Jeffrey Holmes

Update: Thomastik got back to me. The following is an extract of the email I received "Thank you for reaching out to us about the problem with some silver D strings. We found out that one shipment from our silver supplier contained inferior material. Unfortunately, the difference does not show in sound quality and bow response, but only in lifetime, which is why we did not catch this immediately despite many routine checks. The problem is identified and solved."

Were they thinking???

In general, I think you'll discover that you get what you pay for. A luthier/shop that has an all around good reputation for high quality setups and diagnosis has probably earned that reputation and will charge for their work. Also, having it remedied by paying once is probably less than paying twice. They should also be able to give you a good idea of what they believe is causing you difficulty before diving in. BTW, we don't know where you are or what the violin "is".

As an ex-player, have you had personal interaction with any London dealers in the past? Maybe best to consider past relationships before forging new ones. I've done business with a few of the London shops in the past and have been very satisfied with the results. I'm sure some of our UK members will chime in.

A little vague on the details (geographic location? "well-known maker, fully authenticated, and aimed at professional or advanced players" is a rather wide range of violins, contemporary to rather old) There is a reason many owners opt to sell their instruments on consignment... Best to do that with a dealer you trust. They should have those connections you mentioned. Probably good not to list it on public listing sights if you are at all concerned about overexposure. As a player/owner/whatever, your marketing strength is about as large as those you know relatively well plus a few of those the people you know relatively well know. If you are a symphony member or active in the chamber music scene, you might have a chance!

With occasional exception of the A strings (as you, Philip and Micheal mentioned), my clients used to get months (maybe not 9, but certainly 4 to 6) with heavy playing on the Rondos. With the exception of the E strings I have used them as one of my go-to string sets since they were released (and I was involved in testing before they were released), but the relatively recent reports and my own experiences with PI, Rondo and Vision seems to indicate something (not so good) has changed over the last 6 or 9 months. We'll see what Thomastik has to say (if they respond).

A number of shops are using a scanner and CNC to replace tear-outs (depending on the location situation). Well done, this is a more conservative approach than removing enough original material to be able to fit a patch. Viability is situational. Sometimes a patch is the better option. Acquiring and setting up the equipment required is much less expensive than a decade or two ago, but it's not cheap and there is a learning curve. If this is a one-off, it might be good to find someone already set up and bribe them with baked goods, money or booze to scan and cut the insert for you. Test piece we gouged out and new pieces using contrasting colored wood cut when we set up our CNC and scanner. One piece glued in, one not. Works similarly with maple.

I have a general question about Thomastik silver D strings for those who use them regularly. Clients have reported, and I have noted first hand, that the string life of PI, Rondo and Vision silver Ds for violin seem to have quite a bit shorter usable life (players lucky to get a month before needing to replace the string). Seems in past years these strings held up longer (for the same players). A common issue is that they seem to start unraveling at the bridge or in the center of the fingerboard. At first In thought this might be "instrument centric" or a setup (bridge issue), but I've seen this occur on many violins with rather good setups and hear the similar reports from players in varied locations across the US. Anyone else noticing this? Did Thomastik alter the gauge of their windings? I've sent an email to the company, but haven't heard back.

Love Dachshunds!

Sorry. Not sure what you're trying to convey.

Hmmm.. What happens when the player turns them while tuning? There are a number of peg head styles available that aren't "fat".

In this political climate (tariffs etc), I've experienced difficult finding sources of good fittings myself. There are suppliers in Canada that still offer Tempel pegs (one of my go-tos), and I imagine they would stock various shaft sizes, but I have no idea what the price would be for a retail client. I'm sure you're aware that the wood of peg shafts can and does move (change shape) a little when stored after production, so Id make sure you leave a bit of "room" for shaving when you install them. I too wonder a little about the string path @Mark Norfleet mentioned.

Good Solution! Just come on over and visit me! The new AI data center being built in Saline is still in DTE land I believe, so maybe they'd store the smokestack for you short term.