Welcome to Newsletter #4

Date: 30th September 2000

Contents:

1. Web site Changes
2. New Pictures
3. New Links
4. The Electric Violin Book
6. Ask Andy:
How to fit strings correctly
and details about Octave strings

I have had a difficult month! All I wanted was a new disk drive. I had the money and a supplier. Simple you might think. Give the man in the shop some money, he gives you a new disk, you plug it in, do some formatting and you have more disk space. This is the theory. In practice I lost a complete disk, had to re-install everything and lost all my recent updates!! (Oh bother or words to that effect). If you have sent me details of new links during August and they do not appear in these pages, please let me know the details again.

1. Web site Changes
I have added a new page that contains information about wood suppliers. You will find the link in the contents list.

2. New Pictures


3. New Links
I have added the following:
Autolycus now have a US dealer
Meatleg also makes excentric electric 'cellos

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
I have been asked some strange questions this month! Actually, not strange but surprising. One such question was, 'How do you string an electric violin?'. To anyone who has owned a violin for a while this seems an obvious question. But if you have just bought one, it is a very important basic question. So here goes.

If the electric violin is based on a good sounding acoustic and has a pickup fitted that does not interfere with the acoustic sound then you should stick to the strings that you are using. If the electric violin is a solid instrument or one which is not played acoustically then I would suggest that you fit all metal strings like like Jargar, Thomastic Spiocore, Thomastic Supeflexible etc. and they must have 'ball ends' if they are to go into a standard adjustable tailpiece. Being all metal they stay in tune longer and are not so susceptible to temperature changes like the mixed metal and nylon strings. An electric does not need super expensive strings to gain a better sound. They are transmitting vibrations to the transducer for their sound. (unless of course it is an acoustic that has been fitted with a pickup like an LR Baggs, in this case you can get some marginal sound changes by fitting different strings).

Before fitting the strings, slacken off the tailpiece string adjusters. Don't forget to do this when you are replacing any string. Also consider putting some peg paste onto the shanks of each peg if you have any concerns about the pegs slipping or being too tight.

Fit the string ball end into the tailpiece adjuster. Make sure it sits comfortably and true within the claw that holds it. If you have a Puch tailpiece you will also have to ensure that the string will sit in the string guide above the adjuster.

Pass the string up to it peg. Pass the string through the hole in the peg leaving about 1/2 inch visible on the other side. Turn the peg round until the string touches the piece of string just showing. Let the string turn over the end. This will flatten the end of the string to the peg shank and anchor it. Wind 3 turns, on the inner side of the peg (towards the center) and then cross over and you will probably put 2 turns on the outer side of the peg nearest the peg box wall. The string will now probably be just touching the peg box wall.

Tighten up the string and check that the string is still correctly seated in the adjuster and as you tighten up the slack that it is resting on the bridge in its correct groove.

Repeat this for all the strings.

If you do not have one, I suggest you get either a cheap blow by mouth tuner or an electronic one. It will ensure you get the strings up to the correct pitch. Bring each string up to pitch and then CHECK that the bridge is a) still in its correct position (195 mm down from the top curve of the body) and also b) the back face of the bridge is at right angles to the top of the body. As you tune the strings it will try and pull the top over and then make the bridge lean forward. It must not, otherwise it might collapse. The back side (nearest the tailpiece must be at right angles to the surface)

Here endeth your first lesson!

Octave Violins:

I have also been asked about strings for octave violins. My experience is very limitted in this area so I have had to do some reasearch. Octave violins are tuned G, D, A, E but are 1 octave lower than standard. You obviously cannot use standard strings as they would be too floppy, so you have to get some strings specially made for the purpose. Thomastic make some in their Superflexible range and so do Hilderzine. They are unfortunately very expensive. The Thomastic strings cost £83.50 for a set! So, like a lot of things, it is a solution looking for a problem!. If you haven't got the problem then you do not need the solution.

For further information, go to Darol Anger's home page where you will find this information: 'Good news on Octave (Baritone) violin strings...the Super-Sensitive corporation has started making perlon heavy gauge G's, D's, A's, and an amazing octave C string, for Rich Barbera's excellent new octave electric violins. You might be able to get them now!
Try asking for set #135A MS, from John Cavanaugh, at Supersensitive. They are still working on the E string, but you can use a light gauge Helicore (D'Addario) D string for the octave E. D'Addario has supposedly embarked upon a program to manufacture these strings, but Darol has seen very little action after much pradding. We hope there will be some to try out within the next few years. Meanwhile, the Thomastik Octavgeige strings, while still overpriced, are available from The Violin Shop in Nashville, (615-662-1570) and Ifshin Violins (510-843-5466) in Berkeley. For more info, go to the Baritone Violin page. '
Darol's pages are well worth a vist at: http://www.darolanger.com/links.html

I would appreciate ideas for future 'Ask Andy' questions - product reviews, technical discussions, making
items??? Let me know what you would like to know.

I hope this has helped you.

Any suggestions for future discussions, Click to Email me