A Local Violin Business Folds, and Pogo Tries Some Fiddles

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Posted by fiddlepogo on Thursday, August 1, 2013

A couple of years back, I heard that someone had opened a new violin shop in town. So I checked it out.

He didn't have loads of experience, but he had apprenticed with a good violinmaker. His goals were modest- look for repairable violins of moderate quality, and fix them and sell them to advancing violin students.

I appreciated having someone local to make bridges and fix cracks and stuff. I had him both make a bridge and fix some cracks that started on "Stinky".

He also carried some different chin rests- I bought two high ones. And he carried Pirastro strings, and I bought a set of those, and like them.

It was nice having someone around who was a little more specialized in violins, and had some different products.

However, I found out that he decided to quit.... because he literally couldn't stand the heat!!! It's too hot for him here- he was used to Oregon, and the Sacramento Valley heat was just too much for him.

Some time back he gave me some mystery strings to try, but wouldn't tell me what they were. Maybe because he knew he was quitting, he did tell me recently-

they are Stradivarius strings made in Hungary:

http://www.audubonstrings.com/economy-strad-violin-strings/#.UfopBddAaNA

I put them on the VL100 I had, and gave it a surprisingly focused sound.

He also said they were a good string for fractional sized instruments.

The E string seemed a little fragile though- I got the E string a little high, and it popped.

The local music store that's the most violin oriented where I bought two of my Knillings bought out his stock, and I tried some of the fiddles today. All were older than mine. Some were louder. The problem was that some were TOO loud, and in that loudness, some strings could be harsh.

Unfortunately they are priced a bit high for me, though. Still, it was fun. It helped me appreciate Carthy as well as the fact that I've tweaked my fiddles to feel and play right for me. They lack that old quality, but they do have a well balanced tone.

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