Can a violin just die?

[WorksAsIntended]

14 minutes ago, martin swan said:

It seems to me that anyone who has enjoyed an unusual level of success in a very competitive field will attract unsubstantiated rumours ...

That is quite likely. All his violins (3) I tried were great, two were older than 5 years. 

[nathan slobodkin]

On June 24, 2017 at 10:37 PM, Will L said:

Hans, who taught at the U of New Hampshire for many years.  His father, I believe was at Wurlitzer before him, or somewhere.  

Hans Jurgen worked at Wurlitzer in the early 1960s until the firm closed and still lives in NJ. His father Hans worked in Mittenwald but his uncle Martin worked in Philadelphia and  perhaps other US cities between the wars.

[christian bayon]

Some makers today, readers of Strad Magazine, using the posters and thickness of some famous Stradivari instruments have the surprise, few months or years after the sale of there violin to have the neck projection dropping down (even very famous makers) and the sound too, not easy to come back to the original sound!

[David Burgess]

54 minutes ago, christian bayon said:

Some makers today, readers of Strad Magazine, using the posters and thickness of some famous Stradivari instruments have the surprise, few months or years after the sale of there violin to have the neck projection dropping down (even very famous makers) and the sound too, not easy to come back to the original sound!

Some Strads are awfully thin, much thinner than I'd want to go. Neck projection can drop on any instrument which is exposed to extremely high humidity, and humidity cycling though.

[christian bayon]

Too thin instrument suffer deformations even with normal humidity, just from the strings tension. visible with the strings becoming very hight..

[GeorgeH]

6 hours ago, nathan slobodkin said:

Hans Jurgen worked at Wurlitzer in the early 1960s until the firm closed and still lives in NJ. His father Hans worked in Mittenwald but his uncle Martin worked in Philadelphia and  perhaps other US cities between the wars.

I visited Martin Nebel's shop outside Philadelphia when I was around 11 years old, and my parents bought my first full size violin from him, and fat Markie fiddle. I remember him telling me how he could predict the weather based on the length of the large hank of bow hair hanging on the wall. 

I later acquired a fine Martin Nebel violin which I have owned for about 35 years. It is part of my "permanent collection."

[nathan slobodkin]

I think that it is the responsibility of any good maker to anticipate changes that will befall the instrument over time and to allow for the changes. I set necks high and put a post in before starting to varnish which I then replace in the final setup after the instrument has stretched a bit. If I can I keep the instrument in the shop through a full weather  cycle and make a final post and bridge before it goes out for sale.

While I expect my instruments to sound well from the start it doesn't hurt my feelings if people tell me they get better after a year or two. On the other hand I'd be embarrassed if I had to reset a neck on an instrument less than ten years old as I see some makers doing as a regular practice.

[christian bayon]

Agree with all your post Nathan.

[Frank Nichols]

11 hours ago, nathan slobodkin said:

On the other hand I'd be embarrassed if I had to reset a neck on an instrument less than ten years old as I see some makers doing as a regular practice.

I really appreciate comments like this one - they point out goals that a noob like me should be thinking about. I think this is just as important or even more so than obsessing over measurements and details (as I tend to do).

Thank you!

[Dr. Ludwig]

On 7/3/2017 at 9:48 AM, FrankNichols said:

I really appreciate comments like this one - they point out goals that a noob like me should be thinking about. I think this is just as important or even more so than obsessing over measurements and details (as I tend to do).

Thank you!

Are you saying a full reset? new york reset? or just an adjustment? What is considered an average(or acceptable) amt of time for which no embarrassment should be had?

 

Yes, right.....should have quoted Nathan and not Frank, as he mentions below.  Perhaps I need a full head reset 

Edited July 6, 2017 by Dr. Ludwig

[Frank Nichols]

38 minutes ago, Dr. Ludwig said:

Are you saying a full reset? new york reset? or just an adjustment? What is considered an average(or acceptable) amt of time for which no embarrassment should be had?

I think you meant to quote Nathan instead of me.