Electric Strings Monthly
Circulation: 1285
Ask Andy:
Fitting Octave Strings
Editorial:
Andy
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Andy
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Andy
Finance:
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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
#10-Earths and Hums
#11-Octave Violin Strings
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. Lots of things to tell you so let's get on with it...
If you would like me to publish details about any of your equipment or products then please send me some information.
Strings magazine
have published some good articles which you may be interested in. There is one concerned
with Pickups. I don't agree with everything that is said but there is the
problem - what one person likes is not always the same as someone else!! The trouble with
reviews is that you have to have the product to test it and collecting all the pickups
available and fitting them would be a big task. So when you read the article bear in mind
that there are other systems and some as good as if not better than those reviewed. The
link to access the article is at:
http://www.stringsmagazine.com/issues/strings83/Longmkt.shtml
There is also a good article by Darol Anger about the Ithaca
Stringed Instruments, their design, concept and sound. Darol must have an awesome
collection of fiddles in his music room that is probably worth an article in itself. The
link to read this article which also appeared in Strings magazine is at:
http://ithacastring.com/articles.html
Although this mention is not related to electric violins it may be of
interest to those of you who may be considering making an acoustic violin or who would
like to know how they are made before embarking on an electric violin making project. One
of the lecturers together with a former student at the Newark School of Violin Making have
written an excellent book on violin making.
It is called, The Art of Violin Making by Chris Johnson and
Ray Courtnall and is available from Amazon (ISBN: 0 7090 68764) or by email to Ray at: summerfields@glentham.fsnet.co.uk
You can see details of the book at: http://guitarplans.co.uk/
where you can also buy full size violin plans.
Wolfgang Dimbath in Germany contacted me and asked if I could tell you about their
instrument cases. If you need a soft case for a Cello or Bass or a backpack case for a
violin, check them out at: http://www.soundwear.com/
and http://www.dimbath.de/
Octave Violin Strings
Back to the Octave violins strings I mentioned last month... What I
didn't tell you was as these are recent additions to the Super-Sensitive range of strings,
they do not, as yet, appear on their web site or in their 2001/2002 catalogue. So, if you
want a set you should either call me, if you live in the UK or contact Supersensitive at supersensitive@supersensitive.com and
either buy them direct or ask for your nearest stockist. The full name for the strings is:
SuperSensitive, Sensicore, Professional Violin strings, Octave G/D/A and E.
Web Site Changes
I have moved my
'Search my Site' link further down the list. I am able to see the keywords that people
have been searching for and it is a very strange list of questions! I wonder if people are
using it to see what it can do rather than for looking for something specific. The top
five keywords that people have been searching for are Pickup, Electric, Violin, Price and
violins! Maybe this says that my site is not very clear but these keywords probably appear
on every page. I have also have a few emails asking why I do not publish the prices
of everyone's instruments! If you need prices of specific makers instruments you will have
to contact the specific makers listed in the Database. The database is found by clicking
on any of the Links to Electric Makers. Please be patient whilst the Database starts up.
It is a Java applet and the data is downloaded from my site to your machine. It does work,
it does work on all browsers but if you have disabled Java in your browser it wont. If you
have any problems you should check that your browser has Java enabled. With Microsoft
Explorer this is done from: Tools/Internet Options/Security/Internet - Custom
Level/Settings: Java, Java Permissions - make sure that Disable
Java is not selected.
New Pictures
This month I have
added new pictures from:
Meisel, Ned Steinberger (NS Designs)
New Links
I have updated the
link to Starfish designs to their new web site address of http://www.starfishdesigns.co.uk/ and changed their
email address to : info@starfishdesigns.co.uk
I have added a link in the wood suppliers to Exotic Wood Co.Inc who
are in Sicklerville, NJ, USA. I Can't say much about them except that they sell wood and
fittings. They have a useful page that describes the qualities of different types of wood
both from a visual point of view and from a makers point of view.
The Electric Violin
Book
I understand that the Electric Violin book is available from Amazon, however I have also
found out that they are quoting that it is 'Out of Print'. This is not true, the publisher
has lots of copies still in stock. So if you are having difficulty getting a copy, please
click here and contact the publisher direct: http://users.netmatters.co.uk/holliman/Fah100.html#Book
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)
For Sale and Wanted
- Eric Laban is looking for a second hand Zeta Jazz. If you are considering selling yours, please give him a call at: EricLaban@aol.com
- If any one wants Lisa Rollins' red Zeta Strados, please let me know: Click to Email me
- Greg wants to sell
his 5 string Zeta and Midi controller for $2500. If you are interested email him at: GRstrings@aol.com
Forums
You
now have access to:
Zeta's Online Users Forum - For existing Zeta users.
Stuart Wyatt's Solostrings - For electric fiddle players
Kyle Aaron's Fiddle Forum - For both electric and acoustic players
Mark O'Connor's Forum - For all sorts of fiddling styles
Silent violins or Ears, Eyes and Wallet!
I am still getting enquiries about silent violin playing. the Yamaha Silent violin
and related matters. It is not surprising when you consider the amount of advertising
Yamaha have run for their electric stringed instruments or the fact that there seems to be
one of their instruments in every (UK) music shop. So lets start with some facts.
If an electric violin does not have a sound box you will hear the innate sound from the
strings. This volume is loud enough to hear, loud enough to practice but not loud enough
for your neighbours to hear. The comparison best used is that it is like an electric
guitar that has not been plugged in. Therefore, any solid bodied instrument by any maker
is a silent electric violin. The Yamaha instruments then take this a stage further. Inside
the instrument is a small amplifier and a reverb effect which you hear when you plug an
earpiece socket into the instrument. Your neighbours will not hear this added volume or
the reverb effect but you will through the earpiece. You can then adjust the sound so that
it has much more depth and space (to your ears).
Several other makers have also followed this approach (Zeta included). And if you have an
instrument that does not use this technique you too can 'join in' by getting an electric
guitarists headphone amplifier and connecting it to your violin and any other effects you
may have. So (in my mind) there is nothing special about the Yamaha Silent instruments,
what is special is their advertising, marketing and bringing the electric violin into many
music shops where before it would never have been seen.
When you buy such an instrument the shop salesman will tell you that you have a self
contained electric violin which you can practice with, without disturbing the neighbours
and an electric violin that you can plug into a standard amplifier and play on stage. What
I am saying is that, you can do all of this with any solid bodied electric violin. You
also have to consider if you are going to use the violin more on stage rather than at
home. If you are, then consider carefully. You will probably not use the inbuilt reverb,
you will more than likely use a much better outboard effect unit and probably several of
them. Do you want your instrument to sound good in your ear (and no one else's ear) or do
you want to sound good on stage and to everyone's ear?
Electric violin choices are down to 3 main considerations (assuming that the build
quality, dimensions and playability are the same):
1. The Pickup sound
2. The Design
3. The Price
or Ears, Eyes and Wallet or more importantly, Your ears, Your eyes and Your wallet. Do not
be too influenced by other peoples reviews, endorsements or advertising. Always consider what these peoples motives are.
It's your choice.
Any suggestions for future discussions,
Click to Email meI 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.
The new Meisel E-Fusion
The new Ned Steinberger designed instrument from NS Design
Links from around the World
The Electric Violin Book
The Only book on Electric Bowed Stringed Instruments in the World