Electric Strings Monthly
Circulation: 1500
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
#10-Earths and Hums
#11-OctaveStrings
#12-Silent Violins
#13-Not a lot
#14-UK/USA costs
#15-Viruses
Welcome to newsletter number 21. I hope you
like it. If you do, please tell others, if you don't, please tell me.
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.
I hope you have all had a good summer (and if you are in the southern hemisphere, a good winter). The summer here has been superb with record high temperatures. The first bit of rain fell last night after a long time without. Workshops and shops all over the UK have been resounding to the sound of strings suddenly unwinding as temperatures have risen.
Do you make Electric Upright Basses ?
I have added quite a few more pictures to the gallery as and when I have found them. My e-friend Mikael Jansson often sends me new links that he has discovered. He has also asked me to pass this information on:
Mikael Jansson (you've read his articles in Bass Player,
Double Bassist and other magazines) is working on a book about electric double basses, for
a major music book publisher. Please contact him if you´re a Bass maker and you are not
listed in:
www. electricstrings.com´s links list,
Bob Gollihur´s list at: http://www.urbbob.com/basslink.html
or the
EUB database http://www.msdi.co.jp/~hhasebe/eubdb/
or if you own or know of an unusual EUB, recent or vintage.
You will find links and pictures to Agandara, Botegga and Schwestka and Fidellius.
Scot Jon Schwestka makes very attractive electric violins, violas, cellos and basses as well as electric guitars/basses and mandolins. One of which you can see on the right. He also makes his own pickup system with an in-built preamp.
I had an email from someone who has designed a new inspection lamp that acoustic makers might like to check out. He said... I am a student of violin making and currently apprenticing under John Harrison of Redding California. The purpose of this letter is to you to introduce you to the Hill Violin Lamp. It is a new violin repair / setup light of my own design. It can be viewed and purchased via my website. http://www.hillviolin.com/
Some of you may be interested to know that MXR have released a new Graphic Equaliser. The M-108 is a 10-band EQ box. It also has illuminated sliders and a lot of boost. Although 10 bands is more than enough for electric violins It does enable you to cater for ambient 'room' conditions in the shaping of your sound. Multi-string violins (5, 6, 7 strings) and basses may find it useful as well.
ElectricStrings - A Detailed Guide to Electric Violin Construction
My book sales are going well. Mostly to the USA but none,
surprisingly to Europe! You can see details of the book at: http://www.electricstrings.com/orderthebook.html
This book is an in depth, step by step guide from the design process through to the
construction of the final finished instrument accompanied by a comprehensive set of
photographs of every stage in the making process. The instrument that I am making
and documenting is my Griffin electric violin. The book has 256 pages and has over 145
photographs.
Viruses and Scams
In the last month I have received the usual collection of Nigerian money scams. I was hit by the SoBig virus but, as my anti-virus software was up to date, it was trapped and removed. Many thanks to the person who sent me the email with his anti-virus switched off!!!!
I also received a spoof email that pretended to come from PayPay asking me to confirm my credit card details!!
The fact that they keep sending these things out means that there are some individuals out there who belive what they read and don't check. This perhaps is understandable in that most of us have to be bitten once to be shy next time. But please make sure that YOU have anti-virus software running and that you keep it up to date. I use Norton and it goes off and checks and updates my protection files every time I log on. There are new viruses every day probably, not just the ones that you read about in the news.
I have added some new pictures under the name David Barr. He also trades under the name Vanderbarr. Some amazing designs. Two of which you will see on the right.
He is also marketing a Chin Rest pickup system which can connect to most pickups available.:
Alternatively he has a tailpiece connection:
His web site is at: http://www.vanderbarrviolins.com/
The
Electric Violin Book - The Design and Techniques of Electric Bowed Stringed Instruments
The
Electric violin book is now being sold in Euros and costs 81Euros. You will have to check
the current conversion rates for Euros to Dollars/Pounds etc. There are several web sites
for converting Euros to local currencies. The easiest lookup table I have found is at: http://www.x-rates.com/d/EUR/table.html
When you have decided that money is no object and you just have to have this book, please place your order at: 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.
Mary Lou Newmark ( http://www.greenangelmusic.com/
) and
Stuart Wyatt (http://www.solostring.com/)
Alex Papadiamantis (http//www.geocities.com/almant2)
Chris Garrick http://www.audio-b.com/cds/abcd10.html
Forums
You
now have access to:
Zeta's Online Users Forum - For existing Zeta users.
Stuart Wyatt's Solostrings - For electric fiddle players
Fiddle Forum - For both electric and acoustic players
Mark O'Connor's Forum - For all sorts
of fiddling styles
Ask
Andy
Go on, ask me something! Or check out my FAQ list.
Best
wishes
Andy
H
Any suggestions for future discussions, Click to Email me
Bye
for now,
Andy
Holliman
Achieve Instruments:
Chief Designer, Paint Sprayer, Varnish
Consultant, Marketing Manager, Receptionist, Secretary, Web Designer, Tea Boy and
Newsletter Editor.
Links from around the World
The Electric Violin Book
The Only book on Electric Bowed Stringed Instruments in the World
SJS - Schwestka
Vanderbarr/David Dunn
How's this for a georgeous Electric Cello scroll by Fidelius