Date: 24 August 2000
Contents:
1. Web site Changes
2. New Pictures
3. New Links
4. The Electric Violin Book
6. Ask Andy:
More Pre-amp questions answered
7. Computer 'Stuff'
1. Web site Changes
I have added a new page that contains information about Hiscox cases. Hiscox are a company
that I have dealt with for several years and I have very good experience of their cases
and service. The page also contains the price list.
I have also added a general price list page of some of the common items
that I can supply. If there is anything that you need that is not on the list please send
me an email and I will see if I can get it and let you know the price.
2. New Pictures
I have added pictures from, Design and Harmonie (D&H in the index), John
Marlow, Harold Golden and Libra.
3. New Links
I have added a link to Gundula Grun's Holistic Violin Teaching page. You can access
it from my Customer List page. She also teaches Electric Violin and the use of effects.
(Has any one made an holistic effects pedal?)
I found a new link to an electric violin maker in Italy, Libra. Links and Photos added.
Mikael Jansson has found me a few more links (Thanks).
John Marlow and Oakwood Instruments in the UK,
HOSCO in Japan
Harold Golden in the States
and Meatleg (!) in the States (if you like heavy metal in every sense of the word and
eccentric violins!!!).
I have added their links in the relevant places and added some of their pictures to the
gallery.
Tony Sykes has found a link for me to Design and Harmonie in France. The relevant link
and pictures have been added.
I have also added new Pickup makers to the lists, McIntyre in the USA, Stuart Wood
in Canada and Stringamp in Scandinavia
4. The Electric Violin Book
Is there anyone in the States who would like to and be able to be a US distributor
for the book? If there is please let me know and I will pass on your details to the
publisher.
5. Ask Andy
Sorry to 'bat' on about pre-amps but it is the most frequently asked
question. Do I need one and what do you recommend? I answered the first question in my
first newsletter. As to which one I recommend I have usually replied that a 6 band graphic
EQ pedal is a very good solution. You can shape the sound, boost the signal and get
impedance matching in a small box for between £40 and £80 which is relatively cheap for
so useful a device. The trouble with making recommendations is that you first have to have
tried a unit out. I cannot obviously buy every box on the market and therefore base my
experience on what I have used myself or have bought in for my customers. (Manufactures
and suppliers please note!!)
I have recently used a new box (new to me at least), which although is more expensive that an EQ pedal is absolutely superb for the electric violin. It is the L.R. Baggs Para Acoustic DI box. The specification is brilliant. Low, Mid and Treble controls with an additional Presence control and a Notch filter to help eliminate feedback which is stepped in G,D,A and B which is rather convenient. It has an Effect Loop output and an Invert switch, Runs on a 9volt battery (200+hours) or Phantom Power, has 1/4 inch output and XLR DI connection with a high current buffered output suitable for driving long cables without loss. It gives up to 7db of boost and very importantly takes pickups ups to 10 meg ohms. This means that ALL electric violin pickups are acceptable as well as any other electric instrument (mandolin, guitar etc). The box is small at 5.6" x 3.6" x 1.9" and weight 14.5 oz. With this box you can then easily connect to either an amplifier or a PA system knowing that your signal will be acceptable and controllable. If you are a professional player or an amateur who wants to take control of your sound and remove most of the common problems, then this box is well worth considering. But, as I have often said, 'If you don't have the problem, you don't need the solution'.
I would appreciate ideas for future 'Ask Andy' questions - product reviews, technical
discussions, making
items??? Let me know what you would like to know.
7. Computer 'Stuff'
I created these pages with the invaluable assistance of
the book, 'HTML for the WWW' by Elizabeth Castro IBSN: 0-201-35493-4. It really is good
and easy to use. Available at a bookstore near you.
For some of the frames I use Microsoft's FrontPage Express. However this needs careful
watching as it often changes the code to how it wants to do things rather than
how you want it done!
For others and general control I use UEDIT, a brilliant editor (not just for HTML).
To upload the pages to my web site I use WS_FTP LE. Again simple and effective and free.
To create the MP3 files from CD I use MusicMatch Jukebox and free.
To reduce some of the pictures file size I used XAT.Com Image Optimizer.
I hope this has helped you.
Any suggestions for future discussions, click here Click to Email me
Bye for now,
Andy Holliman