in the workshop of Akord Kvint, and is crafted under the direct supervision of Master Luthier Harald Lorenz. This instrument will satisfy an advanced player, even professional orchestra violinist. It is made with a fully solid, well flamed maple, selected spruce top, spirit hand varnish, brown shaded antiqued finish, ebony fingerboard and pegs, Wittner Ultra tailpiece, Despiau ‘C’ bridge, Thomastik-Infeld Dominant Strings.
ARS Music Intermediate Handcrafted Cello is made in the same Akord Kvint workshop.
Fully solid, flamed European tone wood in a chestnut brown finish. It has an ebony fingerboard, pegs with Parisian eye, and Weidler endpin, with a Wittner Ultra tailpiece, and Thomastik-Infeld Spirocore strings.
To produce any musical sound we need:
1. Something that can vibrate with a particular frequency
2. Something that can make the 1st something vibrate
3. Something that can amplify the sound produced by the 1st something with the help of the 2nd something, preferably making it pleasant to hear
That's pretty much it.
In a wind instrument the sound producing part is a mouthpiece or a reed. In a drum it is a membrane. In a singer's body it is vocal cords. In a violin, as in any other stringed instrument, this is a string set in motion with a bow. The rest of the violin increases the level of the sound made by the vibrating string and "enriches" it if it is a good instrument.
There is one little thing, without which the bow would not be able to move the string. It is Rosin, also called colophony or Greek pitch, produced by heating fresh liquid resin, mostly obtained from pines. It is semi-transparent and varies in color from yellow to black. The term "colophony" comes from colophonia resina, Latin for 'resin from Colophon', a city in Ancient Greece.
Rosin is actively used in many industries, in pharmacology, in sports and in painting. And practically everywhere it is a means to achieve adhesion, viscosity and friction. In violin playing it is needed to get the required contact between the bow hair and the string.
Rosin differs in hardness. In warm and humid environment harder rosin works better, while for dry and cool climate softer rosin is preferable. For higher pitched instruments, such as violin or viola, Chinese Erhu or Persian Kemancheh, players use hard rosin, softer for cello and very soft and sticky for double bass.
Pirastro, one of the main string makers, is also known as producer of high quality and comparatively inexpensive rosins for practically all types of bowed instruments.
In addition to the models in the above chart Pirastro offers 2 rosins for Cello: Cello and Cellisto, and one Double Bass rosin: Bass Mittel.
They also make a very good rosin for students. Unlike all other Pirasto rosins, Piranito is of a rectangular shape and packed in a secure plastic box:
Pirastro's main competitor on the string market is Thomastik-Infeld. Like Pirastro, Tomastik has developed rosin models to match their own string models. Vision Violin Rosin is one of the examples:
It is designed for use with all Thomastik-Infeld Vision series string, like Vision Orchestra, Vision Solo and Vision Titanium.
This does not mean at all that Thomastik rosin cannot be used with Pirastro strings, and vice versa. Usually one rosin is enough for a couple of years, sometimes even more, while the strings have to be changed much more often.
For students Thomastik offers high quality cake shape Dominant Rosin in a soft cloth and round tin container that protects it from cracking.
D'Addario, an approved guitar string maker from US, also produces strings and rosins for orchestral instruments. Their Kaplan Rosin is not only great in quality, providing perfect grip and smooth contact between the bow hair and the string, it also looks amazing! It can make an excellent gift for any string player!
Kaplan rosin comes in dark and light formulae.
Larsen from Denmark - they don't have many. Just two - Amber and Red. These cakes looks so tasty, you can almost eat them up!
They don't need any more. They know that any string player would be happy to have Larsen rosin.
]]>The first mentions of using the bow as a means of sound production on string instruments date back to the Arab Renaissance. The bow used to play the Arabic-Persian rebab is not much different in shape from the bow used for archery. Since then, bowed instruments have become widespread, modified and improved. There is practically no corner on the planet where people would not play a bowed instrument. With all the diversity, they are all united by the principle of sound production: a bow that makes the string vibrate at a certain frequency. At the same time, the bow itself is essentially no different from the bow for an old rebab, be it a Chinese erhu, a Turkish kemancha, an Uzbek gidjak or a violin. It is the same bunch of horsehair stretched between the two ends of a curved stick.
The modern bow was designed by the French craftsman François Tourte at the end of the 18th century. Bending the stick to the other side - towards the string - was a revolutionary change, which considerably increased the tension and dramatically raised the maneuverability. Tourte defined the ideal parameters for the weight and length of the bow. The material he chose after years of experimenting was Pernambuco.
Primo 5105 Fine Pernambuco Violin Bow
This inexpensive Violin bow, made of Fine Pernambuco, has very good performance qualities. Its octagonal stick is strong and responsive. Fully-lined ebony frog with abalone slide is decorated with Parisian eye.
Since then in the development of violin playing, everything that could happen has happened. Great works for violin have been written in all possible genres. The world has seen and heard Paganini, Spohr, Vieuxtemps, Sarasate, Oystrakh, Heifetz and many other virtuoso violinists. And all of them played with the bow designed by Tourte. Nothing had been changed until, by the end of the last century, uncontrolled deforestation led to the threat of extinction of Pernambuco. In 2009, the Brazilian government imposed a ban on the export of this valuable wood from the country, while not banning the export of bows, made of Pernambuco. There was a need for a new material that is not inferior in its qualities to Pernambuco.
Wamara wood, also known as Guyana Rosewood turned out to be a very good alternative. It is a tree from Brazil, Equador and Guyana, that has been widely used for furniture and decking due to its dense structure, durability and insect resistance. It is cheaper in price, because it is sourced from a larger geographic area than Brazilwood.
This Violin Bow is made from high quality Wamara wood. It has a round stick, fully lined ebony frog with abalone slide and single eye. The bow is mounted with sterling silver trimmings and bow winding. Long lasting reptile skin is used for the leather grip.
A mid-level bow made of Wamara is in no way inferior to an average bow made of Pernambuco in terms of its playing qualities. The thing is that bow makers don't use this wood to make a fine bow that they can sell for a high price, they use Pernambuco. It is similar to jewelry. Fine jewelry is made from a diamond set in gold or platinum, not zirconium in steel. Swarovski is, probably, the only exception. But, if you are not professional violinist yet, a good Wamara bow would be a good choice.
To some extent, this also applies to Brazilwood. And here, to avoid confusion, the difference between Brazilwood and Pernambuco should be explained. From a botanical point of view, there is no difference because it is one plant called Brazilwood. Pernambuco wood is taken from the denser central part of the trunk, while so-called "Brazilwood" is the less dense part of the trunk, farther from the center. Despite the ban on the export of Brazilwood from Brazil, bows made from this wood are significantly cheaper than Pernambuco bows. If we again draw a parallel with jewelry, Brazilwood can be compared with low-grade gold, while Pernambuco with high-grade gold.
For beginners, a Brazilwood bow is, probably, the best choice, especially when you are looking for a smaller size bow, because you will not want to spend much for a bow that will be used no longer than two years.
Primo 5101 Brazilwood Bow is a nice violin bow for beginners, available in all sizes.
In the early 90s, bow manufacturers started using carbon fiber. By now, bows made from this artificial material have gained immense popularity due to their practicality. Carbon fiber is much stronger than the densest wood. In terms of quality, the carbon bow is no worse than Pernambuco, but is cheaper due to easier mass production. A wooden bow is almost impossible to copy because no pieces of wood are exactly the same. On the contrary, carbon fiber allows for an infinite number of copies.
CADENZA* F52 is a very good example of well made carbon fiber bows. Fitted with fully lined Ebony frog with Parisian eye, perfectly balanced, this bow will be a good tool in hands of any violinist.
Which bow to choose, wooden or carbon - it is more a matter of preference.
If you choose from wooden bows, the three types of wood can be arranged in the following order:
The simplest bows suitable for beginners are made from Brazilwood.
Wamara wood bows are good for intermediate students.
If you are an advanced player, choose Pernambuco.
Carbon bows should be considered separately as it is an artificial material with very wide possibilities. These bows can be of any level. As a rule of thumb, the price serves as a good guide.
Choosing a bow pay attention to the following:
1. The bow should not be too light. A certain weight is necessary for correct sound production, for playing chords and performing jumping strokes. In addition, the light weight indicates the low density of the wood.
2. The stick should only bend down towards the string, not sideways. A slight curvature towards your nose is ok, but never in the opposite direction. Otherwise, the stick will be touching the string when pressed.
3. It is impossible to assess the quality of the hair without playing with the bow for some time. But you need to make sure that the hair is not tangled. Otherwise, the hairs will cut each other and your bow will go bald very soon.
4. The bow's appearance speaks volumes. If the work is done carefully, most likely the master has taken care of the playing qualities of the bow. If there are chips on the wood, the head is not cut symmetrically, the frog does not fit snugly against the stick, the hair is tangled - this is not your bow.
All our bows are made of high quality materials and meet the highest standards.
Choose the bow that suits you best and make your Violin sing!
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Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question and personal preference plays a large role in deciding for yourself. There are so many good brands on the market and all of them are worth trying to get the best fit, but the life of an average violinist is a bit too short for that. So, it would be useful to sort out some of strings (the more - the better) before trying them on and this article will help break down some of the key points required to aid in that search.
Odds are that if you’ve purchased your violin for less than $100, it was not made by Stradivari 350 years ago, it was not even made by Zimmerman workshop 100 years ago. Our first recommendation is not to buy a $100 string set to put on your $100 violin. It's a waste of money as you can usually achieve the same result with a $20 dollar set of strings.
On the other hand, if your violin is a bit older (beginning of the 20th century) it should go without saying: don't buy the cheapest strings you can find. You might blame your violin for not meeting your expectations. However, buying the most expensive strings would also be a waste of your money. Choosing strings in a mid-price range should suffice to produce a great sound.
Finally, If you are the happy owner of a master made violin from the 19th century or older, then you probably don't need our advice. You will be buying the most expensive strings money can buy.
Prelude by D'Addario are decent strings for a very low price. This very basic model is made from metal, which secures stability in tuning. They also have a nice and clear tone. Prelude strings are available in all fractional sizes and very much recommended for beginners.
Historically, Violin strings were made of gut or catgut, which, despite the name, has nothing to do with cats. Catgut is a type of cord that is prepared from the natural fibre found in the walls of various animals’ intestines.
The disadvantage of the gut strings is that they are too sensitive to humidity and temperature change and cannot hold pitch for long period. In addition, they wear out quickly and become brittle soon. However, some players still love playing on guts. The best gut strings that can be bought today are probably Pirastro Oliv. They are very good on old master instruments, sound gorgeous and feel nice under the fingers. Excellent strings for Solo, but very hard to manage in the orchestra, because they need to be tuned frequently. To make them retain pitch you need to practice intensely for about an hour before going on stage in order to warm up your instrument and the strings, and the climatic conditions in the rehearsal room should be similar to those on the stage.
In early years of the 20th century string makers started producing metal strings, which were much more durable and practical. For many years Thomastik-Infeld SuperFlexible, or so called "Blue Thomastik" was the most popular among orchestra players, students and even some solo performers. David Oistrakh played on Blue Thomastik, though his magic hands could likely make anything sing beautifully.
Thomastik still produces those strings. Don't confuse them with Infeld Blue. These are very different strings of synthetic core, hydronalium and silver winding. One very small technical improvement makes these strings, as well as Infeld Red, very convenient. It is a removable ball end on E string. The player can choose the mounting method without buying an extra string.
In the late 70s another workhorse swept the world. It was Dominant by the same Thomastik-Infeld, made of perlon core with aluminum winding. Almost as durable as metal, but closer to guts by their characteristics. Very soon Dominant became the most popular Violin string set, especially among orchestra players.
Peter Infeld is a set that today, perhaps, is the leader among the models produced by this company. These are amazing strings at an excellent price. Super happy to have found them and bought them here! Highly recommend! - Amy Horman.
However, soloists prefer strings of higher level. Synthetic strings of the company Pirastro undoubtedly the frontrunners. Their Evah Pirazzi and Obligato surely stand out among other synthetics.
Another brand for professional use is Larsen from Denmark, better known and loved by cellists and Viola players. Their synthetic core Violin strings are less popular than Pirastro or Thomastik, though they are definitely no worse, but in many aspects even better. They are rich in colour as best guts, they project the sound like no other strings and they feel amazing under the fingers, almost like something living. A disadvantage of Larsen is their shorter life span. Like a beautiful flower that pleases your eyes for a short time before it starts to wither, with time these strings start losing their power and slowly fade out. They still sound beautifully, but not as bright as when they are new. So, if you are okay with changing strings more often and you want something really good and unlike anything else, then it is Larsen.
In recent years, the violin strings of the Slovak company Warchal, until recently known only in Europe, began to confidently win sympathy among musicians in North America. And this is rightfully so. The company's motto is: "Warchal strings are not handmade, they are head-made". And that is true, though they are handmade as well.
Several of their models cover the full range of violinist preferences, with the exception of only gut strings, which they don't produce.
So, experiment and make your Violin sing by choosing the best strings.
]]>The bridge of the Violin - a thin, beautifully carved piece of maple wood, located under the strings and between the f-holes - acoustically serves as the first link in the chain of amplification of sound emitted by a string. In its function and importance, it can be compared to a microphone or pickup in an electric amplification system. The better the mic - the better the sound coming out of the speakers.
The wood for the bridge has to be chosen with care. Not only density is important, but also the structure of the wood: the way the layers of the tree are organised. They should go straight, otherwise the bridge will give in to the pressure of the strings, bend with time and will not be able to pass the vibration to the top plate properly.
The bizarre shape of the bridge is not just for decorative purposes. These beautiful cuts are needed to adjust the frequency of oscillation by reducing the amount of the wood.
The bridge should stand firmly on its two legs, evenly distributing the pressure over the entire area of the bridge's sole. Therefore, the soles of both legs must exactly repeat and follow the shape of the top plate.
Let our luthier choose, carve and adjust the bridge for your instrument.
The soundpost is sometimes referred to as "âme", a French word meaning "soul". Italians use the same term, "anima", for this. Polish word "dusza" has the same meaning. The name speaks for itself.
Soundpost is a cylinder of spruce, about 6mm in diameter and over 50mm in length, working as a spacer between two plates. Acoustically it serves as another conductor of vibration. No need to reiterate the importance of wood selection. Carving out the soundpost is simple. What is really challenging is installation.
The soundpost is located under the bass end of the bridge. It should be put precisely where it should be and stand absolutely vertically. Both ends of the soundpost should follow the curve of the plates. And this is a real jewelry work, because it has to be done inside of the violin and through the narrow f-holes.
Every instrument is unique and perfect soundpost location for each violin is different. Good luthiers usually spend hours, sometimes days, moving the soundpost around until they find the optimal spot.
Let our highly experienced luthier carve a soundpost and find the place where the "soul" of your Violin belongs.
]]>Let us see how the Violin is built.
A violin consists of a spruce top, maple ribs and back, maple neck, maple bridge, spruce soundpost, bass bar, usually ebony fingerboard, wooden or metal tailpiece, endpin and four strings stretched between the tailpiece and four pegs. When the bow is drawn across the string, it makes the string vibrate with particular frequency and produce the sound of particular pitch. The sound of the string alone is very weak and poor. The rest of the Violin, excluding the neck and fingerboard, serves as an amplifier and enriches the sound with timbre or "colour". If the Violin is well crafted, the timbre is rich and beautiful, if not - then it is "ugly".
All sound producing parts work in a team, and, if any of them is not fulfilling its duties completely, it has an impact on the whole team work. Even a perfectly made violin will not sound well if the bridge is made of insufficiently dense maple, or if it is not adjusted properly to the top and not sitting well. This applies to every part.
There is not much that can be done with the top plate or back, it is given. But in the whole sound making chain every link should be working properly. Then only you will be able to get the sound out of your Violin and make it sing as you want it to sing.
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]]>English studio musician John Pearse first began researching into music string manufacture in the mid-sixties. The first person, ever, to teach guitar on television with HOLD DOWN A CHORD in 1962- his BBC lessons have been seen in six countries while his PBS series, STRING ALONG, was shown in most US television markets encouraging grandparents to learn the guitar with their grandchildren!
John Pearse
He is the author of some forty books on such diverse subjects as instrument building and technique- to cooking and the traditional art of fly fishing! He was a record producer. He started his own publishing company. He was, as he would put it, someone with a very low boredome threshhold.
In 1965 John began his collaboration with British Music Strings, a London string maker, to develop a guitar string with both a longer life and a more accurate vibrating and nodal pattern. His designs were so successful that, over the years, both British Music Strings and Thomastik marketed strings under his name, like Thomastik-Infeld John Pearse Folk Guitar Strings. John also designed string lines for Bourne Guitars and Jay Associates, makers of the Jester guitar line.
In 1978 he came to the United States to develop a unique line of accessories for the C.F. Martin Company. It was here that he again met dulcimist Mary Faith Rhoads.
Mary Faith was a prodigy...who hated to read music. So the early piano and violin lessons didn't last very long. In 11th grade, a friend helped her start on the guitar and she started playing publically in 1963, shortly after graduation.
During college, having abandoned the idea of following her parents' medical footsteps, her interest grew to include unusual instruments such as autoharp, 5 string banjo and Appalachian Dulcimer as well as guitar. She wove her path between Old and her own New Songs.
Her first trip to Europe was at 20, and convinced her that it would be possible to make a living being a musician there! When she returned in 1970, she connected with Paris and played in the first American Style Festival at Lambesc in August of that year. After that, she was in great demand there.
She first met John as she was getting off a stage in Paris as John was coming to the stage in 1971. Continuing to travel back and forth between Pennsylvania and France, she started playing the joy of her life, the hammered dulcimer in 1975, as part of a dance band revival for the occasion of the United States Bicentennial. Travelling with back pack, hammer dulicmer, mountain dulcimer and guitar through Europe also got the notice of the American Embasy in Paris and she did three tours for the State Department, travelling through most of Africa, Saudi Arabia, Madagascar and Greece. On the last tour, she was accompanied by John Pearse and Joe Dobbs.
After eighteen months, in 1980, John decided to leave Martin, and, with Mary Faith, started Breezy Ridge Instruments to produce the Breezy Ridge Hammer Dulcimer. His revolutionary design has continued to prove itself to be the best sounding Hammer Dulcimer ever made.
Next came a line of music strings designed especially for the professional musician. Within months, word of these exciting strings had spread across the country and pressure from both the public and beleaguered dealers had persuaded John and Mary Faith to make their line available to stores and things have just kept growing since then!. In addition to expanding the string line over the years, Breezy Ridge has also brought out many of John's unique accessories and produced his popular PBS TV series "Stringalong" and "Cooking with Wine" which have garnered rave reviews everywhere! In addition to all the new accessories available through Breezy Ridge®, he has also worked with Rick Shubb to produce the line of Shubb Pearse Bars for lap-steel and resophonic guitars. Most recently, John has just published a new book of his stories called "Carousel."
Over the years, John and Mary Faith were married and divorced, John married Linda and Mary Faith married Spafford ...and through it all, Breezy Ridge®, which became a proper "corporation" in 1990, has continued to grow stronger! Who would have thought that two old hippies could accomplish so much!
John passed away in October 2008 in Gernany, not having been back to the States for several years.
Mary Faith has always been in charge of the business end of Breezy Ridge®, and continues in that capacity! Now with the tasks of digitizing audio and video tapes, and getting books back into print, there is even more to do as Breezy Ridge® celebrates 35 years and the 50th Anniversary of John's first set of strings. [See his dashing figure from the set reproduced on the NAMM banner!!]English studio musician John Pearse first began researching into music string manufacture in the mid-sixties. The first person, ever, to teach guitar on television with HOLD DOWN A CHORD in 1962- his BBC lessons have been seen in six countries while his PBS series, STRING ALONG, was shown in most US television markets encouraging grandparents to learn the guitar with their grandchildren!
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It took bow makers and musicians centuries of experimenting with material, shape, length and weight until in the short classical period between 1785 and 1790 François Xavier Tourte, a French bow maker, in collaboration with the violin virtuoso G. B. Viotti, designed the perfect violin bow model that is still in use.
François Xavier Tourte (1747 – 25 April 1835) is considered to be the most important figure in the development of the modern bow. He has often been called the Stradivari of the bow. His bow is the perfect tool to make countless different strokes, some of which had not even been used by violinists of that time. We can say that Tourte contributed to the development of violin technique and music written for the violin no less than musicians and composers did.
All Tourte's bows are made of Pernambuco wood, the most usual, and so far the best, material for modern bows.
The trade of Brazilwood or Pernambuco is likely to be banned in the immediate future due to a dramatic decrease in the number of trees, creating a major problem in the bow-making industry which highly values this wood. This encouraged the makers to look for a substitute, and it turned out to be impossible to find any plant producing wood of the same quality. The solution was found, but not in flora.
Carbon fiber reinforced polymer became the substitute for the endangered plant in bow making.
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