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Maestronet Forums

Mat Roop

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Posts posted by Mat Roop

  1. "Hopf" Violin Purchase

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    MaryS... first rule of restoration is replace what is missing and remove nothing of the original that exists... ie.. carve a piece to replace the missing wood in the screw hole ... trying to match the grain of the original. Not easy, but you will be delighted with the results if you take the time!

    good luck!  Mat

  3. "Hopf" Violin Purchase

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    14 hours ago, Strad O Various Jr. said:

    Learning regraduation is great experience to becoming a hack!

    Could you consider that regraduation is the process of finishing work that was left in an unfinished state.... sort of like buying a house with a nice exterior and main living quarters but with an unfinished basement ... and then finishing the basement to complete the job. 

    Also, not much different than the markie method of a violin having been built by multiple makers doing different parts... regraduation is simply another part with another contractor doing another part of the project, just maybe a century or two apart:P.

    Don't get me wrong...  I get the issue of regraduation, but for vso's why is it a sin to make a vso playable for beginners and kitchen party types? ... they seem to appreciate it! 

  6. "Hopf" Violin Purchase

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    Mary... listen to Jacob... Remove the top, the neck and repair every component thoroughly... I have done many of these and if you take shortcuts or take the easy route ( which ends up not any easier) you will be sorry.

    Remove top ( learn how), re graduate, fit new bass bar, remove & reset neck, check blocks etc. Learn how to align neck for direction and height, Fit new new ebony fingerboard, nut , post, bridge, new ebony pegs. and learn how to clean and restore the finish ( not refinish!!)

    Each of these tasks are not necessarily easy or quick but are a great learning experience and you will end up with a violin you will be proud of, will likely sound decent  and you will want to save as keepsake. 

    Avoid the concept of "good enough"! ... because every less than perfect step leads to further problems down the road.

    We are all here to guide you with each specific step if you wish:)... just ask... Good luck, Mat

     

     

  7. Jacobus Stainer Repair

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    My guess ... needs new bridge, strings, post, and a nut ajustment... ie a basic set up.. Assuming 1-the fingerboard projection is directly pointing to the end pin and the elevation is correct, and  2- there are no loose seams that need to be reglued, This should be an easy and inexpensive project.

    Check out https://darntonhersh.com if they are too busy they would be able to make a recommendation.

    Cheers, Mat

     

  8. Bow advise please!!

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    Agreed!... short story... I have a violin client, whose violin I have maintained for many years. He absolutely loved his fibre bow and never wanted to even try anything else. Finally, After a small violin repair for him, I had on hand  a nice Tourte bow, pernambuco with silver fittings, rehaired with premium siberian horse hair, and I asked him for a favour to just try it, no obligation and that I would appreciate his evaluative comments as a few who had tried it really liked it, and in my case I am not a good player, so getting a players perspective is of significant help for me.  

    He agreed and that night he called saying I was not going to get the bow back!  Synthetics are great for students... but you can't beat high quality natural materials.

    But..... if you feel Arcus is the desired result, then find a reputable supplier, buy all 3 versions, have your Mother test drive them all and return the rejects for a full refund. A good supplier should not have a problem with that arrangement.

    If that does not work, check the info on their web and then contact Arcus directly and they should be able to answer questions and define some of the differences intended with the various models.

    https://www.arcus-muesing.de/en/products/cellobows.html

     Cheers, Mat

  12. Wood filler for retouching

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    On 11/14/2021 at 8:01 PM, Violadamore said:

    I forget who here first recommended it to me, but mixing very fine wood filings with hide glue or varnish (depending on the situation), has worked well for me.  :)

    Vda... can you elaborate a bit... which type of situation for wood fillings with hide glue and which with varnish?

    Thanks!... Mat

  13. Hopf violin id

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    4 hours ago, jacobsaunders said:

    .....so you should probably change your reading habits:)

    Ha... yes but Maestronet has Jacob to set us straight!

    I get the squarish shoulders look ... just could not relate that to the word "angular"

     

    Thanks Y'all!

  14. Hopf violin id

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    I recently read a description of an  identifiable feature of Hopf violins ..." its slightly "angular" upper bout" 

    What is meant by "angular"?  ... is that the slight reduction of rib height from the upper blocks to the neck? 

    If so, is that peculiar to Hopf, primarily?

    Cheers, Mat

  15. Tonal Copies by Sam Zygmuntowicz in The Strad

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Don Noon said:

    .... I would also be interested in details about some of the Strads that are really bad (there are some), to find out why they are that way and what to avoid... but I doubt there's all that much interest in that, and certainly not on the part of the folks who own them.

    If the reason for a bad sounding strad were/could be determined, and subsequent successful modifications were made, would that be ... 1-unethical and 2- would that increase or decrease the value of the instrument?

  17. Opinions on this glue

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    11 hours ago, ctanzio said:

    .....Use for gluing unstressed wood joints on items that will sit quietly on a shelf.

     

    I used it to glue  a fingerboard on a family violin 30 years ago, ... it sat in a case in my basement shop for a month ... I looked at it before delivering and thank goodness I did, because the fingerboard, with no stress, had completely fallen off and the glue was all sticky. Clean up was easy though!:P

  18. Help with id please

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Vion said:

    Do you think it is worth going to the luthier and repairing it? What do you belive it should cost me and what do you think it is worth repaired? Also i want to tell you it has light construction. Compared to two other bohemian violins i own, it is very light. Do you think it will have good sound?

    Worth going to a luthier for an opinion... but I suspect they will say no to repair.  Cost.. way more than its worth!

  19. Looking for help identifying 91 year old Grammas Violin

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    18 hours ago, jacobsaunders said:

    A cheap mid 20th C. Schönbach (Czech) school outfit in a state of repair, that any remedial work would not be viable

    True for commercial value... but ... It was "well loved" so it has huge irreplaceable sentimental value. Although it has a split peg box and a real questionable neck root, I would venture to make it playable keeping its wrinkles, scars and bruises . The bows need a rehair and new grip on one. All in all a $5-700 investment to make a wonderful and playable keepsake in memory of a dear hippie grandma. ... Cheers, Mat

  23. Cello Wolf Note

    in The Pegbox

    Posted

    Yes... every cello has a wolf and when you attach to, or modify the body, it will change the location of the wolf... but sometimes a change will make matters worse, so that is why the Rezx magnetic modulator was developed... you can move it ad nauseum to find the perfect spot without cost and without affecting the integrity of the instrument. If you find a spot that suits your need then that can be duplicated in a permanent alteration, but alas, often that spot changes with time, humidity and temperature... so a permanent alteration of the instrument may not be a good idea.... and so, back to a moveable resonance modulator that can be moved on a whim.

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