Membasta Posted March 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 None of you have thought of the violin before someone painted something that should not be used. Ost old violin does not have the original varnish. Very often people is painted them on their own, sometimes stain, varnish sometimes to the floor. I'm curious, what do you do in this situation? imposes another layer? Thanks for all comments. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tartarane Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 why are the pictures already "not available" ? i would have liked to see them any chance of putting them back ? or did the owner of the violin erase them for more confusion ? strange Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Membasta Posted March 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 Yes, it was a joke. Sorry about this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Membasta Posted March 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 BTW, varnish on the violin plays a very important function in the preparation of timber for use in the production of sound. If the violin can only view in the museum, it should be should be original, I agree with negligible changes. However, if you want to use it for the game, as intended, you need to make it ready for work. Every violin is different from the others. A method of preparation are different for each timber. This requires knowledge of botany, biology, chemistry, natural, being extremely sensitive and lot of time, because the restoration process takes more than few months, sometimes a years ( assuming you are working ten hours at the day, five days a week). I know that you believe it will be easier to joke, than to understand a different approach to the craft. That's why it is a joke, I am sorry.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jeffrey Holmes Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 While on the topic of devaluing old violins what's the worst that's been done to a strad on purpose, repair/restoration wise? Do all known strads have original scrolls? As the before and after photos are gone, I guess commenting on this particular fiddle's varnish is really not possible. The only comment I would have is that I believe that in restoration, the consideration of doing anything that is not reversible should be proceeded by a very serious internal discussion. In other words, if one isn't absolutely sure that the varnish was previously replaced, removing it isn't a great idea. Again, I have no idea what the case may be concerning the OPs instrument. As a general answer for Bassclef's question; There are, among a number of other classic fiddles, Stradivari and Guarneri instruments that have lost most or all of their varnish due to a variety of reasons and are now sporting a new suit, so to speak... and I know some of the restorers who have tailored those new suits. I would assume the original loss includes accidental occurrences as well as downright incompetence. Same goes for parts. A number do not have their original scrolls, and others are composite (back from this one, top from that one). Still others have replacement tops/backs/scrolls/ribs by other makers. No, I won't get specific (as to which ones I know of) here. Some are already documented well, others are not. Some others still need sorting out as they come up for sale in the future (hopefully). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Membasta Posted March 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 I wonder when you will notice that every new generation of people are smarter than the previous one, and don't believe in bullshit about the master violin makers. Many of young people knows the true. Thanks for all you advices, however they are useless. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jeffrey Holmes Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 I wonder when you will notice that every new generation of people are smarter than the previous one, and don't believe in bullshit about the master violin makers. Many of young people knows the true. Thanks for all you advices, however they are useless. Excuse me? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
palousian Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 I wonder when you will notice that every new generation of people are smarter than the previous one, and don't believe in bullshit about the master violin makers. Many of young people knows the true. Thanks for all you advices, however they are useless. ...says the individual who thought they were stripping the varnish off of a Stradivari... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Violadamore Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 Who was that masked weirdo? [drops fake silver bullet in purse and wanders away munching popcorn] Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kallie Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 Nevermind violin making, I should open a Popcorn stand for Maestronet users. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeC Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 Facepalm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
not telling Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 Uhhhhh...yup. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jeffrey Holmes Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 Who was that masked weirdo? [drops fake silver bullet in purse and wanders away munching popcorn] Lenny Bruce? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott S Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 I wonder when you will notice that every new generation of people are smarter than the previous one, and don't believe in bullshit about the master violin makers. Many of young people knows the true. Thanks for all you advices, however they are useless. Measuring intelligence.....that would be an interesting topic. Skill and pride in livelihood, today, compared to yesteryear's, are you serious? Scott Quote Link to post Share on other sites
James M. Jones Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 Granted we have unprecedented and unparalleled access to information that would stun the great scholars of old...BUT .. information is NOT knowledge... and, knowledge is not intelligence..... .and ,intelligence is not wisdom.. .and wisdom is not always factual.... and factual is not always TRUE.... and the truth is often harder to understand than to find. I always remind my kids" better smarter than dumber..... but remember to never think you are smarter than you are,That can lead to bigger problems." What was it Samuel Clemens said on the subject of youth and intelligence? .....Or was it Mark Twain? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Membasta Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 I changed the linked pictures, now you can see the final work of other very old violin. The most important thing is in this work is to get the best quality of sound, and this is possible, only when wood is healthy condition (varnishing is just the step of all work). I will exchange the pics when it will be ready, then ask you again for the feedback. Thank you all for your attention. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kallie Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 If I may chime in, in the first post you said you believe it is a Stradivarius. On the new photos you can see it is branded "Stainer" on the back. What is that all about? Why did you think it was a Stradivarius in the first place? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rue Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 He changed the photos...the first ones were of the "Strad"...now there are a set of photos of a different instrument... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddler45 Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 And of course, that is also a real stainer... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Membasta Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 "She" , not "He". It is not real Stainer, for sure. It is a copy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Hart Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Well it really doesn't matter now does it? Which is I'm guessing the part of the process you haven't thought about. Sure, the violin looks alright, if you like violins that look like furniture. Violins have survived well over three-hundred years without being re-varnished. So revarnishing a violin will not extend its working life. It will, however, lose its story. When you do revarnish a violin, it IMMEDIATELY loses value. And lots of it. Take your Stainer copy to a dealer and have it evaluated. Save for the current owner, it will be difficult in thirty or fourty years to find buyer, unless it is flogged off at the flea market. Whatever it WAS, it is now doomed to spend the rest of its 200+ years of serviceable life competing with lower grade Chinese instruments and firewood. BUT, you say, WHAT OF THE SOUND??? Well, to you I say this. Whatever it looked like before you took to it, I and several others contributing here would have been able to take that instrument and make it sound at least as good, possibly better, without stripping the varnish off and stripping its value and history. It should be of no surprise, then, that members here appreciate violins for what they ARE. And do not appreciate it when violins are intentionally "messed with". Please do not take any member of the violin family with any sort of value, and strip the varnish off. Think of its future. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Membasta Posted March 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Heh... I do not sell my instruments. I am doing it for myself and I play on them everyday, not intended for sale. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddler45 Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Well that's good. Hopefully you will stop buying them once you have too many to play every day. Sorry to be harsh, but stripping varnish off violins for no good reason is ridiculous, at best. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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