Hello all,
I've been playing the fiddle for about 25 years and have never encountered an issue like this. I have a glassner carbon fiber fiddle with the built in pick up system. Recently over the summer when I start bowing there is alot of what can only be described as almost tin foil being crinkled when I play. I think it maybe the tone knobs because it almost seems to go away if I put my hand on them. Has anyone else encountered any audio issue was the glassner acoustic electric fiddles?
Not that specific instrument. But plenty of electronics. It's fairly common after age/use the knobs (potentiometer), the carbon wiper is not making good contact. Thus putting hand on them gives just enough slight force to make contact. A product called Deoxit that spray in can clean it up, if simply dirt or oxidation. OTH that carbon layer can be worn, and the pot needs replaced.
Other possibility is that the pot is a bad solder connection; touching knob makes better connection, or creates ground. Fixed simple by resoldering.
I’ve heard they are problematic for a few reasons. I haven’t used one plugged in, I’ve only tried it out in a store acoustically. Since their products are aimed at the budget market, product quality and quality control aren’t the best.
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Originally posted by Fiddle91Hello all,
I've been playing the fiddle for about 25 years and have never encountered an issue like this. I have a glassner carbon fiber fiddle with the built in pick up system. Recently over the summer when I start bowing there is alot of what can only be described as almost tin foil being crinkled when I play. I think it maybe the tone knobs because it almost seems to go away if I put my hand on them. Has anyone else encountered any audio issue was the glassner acoustic electric fiddles?
Does it make a crackling noise when you wag/rotate the pot back and forth? By wagging the pot back and forth, you are essentially cleaning the track off with the wiper.
The female jack for the cord gets dirty too. The contact sufface/point for the 1/4" jack tip is not large.
This unit is 25 years old? Doesn't seem that old to me. Got a tube amp? Hang on to it!
In a word - rosin. It gets in EVERYWHERE playing fiddle and all electric fiddles suffer from this to some extent and eventually. Even if yours only has a phone jack, the rosin eventually gets on the contacts and causes all sorts of noise and stuff. Fiddles with volume controls etc are even more prone to this. WHen I was using a Barcus Berry fiddle exclusively, for over 30 years, I used to have the vol and jack removed and either cleaned by a buddy who was into building electronics as a hobby and had all sorts of wonder chemicals to get the rosin and dirt out, or just plain replace them periodically. I even went to a special sealed switchcraft phone jack but that too got noisy. Careful with any electronics cleaner stuff, most will destroy the finish on fiddles, thats why I used to pull them out for cleaning.
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Originally posted by farmerjonesquote:
Originally posted by Fiddle91Hello all,
I've been playing the fiddle for about 25 years and have never encountered an issue like this. I have a glassner carbon fiber fiddle with the built in pick up system.This unit is 25 years old? Doesn't seem that old to me. Got a tube amp? Hang on to it!
He said he'd been playing for 25 years, not that the instrument was 25 years old. I don't think Glasser had even started making carbon fiber violins yet back then.
You may be right but I would not belittle a prospective customers instrument
I don’t see it as belittling the instrument to make someone aware of common problems associated with the brand and the model. Wouldn’t you want to know it if your violin was prone to certain kinds of problems so that you could plan ahead or at least buy knowing what you were getting?
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Originally posted by The Violin BeautifulI don’t see it as belittling the instrument to make someone aware of common problems associated with the brand and the model. Wouldn’t you want to know it if your violin was prone to certain kinds of problems so that you could plan ahead or at least buy knowing what you were getting?
Words like 'budget.' You don't know this person. You don't know me. Anyone could be a potential customer. Are you not a merchant? Do you not wish to make money? Making arguments and belittling anyone and everything tells me things. Like, if I needed a violin or supplies, who would I go to? I may have a wristwatch worth more than your car. You don't know. I may have a 50k violin that needs work. You don't know.
quote:
Originally posted by farmerjonesquote:
Originally posted by The Violin BeautifulI don’t see it as belittling the instrument to make someone aware of common problems associated with the brand and the model. Wouldn’t you want to know it if your violin was prone to certain kinds of problems so that you could plan ahead or at least buy knowing what you were getting?
Words like 'budget.' You don't know this person. You don't know me. Anyone could be a potential customer. Are you not a merchant? Do you not wish to make money? Making arguments and belittling anyone and everything tells me things. Like, if I needed a violin or supplies, who would I go to? I may have a wristwatch worth more than your car. You don't know. I may have a 50k violin that needs work. You don't know.
Nonsense. I didn't belittle anyone. I mentioned known issues with a particular model of violin. Glasser is a company that makes its products specifically for the lower end of the market. That's not an opinion, it's a statement of fact. The products have quality control issues. That's a statement based on extensive personal experience.
My customers value my opinion and ask for advice because they trust me to provide them with honest and helpful information. I work on violins because it's my life. If I was just looking to make money I'd do something else.
Nobody needs a violin.
Let's say I owned a jewelry shop. In the greater D.C. area. 6.5 million people. Potential customers. And I found out someone in my employment was picking confrontations and arguments on-line, in a trade forum, or where customers can read everything. To put it nicely, I would have to re-align our companies human resources. In particular the offender.
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Originally posted by farmerjonesNobody needs a violin.
Let's say I owned a jewelry shop. In the greater D.C. area. 6.5 million people. Potential customers. And I found out someone in my employment was picking confrontations and arguments on-line, in a trade forum, or where customers can read everything. To put it nicely, I would have to re-align our companies human resources. In particular the offender.
The OP started a thread because of issues with a Glasser violin. I provided some information that addressed the commonality of that type of problem. It was not an attack on the OP, just an explanation that the issue wasn't atypical. Glasser products are often described specifically as "budget-friendly" products, so describing them that way was not a condemnation of them, just a description. If the OP did a fair amount of comparison when selecting a violin, he likely already knows this, as the Glasser lines are offered at a much lower price point than other manufacturers of carbon fiber instruments. To make prices that competitive, it's necessary to cut costs somewhere.
The only argument in the thread stems from your taking umbrage on someone else's behalf and engaging in megalomaniacal fantasies. Is it really necessary to hijack the thread to make your personal attacks?
As a luthier, I'm not concerned with how you advertise your wealth, only with providing the best service I can for the actual instruments entrusted to me and helping customers make decisions that they won't regret by sharing useful information when asked, and I do not give preferential treatment to any of my customers based on the actual or perceived depth of their pockets.
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Originally posted by The Violin Beautifulquote:
Originally posted by farmerjonesNobody needs a violin.
Let's say I owned a jewelry shop. In the greater D.C. area. 6.5 million people. Potential customers. And I found out someone in my employment was picking confrontations and arguments on-line, in a trade forum, or where customers can read everything. To put it nicely, I would have to re-align our companies human resources. In particular the offender.
The only argument in the thread stems from your taking umbrage on someone else's behalf and engaging in megalomaniacal fantasies. Is it really necessary to hijack the thread to make your personal attacks?
Personal attack? I gave hypotheticals for just that reason. I was only trying to impart some wisdom. Some experience. If you don't want my help, that's fine.
quote:
Originally posted by Fiddle91Hello all,
I've been playing the fiddle for about 25 years and have never encountered an issue like this. I have a glassner carbon fiber fiddle with the built in pick up system. Recently over the summer when I start bowing there is alot of what can only be described as almost tin foil being crinkled when I play. I think it maybe the tone knobs because it almost seems to go away if I put my hand on them. Has anyone else encountered any audio issue was the glassner acoustic electric fiddles?
If I understand this post, you already own the electric fiddle, and have been generally satisfied with how it performed; so not about looking to purchase a new one or replace the instrument? Thus not needing product appraisal, opinion or review. Rather just asking about diagnosing the actual problem and finding solution so it performs as it did?
If so, no need to worry or feel bad about your instrument, with those ignorant negative snubs, snobby elitist put down comments about being cheap... or whatever other agenda or issues they have; only experience (or lack of) evaluation seems maybe assumptions on how much spent.
[FWIW, it looks as if it retails around $1650; the electronics adds about $600 from just the acoustic version. That doesn't strike me as cheap ultra tight profit margin class; needing to make an instrument sacrifices for a cheapest made pot. Indeed the the PU system is from Bartolini, which has good reputation for components.]
The unique design of the electronics all interesting built into in the chinrest, but similar to piezo active electronics in acoustic guitars, knobs/slider, active preamp, housed i unit; as opposed to typical body and passive electronics; so uses slightly different pots, jack and servicing access. But it is serviceable; repairable, and parts can be replaced or even upgraded.
From description of problem, the signal path is getting through, only partially or intermittent. After basic test things like cord and battery; and solid plug/jack. I would still start with dirt/oxidation and cleaning pots first; as that's most often the cause (whether Alpha pot at $0.50 or CTS pot at $4). Doesn't hurt to clean,and good idea to do every so often. Deoxit is the go to for most electronics; shouldn't harm the chinrest nor electronics; (nor carbon composite body); but can possibly use a syringe method on knobs rather than spray to make less mess. Other chemicals like IPA can work to a degree. If that doesn't fix it, inspect the wiring and soldering as best can, might see obvious problem. That said, the pots or jack could fail at some point... but they are replaceable; generally not too expensive parts; looks like barrel jack and dual concentric tone pot. From there maybe check the piezo/bridge. Last would be the opamp/IC chip which could fail.
Of course can try contact Glasser or Bartolini for advice or service/repair/replacement. As it's all unique in detachable chin rest, can take it off and send it, or possibly just get whole replacement unit.
Good luck and happiness with your instrument.
Edited by - alaskafiddler on 02/19/2026 15:09:12
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Originally posted by alaskafiddlerIf so, no need to worry or feel bad about your instrument, with those ignorant negative snubs, snobby elitist put down comments about being cheap... or whatever other agenda or issues they have; only experience (or lack of) evaluation seems maybe assumptions on how much spent.
How much familiarity do you have with Glasser violins? Are you posting having worked with them yourself or are you just Googling the product and then trying to come up with answers based on product descriptions? How many times have you spoken with people who have described various issues with them? My comments are based on direct experience and knowledge of the brand, the model, and from feedback I've heard from players. It's not being dismissive or elitist to share useful information.
It seems to me that you and several other people have chosen to take offense at the word "budget" and have stepped onto your soapboxes to denounce its utterance. But the word is commonly used in association with the brand, and the negative connotation is one you've attached to it. Budget=bad is not my claim, just that instruments made to be priced at the lower end of the market are necessarily made with sacrifices to certain qualities. If you are experiencing an issue that's not uncommon, it's helpful to know that.
The OP simply said he had a Glasser violin. He did not, as one poster suggested, say that he'd had it for 25 years, and he also did not, as you've now suggested, say anything about being satisfied with the violin. The post stated that it was a violin he owned and it described a problem with it. Why not let the poster speak for himself?
Edited by - The Violin Beautiful on 02/19/2026 19:36:58
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