Publications that are seriously helpful.

[Roger Hargrave]

I know from experience that many people purchase violin books and magazines simply to have them on display in their sales room. In many cases they are neither opened nor read. Often this is not a bad thing because much of what is published is frankly pointless bumf'. However, I have just heard that two of the best new publications of the past decade are not exactly flying off the shelves and this saddens me more than somewhat. The first "Stradivari Varnish" may not provide the recipes that most violin makers crave, but it is the most comprehensive collection of information about classical varnishes that I have so far come across. It is well set out and the photography is not only first class, but inadvertently it also shows how photography might well be used to expose fakes. However, if you can't get something together after reading it, better get out of the business. For what it provides it is exceptional value for money.

The slow sales of book number two may have more to do with its price. However it is a mammoth piece of work. Three volumes, magnificent in their scope, and in spite the price they are an absolute bargain, and a must for any serious workshop. Three volumes of solid, helpful and clearly set out advice, tackling most of the problems that violin and bow making workshop are likely to face. It is called "The Conservation, Restoration, and Repair of Stringed Instruments and Their Bows". Most commendable is the fact that all of this information and labor was given for free in aid of the Pernambuco project. The list of contributors should be enough to sell this publication by the shipload. It reads like a who's who in violin and bow making, expertise and restoration. I have been learning more from my hourly reading sessions than I have learned from almost any other similarly timed learning experiences in my forty years in the business.

Mortgage your mortgage and get them both.

[CT Dolan]

"Stradivari's Varnish" has been on my list since it came on the market. I'm just waiting until I've the funds at hand.

However, as for the others, I haven't heard of them. Thank you.

[CT Dolan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aIkItT053w

By the way, the last instrument featured (coming in at the 14 minute mark in the video) looks to be a Guarneri, rather than a Stradivari. Just an observation...

[Melvin Goldsmith]

Good point you make Roger. I am amazed that Stradivari varnish is not flying of the shelves! It is worth the price for the photography alone. I must admit I thought I was taking a bit of a punt when I bought the book but was delighted and agree it is excellent value and essential reading.

[David Burgess]

More about the Conservation and Restoration books here:

http://www.ipci-canada.org/about/contents

Really nice article in there by Roger.

[CT Dolan]

Thanks for the link, David.

These books are almost priceless, especially for those of us who are not privileged enough to swim these waters, daily.

[Matthew Noykos]

Boy, this business always has something around the corner that gives me the "I wants" syndrome. I haven't seen the Stradivari Varnish book, but I have seen the IPCI book and it is comprehensive. It should become a standard like the Weisshaar book has become. I have access to the IPCI book but don't own it. Stradivari Varnish sounds extremely interesting. I plan to own both someday, but they are pricey as practically all violin books are. I just bought the L'Archet books recently. They really break the bank. I guess I'll just have to sell some stuff.

[JohnCockburn]

Re: the 3 volume set. If they are too dense to make the volumes available individually, then they only have themselves to blame for slow sales. Sorry to be blunt.

[Janito]

Re: the 3 volume set. If they are too dense to make the volumes available individually, then they only have themselves to blame for slow sales. Sorry to be blunt.

I agree.

And something similar happens elsewhere - the Karl Roy book could be stripped of half its pages (~ first half of book) and sold at half the price to make a very interesting (sellable) 'makers' manual that counterpoints the Coutnall and Johnson.

[Roger Hargrave]

Sorry got it wrong again.

[Roger Hargrave]

Hi John, I note that yourself and Janito are both enthusiasts. I'm not sure exactly what that means on this site, but perhaps you are right about the price if you are not full professionals. However, I believe that these books are a must for those in the business.

[JohnCockburn]

Hi John, I note that yourself and Janito are both enthusiasts. I'm not sure exactly what that means on this site, but perhaps you are right about the price if you are not full professionals. However, I believe that these books are a must for those in the business.

Roger, over and out.

It really is a pleasure to be patronised by you.

[DBurns]

Just starting out as a maker puts some serious dents in your pocket book.

I have 3 decades of woodworking experience so I do have quite a few tools, but it's buying all that expensive wood on top of the specialized tools, that has me holding back on certain publications.

Then the Dollar takes a hit, and the economy tanks, just makes it a bad time to be selling an expensive book I guess.

Thanks though for pointing out to me the importance of these publications. They will get a high priority after this.

[Bruce Tai]

I ordered a copy of Stradivari's Varnish at late March. And it still has not been sent out.

I did it through: http://www.servingaudio.com/eshop/

[edit] I encountered some ordering problems but now it is resolved. I did not follow up closely with my order and that resulted in unexpected delay.

[Will L]

Bruce,

I posted on this topic some time ago, being worried as you are. I did get the book. It took about two months. They are legitimate. My only real complaint, which I informed them of, was that they didn't pack as well as they should for a 10 pound book and it arrived slightly damaged. I'm sure you'll get it and be glad.

Will

[Bruce Tai]

Bruce,

I posted on this topic some time ago, being worried as you are. I did get the book. It took about two months. They are legitimate. My only real complaint, which I informed them of, was that they didn't pack as well as they should for a 10 pound book and it arrived slightly damaged. I'm sure you'll get it and be glad.

Will

Thanks, Will. I just want to make sure that they did not go out of business all of a sudden.

From watching the video, I am super impressed by the research they have put in. Having read quite a lot of research papers about varnishes myself, I know I can't afford to miss this book. The whole concept is just brilliant. Taking really good pictures is one of the most straightforward things you can do to research violins non-invasively. But it is hard to do well. And this book project seems to have done it superbly. I can't wait to get my copy.

[CT Dolan]

Hi John, I note that yourself and Janito are both enthusiasts. I'm not sure exactly what that means on this site, but perhaps you are right about the price if you are not full professionals. However, I believe that these books are a must for those in the business.

That is the issue for many of us, Roger. We're lovers of the art/craft, but of necessity make our living otherwise (for a myriad of reasons) and so find the justification a little more tenuous. Want? Most definitely!!! Need? Well...in time (maybe).

[Alan_Coggins]

I agree.

And something similar happens elsewhere - the Karl Roy book could be stripped of half its pages (~ first half of book) and sold at half the price to make a very interesting (sellable) 'makers' manual that counterpoints the Coutnall and Johnson.

Wow, it's a tough market out there. You go to the trouble of publishing a book and then people want to be able to only purchase the volumes they want - or even just the half that interests them. Actually Janito I don't think half the pages would make it half the price - there's a lot more to a book than just paper.

But I really wouldn't expect any violin book to fly off the shelves, no matter how good it is. The limited interest group combined with the generally high pricing make them items that will always have a very slow turnover and a long time to reach break-even point. I did think that with my book I would try keeping the price low (<$100) to sell more but that hasn't worked either. But then I suppose I did choose a subject that has a very, very, very limited interest group!

[Craig Tucker]

Well, I got tired of reading about the book (the single vol Strad varnish book) without knowing the exact price, so I looked it up online and it is 350.00 Euro. (Just under $500.00, right?)

I was thinking by the conversation here that the book would be ungodly expensive, maybe in the thousands, or at least 1,500, but I was surprised at how inexpensive it was for what you get.

I would guess that the publishers aren't making much on this venture - the book appears to be well researched, quality bound, and extraordinarily well illustrated. A fair trade for the price I would guess...

I'm thinking that if someone didn't want to purchase it because of the price (as I will probably never get to buy the thing for various financial reasons) it would be more a matter of not being able to afford or justify the cost of owning *the best* that "varnishing" as a subject in publishing, has to offer - and less a condemnation of the price/quality of the book...

I understand this position, as, I cannot justify it either - because I don't need this book, to continue to make violins, not like I "need" my band saw, at least.

Nonetheless, it is something that I believe from looking at the online literature, that is well worth the price, for the right person, regardless of the fact that I am not able to purchase it at this time, if I had $500.00 in discretionary funds I have many more necessities in line ahead of this book.

(*Note - I must add, that personally, I find that Allen’s book - "Violin and Bow Makers of Australia" is, a spectacular book for the price, and it is a book I found that I (I meaning we, meaning both my wife and I) was able to purchase, and by the way, it makes a perfect Christmas gift, for anyone with a general interest in violins, my wife got it for me last year)

Ok, sorry, I felt that a *plug* was in order for this book here, since this thread is about pricing and violin publications...

I don't know if Roger has a personal financial stake in this venture or not, but I would venture to guess that his stake in mentioning this book here, has a bit more to do with bringing the book to our attention, than it has to do with increasing his vast holdings.

[JohnCockburn]

Wow, it's a tough market out there. You go to the trouble of publishing a book and then people want to be able to only purchase the volumes they want - or even just the half that interests them. Actually Janito I don't think half the pages would make it half the price - there's a lot more to a book than just paper.

But I really wouldn't expect any violin book to fly off the shelves, no matter how good it is. The limited interest group combined with the generally high pricing make them items that will always have a very slow turnover and a long time to reach break-even point. I did think that with my book I would try keeping the price low (<$100) to sell more but that hasn't worked either. But then I suppose I did choose a subject that has a very, very, very limited interest group!

I don't think it's at all unreasonable to expect individual volumes of a multi-volume set to be available individually. It's pretty much par for the course in academic publications. I remember as a young student being desperate to own the 3-volume Feynman Lectures in Physics. I could never have afforded the whole set, and it was a great help to be able to buy them one by one. I suspect many young (and not so young) violin maker/students are in a similar position, regardless of their level of commitment.

Of course, not all multi-volume publications are suitable for being split up like this. Mr Hargrave's own del Gesu book being a prime example.

[jacobsaunders]

I don't know if Roger has a personal financial stake in this....has to do with increasing his vast holdings.

ha ha

[Janito]

Wow, it's a tough market out there. You go to the trouble of publishing a book and then people want to be able to only purchase the volumes they want - or even just the half that interests them. Actually Janito I don't think half the pages would make it half the price - there's a lot more to a book than just paper.

My point is that niching a product to a small market with a large $$ tag may not be the only business model. Creative thinking would provide for expanded sales with no compromise of the niche market (unless this appraoch is seen to be below high-brow publication).

[Michael_Molnar]

I don't think it's at all unreasonable to expect individual volumes of a multi-volume set to be available individually. It's pretty much par for the course in academic publications. I remember as a young student being desperate to own the 3-volume Feynman Lectures in Physics. I could never have afforded the whole set, and it was a great help to be able to buy them one by one. I suspect many young (and not so young) violin maker/students are in a similar position, regardless of their level of commitment.

Of course, not all multi-volume publications are suitable for being split up like this. Mr Hargrave's own del Gesu book being a prime example.

I too recall not being able to afford the Feynman Lectures. Now this wonderful book will be another one for the wish list - wish I could fork over nearly $600 for it.

Stay Tuned.

Mike

[Craig Tucker]

ha ha

I'll guess that you've never worked in publishing.

[jacobsaunders]

I'll guess that you've never worked in publishing.

Last time I wrote an article for the Strad, I got a cheque for 70 quid, 15 quid of which my bank subtracted for bank charges for cashing a foreign cheque, if that is what you mean.