Mat Roop
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Posts posted by Mat Roop
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Thanks Y'all... that's what I thought. If there was a serious scientific principle involved, they would refer to that principle.
Cheers!... Mat
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saw this ad in Strings Magazine... checked out the site www.fastersound.com ...but could not find an answer to: How does it work... in theory and in reality?
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Beauty is in the eye and ear of the beholder... post pics of your first... it will likely have a better opinion than you expect.
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Thanks Mark... so if the groove is hardened with CA, well finished & lubricated, what is the point of the parchment?
I do agree that after applying CA, the groove can't be filed to fresh wood as that can creates a sharp edge.
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I too have a distaste for the plastic sleeves... even for student instruments. I have for the last few years finished shaping the bridge & groove then touching the groove with fresh ca glue ( not the thick version). It soaks in, hardens the slot and then retouch with a file and lubricate... seems to hold up reasonably well
Curious to hear if others do that or have reasons to not do it.
Cheers, Mat
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19 hours ago, Andreas Preuss said:
That’s my findings in violin acoustics, if you want so. To put it in an oversimplified view: To me the rib structure sets the pre-condition of the entire acoustic behaviour. In those terms I find it problematic to compare the acoustic of 2 instruments and thereafter look on parameters of top and back only to find out what makes one instrument sound better than the other.
Now when it comes to the linings, I see the top-side linings as a sort of frame for the top. The weaker it is the weaker and more undefined are the overtones. As usual, there are other factors, for example the long arch of the top. However when I get for example an instrument with a rather thin top which has problems with brilliancy or clarity, I started to look on the linings. As a test I have strengthened on two of my instruments the top linings with 1mm bamboo strips I set under the original linings. Don’t expect a super miracle! But it helps definitely for having a bit more meat in the 2-4kHz range (if you take a sound graph).
The linings on the back side can be rather small and weak, but it also doesn’t harm to make them rather sturdy. I wished some acoustic guys would dig deeper into ‘rib frame acoustics’,
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Bamboo is a material with fantastic proportions for weight against stiffness. Therefore one might think about using it for the linings from the beginning. And if you make guitar linings (running over the blocks) even better.
Thanks Andreas... The reason I ask was that a few years back I had a fairly talented fiddler bring in an old "lions head " fiddle, falling apart, with signifcant sentimental value. It had no linings at all. Fitting new linings was not an expense they were willing to commit to. Interestingly, It became that player's "favourite" ... which made me wonder if a more flexible top grid was beneficial. Apparently not, and then possibly, this fiddlers other violins must be ones of the "usual" dust bin variety!
Always enjoy your posts Andreas!... cheers, Mat
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2 hours ago, Andreas Preuss said:
...And here the stiffness of the top linings and the entire area around the top block are most important.
Andreas... so can you advise what is the effect of stiffer top linings to tone... and conversely, the effect of weaker stiffness ?
Thanks, Mat
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Thanks Dr Mark... Now I understand ..... that I am not too bright!
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5 hours ago, martin swan said:
I should have said I find it far slower to tune with Wittners than with regular pegs but it's probably just what you're used to ... I have the same problem with integral tailpieces.
Can I assume that an "integral tailpiece" is a tailpiece that has built in 4 fine tuners. ...correct?
2 hours ago, Bodacious Cowboy said:Integral tailpieces are pretty useless for anything other than steel strings, IMO.
why?... what happens when you use them?
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On 8/4/2023 at 10:01 AM, Violadamore said:
Cut to the chase, just install Wittner FineTune pegs, and stop worrying about it. They don't slip, eliminate the need for fine tuners, and liberate you from the peg shaver forever.
https://wittner-gmbh.de/wittner_finetune_peg_violin.html
https://wittner-gmbh.de/wittner_finetune_peg_service.html
They are available from many online shops and suppliers.
Was tempted many times, but never tried these because I enjoy peg shaving...now, I think I will. Do you still leave the classic e fine tuner on the tailpiece as well, or is the FT e peg fine enough?
Cheers... Mat
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12 hours ago, hnryhouuu said:
How should a good fitting look? Should there be a lot of long wood grains? As the one in my local luthier has that characteristic, and uncoloured at the moment
Colored pegs?
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I guess I always had an issue wth getting the bridge to exactly the same position before testing fit. It was the angle that was tough for me. That is why I designed this gadget that holds the bridge at exactly the same spot & angle for each try. perhaps has some limitations for the real high end violins, but for the usual... makes life easy.... Mat
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1- my guess is that the luthier is a guitar luthier
2-The shiny finish is french polish... or maybe more likely guitar lacquer.
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I'm curious...could you share some closer pics of the nut from different angles... that's the piece that the strings go over at the small end of the fingerboard.
Thanks!... Mat
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Rue... may I suggest my diagnosis of OA?
Osteo Arthritis... but then, could also be... Old Age?
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Good idea... I'll try it!... Thx... Mat
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I do sort of what Jacob does except I wet the bridge totally then place it in a plastic bag for a few hours, to absorb the moisture throughout ( don't want to over saturate) Then slowly ( in 3 or 4 light clamp actions) clamp onto a flat surface and let set over night. Remove plastic bag and reclamp and let dry. If the feet fit currently then by slightly shimming the flat board at the appropriate place, ( usually the lower waist) the feet fit will remain but the warp will be straightened.
I must admit though that I more often just fit a new bridge, because if the strings have dug in or are not quite the right height or spacing, or the right thickness, I'd rather just fix it all and be done with it.
Also, I may be wrong but my sense is that a warped and straightened bridge is now weaker than original?
My 2 cents!... Cheers, Mat
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Outofnames...as a temporary test... try some double sided adhesive tape on the frog... a small strip in the right place might help.... maybe even some 200 or 400 grit sandpaper attached with the double sided tape. No harm and it might generate some ideas for you.
Cheers, Mat
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Yes Mark, I was instructed by the manufacturer that if you allow the mix to sit for 20 min then two improvements... 1- stronger bond and 2- the exposed finished set glue will have a cleaner and less tacky surface = less cleanup.
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VdA....I am not part of his circle, but as I understand it he plays in a group that includes a Metis fiddler, a classical player and him , a high school music teacher... so I guess they cover many styles.
Its just that I had never seen that concept except for elastic bands at the end of the finger grip.
Cheers... Mat
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About a year ago I had a client that asked for a solution to his finger sliding excessively up on the bow shaft explaining that he was taught to hold the bow loosely, but that causes his hand to slide up the bow.
I have seen things like elastics wrapped around the finger grip for this purpose. Attached is a pic of what I made & installed. Essentially a strip of leather contact with cement & wrapped to build up to a thickness of about 3mm. I did not get too fancy expecting it be removed. But... a year later the bow has come back for a rehair and the client advised he was exceptionally pleased with this fingerstop.
So, I thought I might share the idea because he was so pleased with the result.
Also, for my knowledge & understanding, Is this an issue generally for players, and is this sort of thing done in this industry? If so, what is the usual solution?
Cheers, Ma
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I am assuming this is a not too expensive bow... Buy a new one.
Failing that, I would try using G2 epoxy with first a liberal cleaning of the crack with acetone, and let set for at least 3 days to cure at room temp... no spline. If it fails oh well & not much lost!
Usually G2 epoxy if proportioned exactly and well mixed provides a very solid joint. As In understand it, G2 is used in the making of wood propellers.. a high stress and vibration environment.
Good luck!
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On 6/13/2023 at 7:24 PM, Violadamore said:
No, metal polishes are a chemical zoo. For example, Brasso works chemically on copper alloys, and contains ammonia. Its abrasive is pumice suspended in something that smells like petroleum distillates. For another, Mother's Mag Polish is hard to figure out, because the MSDS lists a witches brew of compounds, besides alumina as an abrasive. Both MSDS sheets also have the proviso that some ingredients aren't listed because they aren't considered hazardous. I use both of these in polishing other stuff, but wouldn't let them near a bow.
I'd be very cautious using any commercial metal polish on bow fittings because of what the petroleum distillates and other stuff might do to the wood (and its finish), hair, or nacre nearby.
Reading the online MSDS for things like polishes before you use them on something is also wise.
Violadamore thanks for your thoughts... so what do you use to clean the metal on frogs for student bows and anything different for pro bows?.. Thanks, Mat
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On 6/11/2023 at 8:10 AM, nathan slobodkin said:
There we go Mat! I was hoping for suggestions of techniques I haven't tried. I will add ammonia to my list of cleaners to try and see if it works for me. What is Autosol? I am not familiar with that but am willing to try that also.
Autosol is a chrome polish... works great. In use the paste in a tube version. I suppose silver polish would work likewise.
BTW... re ammonia for cleaning... I use a fairly weak solution ( about 1-2 tbsp/ cup water) and have never had an issue... I also use it judiciously on student violins with no issues.... yet!
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looking for an old post on restoring a crack and finish by the esteemed Mr Holmes
in The Pegbox
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I was looking for a post that I recall from a few years ago where Jeffrey posted a few pics of a before and after repair of a violin crack and the finish restoration. I recall that the repair was absolutely invisible... Can't find the post.
Anyone here know where it is??