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Changing strings with a wooden fine-tune tailpiece on a violin

It was recently brought to my attention that it is not easy to change strings on a violin with a wooden tailpiece with INBUILT FINE_TUNERS. I decided to make a little clip which hopefully clarifies how to change strings on those kinds of tailpiece.

Italian Tradition … German Precision only @ Ilja Grawert – Violinmaker.

Make an appointment to see me in my Brisbane/The Gap workshop or in my North Qld workshop near the Whitsundays north of Mackay. sms 0437 88 2468 or E-mail Ilja

Enjoy the music

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Keeping your bridge straight

I have a little clip on YouTube on how to keep your bridge straight. There are many reasons why bridges can warp.

  1. Humidity is a very big factor. Very high humidity it does not matter how well made, how seasoned & high quality the timber it will warp fast
  2. Badly filed grooves or winding of string broken at the bridge will pull the bridge more
  3. Always clean the strings and the top of the bridge after playing, that way the rosin dust does not make the strings stick in the grooves
  4. When the bridge top has moved in either direction and it does not get corrected it will warp
  5. Either if the neck angle is wrong, the saddle too high or low in short if the angle the strings are running over the bridge is that uneven so the bridge top gets pulled in one direction.
  6. Too high tension strings or a too high bridge due to a high neck angle

The best way of preventing it to warp is always keep your cello bridge stand straight as shown in the video

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The five main characteristics of a good violin

All bowed stringed instruments ideally should have all of the following five characteristics…

 

In my opinion the sound quality of good violins should be the same in old and new violins.

A well made violin should have five main features which are an absolute necessity.

1. the violin has to be structurally well made of high quality well seasoned timbers crafted in an aesthetically pleasing and artistic manner.

2. the violin has to have an even tone over all four strings.

3. the violin has to have a carrying sound so it can be heard in the last row of the concert hall (please do not confuse with a loud tone)

4. the violin has to speak easy under all conditions in all registers of all four

strings.

5. the violin should be well set-up and easy to play

(the set-up of the violin)

These are the main features which make a good violin.

Then you will find the character of an instrument: some instruments  are more powerful, some have a more soft sound, some a brighter sound etc. These are all characteristics which come down to the taste and requirements of the player.

I have heard many famous old instruments as well as many new instruments which do not meet these main features. Some have a lack of all of them, some only have a weakness in one area.

My advise is to look for the top five main features which make a good violin when you choose a new instrument. Enjoy