Fiddler45

If that's worth $400 I'm asking way too little for my stuff...

I have that gauge, however, to test its accuracy, I counted out 175 hairs, tied them up to get ready for a bow, and then used the gauge to see. According to the lines on it, it was between 150 and 160. So I used the gauge to measure 175 to grab another hank to tie up, and when I counted that out afterward, it was off by 10-15 again. So that was the reason I asked if anyone knew approximately how many; if it is a bow that has absolutely no hair on it anywhere (even in the plugs) there is no way for me to know what number is a good starting point. I guess if I had more experience maybe I could tell more by feel to help me along, but hey, that's why I'm here. :) Cheers!

Not to mention that I've heard numerous times that stuff donated to Goodwill is sold for profit for the business and is not used for any kind charity anyway.

Also depends on the chemical composition of an individual's sweat. I can make a set.of either fiddle or guitar strings last months on end, (and I play much harder than most blugrass players I've seen on the guitar) and I'll hand an instrument to the "wrong" person and after a half hour of playing they're absolutely shot and need to be replaced. I've gotten very selective of who I allow to use my stuff.

I had a request to rehair a bass bow. Being that I have probably only rehaired 60 or so bows, I am uncertain of a couple things. One, will regular white violin bow hair work or would I need different hair? Two, if regular violin hair will work, does anyone know approximately how many hairs to use? I usually use 170-185 on a violin bow depending on the bow. If I don't have the materials or if there is some different skill set involved, it's not a big deal; I'm not committed to doing it. Thanks

Either of these shades

I have graduated a few backs according to the chart in this book and they have turned out decent. What is the accepted "correct" measurement pattern for back graduation?

Thanks all! Now that I have thought more about it, I think one of the supply cabinets I got from an old family friend who used to rehair some student bows has a partial stick of what could be this in a drawer. I'm going to look for it and see if it melts and what it sets up like

I searched google adding maestronet and came up with nothing, so I apologize if there is a topic here already. I have been rehairing some old bows that came with some old trade instruments. In some of them, there is a red substance in the tip and frog mortises where the knots are tied. It crumbles when you scrape it with a pick, but otherwise holds together somewhat. It seems like a mix between rosin, wax, and glue? Is it there to help hold the plugs in? To help keep the knot from moving? And most importantly, what exactly is it?

Get it while you can! https://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-Italian-Violin-ANTONIO-TUNIOLI-Ferrara-1930-CERTIFICATE-upon-request/224092430687?hash=item342cf3215f:g:Ll4AAOSwtNlfGupL

......probably

I converted a fiddle to 5 string for a friend a few years ago. I looked through my "rubbish" and took the best combination of large body, wide neck, and room in pegbox for 5 pegs. I think I used a 41 or 42mm bridge. Strings were spaced very comfortably to play. The thing sounded much better acoustically than I had figured it would, even after doing repairs and rebarring/graduating. Not bad for a $25 estate sale fiddle.

Here's this one Rue

Thank you.

I'll take one sometime tonight or tomorrow. Top was cracked by the fingerboard, and looked like it had been sitting for decades. Fixed the crack and graduated the top, new bass bar, and made fingerboard, fitted post, bridge and new pegs. Sounds pretty good. Before pic