Blog archives for January, 2010

I have a seam crack in a violin and my parents don’t want to go to the store and get it fixed. So my dad suggested that he glues it. He doesnt know much about violins, but we can get the right glue and instructions. Should I let him glue my violin or take it to the store?

I’m not a musician, but I know a little bit and I am a woodworker. I also saw a very interesting documentary about why a Stradivarius is a Stradivarius from a woodworking perspective and it stuck with me.

How the repair is done will effect the sound of the violin. The instrument is all about how the vibration of the strings reverberate within the instrument and how it reverberates the wood itself. (A Stradivarius is made with a very particular wood that can’t be obtained anymore, btw. Very interesting stuff!)

I won’t even attempt to suggest how it should be fixed because I don’t know how particular glues & methods will affect the violin’s tone. I just know it needs to be done correctly or it can severely lower the quality of the instrument.

I guess the real question is what level of quality is this violin? If it is just a run of the mill, not great violin then let him try to glue it. How much worse can he make it. But if it is a better to high quality violin, take it to someone who knows what they are doing! It will make a difference.

I’m looking to buy a violin from a trustworthy website from the United Kingdom. Preferably, I would like it to be handmade. But if you know any good websites that sell them, please post it here!

Thanks

I don’t think any decent handmade violin is going to be sold on a website, simply because the sort of people who buy decent handmade violins want to try them out first.

I’d recommend you look in your Yellow Pages and see if you can find a little advert from someone who rehairs bows, sells instruments etc. – not a big music shop but an individual who just deals with string instruments. Give him a ring. If he doesn’t sell the sort of instruments you are looking for, he’ll probably know somebody who does.

I know it will be better if I had hands-on from an instructor, but all I am asking is if it’s at all possible to learn from a book, DVD or online course?

I have a very nice student violin, that has been thoroughly checked out by the local music store, and I’m really anxious to start terrorizing everyone in my house with my practice sessions. (kidding) I’ve played guitar for over 20 years, but I have a feeling this little violin is going to be a different animal altogether!

The problem is there is only one person in a 60 mile radius from us who teaches violin, and she is booked solid with students and will not take any more until next spring. (That, and she is known for having a better relationship with children than adults.)

Any instrument to be played well comes from the love of the instrument. My son learned the harp of all things by playing it by himself when he was 10. Yep same biker son that is 24 now. To me an instrument of any kind is like hugging a good friend or feeling comfortable in a familiar chair. If you really love what you are trying to accomplish…YOU CAN DO IT. I personally believe that teachers are great but I also believe that even the best teacher cannot teach what it not in the person (you know kinda like Karate). If you reallly like the sound and feel of the violin you can learn to play it by yourself. Or if you are not comfortable with it in your arms it will sound like you are just trying to attract other mates at the fence who like pink soctch. BUT whether you succeed or not you will teach your children in the process to TRY and also if it does not work out you will teach them that we all have limits that we must accept. MUCH SUCCESS either way. I personally loved to play and so does my daughter…My personal belief..a house cannot have too much music, too many books, too much love, and it can never have too much laughter. LTL Alda

Hey I want to start playing the violin and I dont want to pay alot for my first violin, and i was reading online that people have bought violins from china and replaced the strings with better ones, would this make a bad violin sound good? ignoring the type of wood and varnish that’s on the violin.

Not sure about the violin, but i did the same thing to my guitar, a normal price guitar, and changed them with high class strings, didnt sound so different to me though.