Steve_W

A lot of Cape Breton fiddlers play this way; Ashley MacIsaac is probably the most famous (or infamous) of the bunch but there are a lot of others. It's a solo fiddle tradition so there's a lot of room for individuality. You can't tell from listening that they're playing LH but it sure looks odd to watch them! -Steve

Yes, it could have been something with the cookies at this end. It started happening recently, and not as a result of anything I changed consciously. But it seems to be resolved now. I halfway expected Glenn to respond that I was Number 6! "I am not a number--I am a free man!"

Thanks Glenn, my problems seem to be solved now; my computers have all stayed logged in for the last couple of days. By the way, if you're member number 2, who is Number 1?

Although--weren't his Amati copies pretty good?

Nice one, Marie!

I noticed that using Firefox 2.0 on the PC, I can no longer stay logged in permanently but have to log in at the beginning of each session. This seems to have started a week or two ago. I haven't changed anything at my end... Bug or feature, or something I'm doing wrong?

There's an update of that feature on Ifshin Violins' website here. (The author is Richard Ward who works at that shop.) It's still a few years old, though.

That guy's still posting over on Fiddle Forum. He was last seen trying to convince one of the members that his 19th C German (IIRC) fiddle, for which the owner knows the history back pretty much to the original purchase, was an authentic del Gesu... I'm not sure I'm a fan of the new feature that allows someone to change his/her screen name. As far as I can tell, it has only been used by pranksters or by people who want to escape a reputation (deserved or not). -Steve

Lots of violinists like Evah Pirazzis, but some people don't like them, as you'd expect I guess! Personally I've thought about trying a set since my luthier suggested them but balk at the price, especially since I have a suspicion they'd be too bright on my (fairly bright sounding) violin. I think that $65 is a pretty good price for those strings; when I looked recently the lowest I found was $72.

Pirastro Tonica is another middle-of-the-road synthetic string that a lot of people like. I agree with Thom, I start with Dominant or Tonica and then vary later depending on characteristics I think are missing. It can take a while to sort out; I went through 4 or 5 brands over 4 years, and a bunch of different E strings, before I found a set I was happy with on my main violin. (Its maker told me recently that he's found that his violins perform best with yet another brand that I haven't tried!) That said, after listening to professional recordings made with this instrument early on and recently, I'm now convinced that many of the differences are perceptible only to the player, not to the listener!

I liked to use loop-end E's with this style of tuner, but I'm not sure it matters a whole lot (now all my instruments have either Hill-style tuners on the E or tailpieces with integrated fine tuners so I don't have this issue). I agree with Yuen, I wouldn't "form a loop" by passing the free end through the ball, but you can snap the balls out of many brands of ball-end strings if you need a loop end.

Look, this is getting ridiculous. If you can't be bothered to read the thread far enough to understand the question, please don't post!

The last few years the topic of books for Summer reading has come up around this time so I thought I'd start it up again and hopefully get some suggestions for my upcoming vacation. Have you read any good books--especially anything related to music--lately? Personally I've been re-reading Paul Adam's "The Rainaldi Quartet" (published in GB as "Sleeper"). Great murder mystery involving the possible discovery of another "Messiah" violin... -Steve

This is VLM's product page for the Diamond viola rest, if it's any help. No specifications (and flash-based--I hate flash) but there is a link to contact them. I haven't had any experience with the Diamond but used a VLM Original for a while. It's on the order of the Kun rest but more adjustable and the feet gripped my instrument better than a standard Kun (they've changed their feet since then though). The Diamond looks like a decent rest!

Ooh, The Bohemian Groove! Great name for a band! Sorry... (Edit: darn, I googled it and somebody else is already using it...)

I think if you look at the macro side too much it'll drive you crazy; almost everything has an international component these days. Seriously (as opposed to my 100 cups of coffee suggestion), I got my rebate a couple months ago and am still thinking about what to do with it--I probably should just bank it against retirement, since I'm pessimistic about the economy and think this rebate won't do any good. But regarding keeping it in the U.S. I think that it might be better to spend it on services rather than goods. For instance, a week at fiddle camp, or a bunch of violin lessons came to mind. Or maybe it's time to think about getting that neck reset on my old fiddle done... Actually I'll probably just use it to upgrade some of my computer and music equipment, but I'll try to buy from local shops rather than chains. -Steve

100 cups of coffee?

Thanks jezzupe; I live in Walnut Creek and had no idea Croen's workshop was there! -Steve

Andrew, a very minor correction: Ifshin's new shop is in El Cerrito (very near the El Cerrito Plaza BART stop). Also to add to the list of reputable makers/dealers, Scott Cao in Campbell, Peter Van Arsdale in Berkeley. -Steve

I feel you should only put information on a label that you know to be true. You could write something like "In my opinion, this is based on a Joseph Guarneri model." Then your opinion would be wrong but the label would still be accurate!

I say it's not a Guarneri copy. Look at the middle bouts and the f-holes! The only thing you know for sure about this violin is that you bought it and did some work on it. If you have to put a label in it, why don't you just put something in to that effect? I think Manfio's first suggestion was a good one. -Steve

Yes, very quick now. It has taken me some time to figure out where various controls are but think I now have a handle on most of it! Glad the e-mail PW reminder is back up...

I don't use American Airlines (and will avoid any airline that imposes a surcharge for checked luggage for as long as I can!) but agree that the extra pressure to take carry-on luggage could have a negative impact on travelling violinists; if you've flown recently you'll notice that the bins are already fuller than they used to be as more and more people try to avoid checking luggage. However that said, the last domestic flight I was on, a month or so ago (Alaska Airlines) was full and the overhead bins were crowded but they still managed to accommodate a nice acoustic guitar that another passenger carried on, so at least some airline personnel "get it" and try to be helpful. I suppose that doesn't help when you come up against a steward/ess that's having a bad day, though... For dealing with item 1, my strategy for flying is to try to reserve seats towards the rear of the plane, so that I board early and have more likelihood of finding open bins. I fly with a standard Bobelock shaped case that has a relatively small footprint and have never been hassled about it. -Steve

Follow-up article here with interviews with some of this guy's victims, which might answer some of Marie's questions...

I remember seeing a Roth in David Saunders' shop in Seattle in the late '70s that I think he said was sold by Monkey Ward's (he may have said Sears) in the early 1900s. Very nice instrument. Had a 5-pointed star inlay around the end pin.