Electric Strings Monthly
Ask Andy:
All About Buzzes
Editorial:
Andy
Design&Production:
Andy
Administration:
Andy
Finance:
Little
Advertising:
This is it
Marketing:
Please tell someone
Correspondence:
20 Brewers Wharf, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24
1ET, U.K.
Telephone:
(44)(0)1636 677416
If you would like to contribute to this newsletter with details about new products, new music or just news, then please send me an email.
Although this newsletter is light-hearted in it's style
please note that the content is copyrighted and remains the property of Andy Holliman,
Achieve Instruments. No part of the contents may be reproduced, in print or electronically
(except for your own personal use) or stored in an information retrieval system or
workshop or bathroom without the prior permission of the author.
In Previous Ask Andys:
#1-Do I need a
Preamp?
#2-What wood is best?
#3-LR Baggs Para DI Box
#4-Strings fitting & Octave
#5-Bow Bugs
#6-Anti Virus Software
#7-All about Midi and Zeta
#8-Amplifiers
#9-Effect
Pedals
It is my endeavour to be completely fair in the things that I write or tell you from these pages. If you feel that I have voiced anything that is inaccurate or unfair, please let me know. This month's Ask Andy is all very earthy!
If you would like me to publish details about any of your equipment or products then please send me some information.
Before I kick off this month's Newsletter I ought to mention the problem that many of us experienced last month with VIOLINK. Violink is a large network of violin related sites and they maintain a list of their users email addresses. They inadvertently sent out an email, that was probably generated by a program of theirs, to lots of people. The emails were corrupted (wrong) in that they put any one of their recipient names into the wrong box. This meant that when you received it you believed that it came from someone else and not from the true sender. This was a test on their part which went wrong. They sent out the same empty email to many people and some of you received several that looked as if they came from me! I too received the same email, but mine had someone else's name in the 'sent from' box. They all came from violink. When I discovered that this was going on and had received many complaints from people thinking I was the cause, I contacted violink and got an apology and an explanation from them. These things happen I am afraid. On their behalf I send you their apology.
Web Site Changes
I have been
monitoring what you have been entering on my 'Search my Site' link. You might be assisted
by reading the search notes that I have now added at the bottom of the page. Also, when
you are looking for something I would suggest that you first go to the 'Site Map' as this
lists all the html pages that are available from my site.
New Pictures
This month I have
added new pictures from: Merchant (an electric Bass maker), King
Brown, D.Fogg, Stuart Wood, Libra, Rogue and Fender, Styrelius and
MusikTeknik.
New Links
I have added links
to the new makers that are mentioned in the new pictures list above. I have also added a
link to D.M.Enke who makes electric Basses either for/with/at Pickup-the
world. While I am mentioning electric basses, it has been pointed out to me that I had not
listed Ned Steinberger as a Bass maker! Sorry Ned, sorry Ned's fans!! Two days later and
someone else told me that Ned makes the Realist pickup. So doubly sorry!! Two new makers
in Sweden found by my friend Mikael, Styrelius and MusikTeknik.
I have added a new tone wood supplier, Bruce Harvie who runs Orcas Island
Tonewoods in Olga, Washington, USA. They also publish a newsletter that details
what woods they currently have available and new finds that may be of interest.
I have been informed by King Brown in Australia that they sell electric
violin plans and 'wedge' transducers for violin. There is a different link for the pickups
which I have added. I have also added links to D. Fogg and Kleinman
guitars and Violins who are both electric violin makers in the States.
New Pickup
Pickup-theworld have
given me their email address which I have added to the relevant links page. They have
upgraded their violin pickups and have new details at their web site.
The Electric Violin
Book
I may have found a
distributor for the Electric Violin book in the States. As soon as the deal is done I will
let you know. In the mean time if you wish to see a review of the book click here and if you would like to order a
copy, click here.
New Music
I will use this
section to inform you of new music that I have been introduced to that features electric
violin. So if you have something to contribute to this column, please let me know the
details.
I heard from,
Mary Lou Newmark ( http://www.greenangelmusic.com/
) and
Stuart Wyatt (http://www.solostring.com/)
Alex Papadiamantis (http//www.geocities.com/almant2)
If any one wants Lisa Rollins' red Zeta Strados, please let me know: Click to Email me
Just for
Fun
Music is all
about having fun and electric fiddle playing can be one of the most fun things you can do
with your clothes on. David Turner sent me details about a company called Rainbows who can
be found at: http://www.fiddle.net/rainbows.html
They produce
rainbow coloured bow hair and a glow in the dark green bow! (But can you get rainbow
coloured rosin?). Great idea for the kids just starting out and maybe for a few of you out
there as well!
Kindred
Spirits
The world of classical music and a lot of it's musicians and 'experts' are very
conservative and resist change. In the world of electric instruments we have much more
freedom whilst still maintaining all the good elements - exacting standards and quality.
It is therefore with great interest and pleasure that I bring to your attention a new
acoustic 'cello that is made by kindred spirits who 'dare to be different'. Louis
and Clark make a carbon fibre acoustic 'cello in a variety of colours. Someone should get
together with them and discuss an electric version. You can find out all about it at www.louisandclark.com
Ask Andy
I need a few more ideas from you on subjects to discuss.
This month I will tell you a true story. I had a call from a customer of mine. I
had sold him an electric violin some 4 years ago and he said he was having a terrible time
with it. It was 'sort of buzzing when he played pizzicato and sounded odd in 2nd
position'! We discussed various things it could be but, no he said, he had tried all of
those. So we booked a time for him to come over. When he arrived we plugged it in and
guess what? No buzz, no hum, no problem!! So what was going on. Without all of his
equipment available we had to make some guesses. I believe the most likely cause would be
his earth. When was the last time you checked the plug on your amp, your PA, your pedal
board? Probably never. But, at the end of every gig, you or a roadie pulls everything out
and cables get tugged. Earth screws become loose, cable grips slacken off and the
potential for buzzing and very dangerous performance becomes possible.
When one, of any number of earth connections, in your setup becomes loose,
apart from a potentially dangerous situation occurring, your cable can become an aerial
and stop shielding the signal. Electric guitarist can sometimes point their axe in a
particular direction and, with a bad earth, suddenly start picking up taxi calls, police
or other signals. The string has become an aerial. This doesn't usually happen with
violins but you may experience buzzes or hums. Badly earthed equipment will then allow the
pickup wire to sense the mains frequency. If you put your hand near the pickup cable it
may turn into a buzz (and perversely, sometimes it can make the hum go away). All sorts of
things can happen.
So, when you have a few moments or better still, make some time, check out
all of your plugs and their earth connections. Some of the more dodgy places you may play
at may also have bad earths in the actual building. Plug your amp in, turn up the volume
but don't plug anything in - Is the amp quiet or is there a background hum present
that isn't usually there? Not much you can do about this apart from trying out a different
wall socket. The other thing to check is plug adaptors. If you have a 'christmas tree' of
plugs going into an 3 way adaptor you will run the risk of one of the plugs not seating
correctly (or coming loose) and the buzz or hum returns. Make up or buy a connector block
so that each plug goes into it's own socket.
If you don't put earth to earth you will end up ashes to ashes!
I hope this has helped you.
Any suggestions for future discussions, click here Click to Email me
I am not sure if I have created a monster with this page! Will I be able to keep it up and create a full newsletter each and every month? Will you help me by sending in details of CD's, instruments, suggestions? We will have to see and you will have to come back again to check it out.
Bye for now,
Andy
Holliman
Achieve Instruments:
Chief Designer, Paint Sprayer, Varnish
Consultant, Marketing Manager, Receptionist, Secretary, Web Designer, Tea Boy and
Newsletter Editor.
See the Eminence/Alto Violin and other new
instruments in the Picture Gallery
The new pickup from King Brown
Links from around the World
The Electric Violin Book
The Only book on Electric Bowed Stringed Instruments in the World
Rainbows
The Louis and Clark 'Cello