New violin/crafting studio.

[KenGMac]

Colin.

Really impressed with your work, my son trained as a luthier, and guitar repair Tec,

The link below may??? provide useful very specialised tools and other information pertaining to your new project, the site is worth exploring at some depth, books, kits , advice, Etc. not generally available on the web, also quirky supplies of very stringed instrument "bits"

There brochure is really worth getting, do you have a left hand paring tool?? [check it out??]

Everything for building and repairing stringed instruments! - StewMac

Luthier tools, guitar parts, and supplies for instrument builders, repair shops, hobbyists, and players worldwide. Same day shipping, free technical support, 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!

www.stewmac.com

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks for taking the time to reply with this interesting information KenGMac. WOW you need deep pockets these days to build any stringed instrument. Being on the stringed instrument forum this forum is based in America; I was interested in buying a set of the coloured dots to place on the neck of my violin but what a surprise I was in for; the dots $3.50 but shipping $59.50 to here in the UK.

The site though is certainly interesting in that it gives ideas as to tools and clamps etc which can be made in my home workshop; the short video too I found interesting.

Here in the UK everything appears in decline; so many places have closed in the last twenty years with much of our heavy industry having gone abroad; there's much to do about climate change but why have we here in the UK sent so many of our excellent machines abroad where these machines are used to make goods to be sold to us; surely these machines give out the same emissions in another country as they gave out in the UK so what difference to climate change; the only difference is obviously cheaper labour with little by health and safety abroad but to us it's loss of our once great industry and loss of so many jobs.

Most of the places I used to love to visit locally to buy workshop items/raw material are no more; I now have to buy online or get in the car and travel; a few of us still do crafts and have a workshop but we are now greatly reduced in numbers; I wonder how many are actually making a violin or indeed any stringed instrument at home in the UK; not many would be my guess. When I was a child father's and mother's (yes two parents) handed down their skills to children but this has changed because few parents have practical skills these days to hand down to children who don't even want to know preferring to play their electronic games or use their mobile phones; of course I could be totally wrong but now aged 74 I've seen things deteriorate so much over the years

I plan to make new tools like knives for my violin making project but what hassle it's proving; I've bought gauge plate but it's highly expensive; I've bought a selection of engineers files through eBay to use as raw material. Over 40 years ago I used to visit many local scrap yards and car breakers gathering items at very low prices; two of the local car breakers are still in business but when I read the reviews decided to leave them well alone because of their poor business ethics ripping customers off.

Before Covid I attended Rufforth Auto Jumble the first Saturday of each month weather permitting but I've only attended once in the last two years until yesterday. I was out of bed just before 5 o'clock and on site at Rufforth just before 7 o'clock; a terrible journey in the dark especially having left the motorway onto narrow unlit winding country lanes facing oncoming headlights making it highly dangerous but there was other danger awaiting me. Covid is still bad here so having parked the car I got out wearing my face mask; I was only one of very few indeed wearing a face mask and social distancing was about 2" rubbing against other visitors. I knew exactly what I wanted which were files so I bought a good selection and was glad to get out of there; I was home by 9 oclock; Rufforth is 45 miles distant from us but the trip was worth it because ten of the files I bought are aerospace qualty; I bought a further 18 assorted files these will be ideal for turning into violin making tools but just sheer hassle every time I want to buy something.

I was very interested in buying a violin advertised at £400 but where was it; 460 miles away and the seller requested bank transfer so I let it go. Locally our growth industry is fast food; our local car accessory garage has just been sold for £385K and it's going to be turned into yet another fast food outlet; do we really need this right next door to MacDonald's?

I was £55 lighter in pocket when I left Rufforth but what great value I got for this. The four small and six large files to the right are top quality aerospace the other eighteen to the left are poorer quality but still ideal as raw tool making material; included is an old chisel; two new mini LED torches and a bull nosed milling cutter; the milling cutter cost £10 so the rest only cost £45 plus of course fuel for the car and £2 entry fee. I didn't like this Rufforth trip at all; it's exposed and the breeze was cold giving a chill factor; what I've now got to do though in order to enjoy my hobbies; I must be mad to carry on but I'm stubborn.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[He who knows]

Into the workshop I decided I didn't like the rotary switch so removed it and replaced it with a metal clad 13A switched socket and added a 13A plug to the router cable so this now looks much neater

That really, really, really, really x as many as you like, ought to have an NVR switch like your table saw does.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I'll reply in kind. If you think I'm unsafe then please may I politely ask you to contact the power tool makers who make 240V angle grinders and 240V jigsaws and suggest they too install £30 NVR's to their machines after just checking my B&D angle grinder and my Makita jigsaw I can lock both switches on; these can be still on after power is cut off so if power comes back on they start up again without being touched but I know to switch anything off at the supply if there is a fault and isolate it before checking. I don't mind being picked up if I fall but I do mind being picked up BEFORE I fall.

It's highly likely I have other machines that have factory installed lock on buttons which don't release at a power fail. Before jumping in with your criticisms check what large power tool manufacturers do then perhaps you'll be more qualified to pick me up.

I take health and safety very seriously indeed hence I placed the 13A socket and plug in a prominent position on my router table.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[He who knows]

It wasn't a 'criticism' :-(

 

[Retired]

Hi,

A bit of catching up;

Here is a copy of some of the tools from the book I'll need.

The book also states 40 spool clamps will be needed so I made a few extra. This was time consuming and I used rubber for the protective pads.

I turned a special punch using my Lorch Schmidt lathe; pressure was applied to the punch using my heavy engineering vice against a wooden backing board this punched the protective washer out in one go and it worked a treat.

A close up of one of the spool clamps.

I bought gauge plate and made the knife blades from this using angle grinder and my home made 2" belt grinder.

The blade blanks needed heating to cherry red heat then fully quenching this makes the metal glass hard it then needing tempering.

Another picture of the small "oven" I put together from fire bricks and aluminium sheet; a simple hole was made to allow MAPP gas torch access as shown. It worked very well indeed. These fire bricks are soft and highly fragile.

Tempering was carried out at 200C in our kitchen oven.

It seems every tme I set myself up for a decent workshop session something always crops up to stop me. I received a PM from a member of another forum I'm on asking if I could let him have a copy of my rare German Aumann coil winder manual this on PDF running to 92 pages. Sounds easy enough but nothing is easy for me; when I tried to send the PDF by email to his email address the PDF liked me so much it didn't want to leave me; I spent most of the morning on this and now the member has sent me details of a program where I can send the PDF its called "Sharemygadget" so now I'm on yet another learning curve just because I'm doing my best to help; I never begrudge helping in this way after all I receive lots of help through forum members and I'm happy to give a bit back.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

The weather is too bad for playing in the workshop today so I've a bit of rare spare time.

This violin making project is going to take a long time to complete because there's so much involved. I still need to make and fit handles to the knife blades then sharpen and hone the knives but it's so bad outside I don't fancy wandering down to the workshop in the bitterly cold weather it having snowed last night and a storm passing through with up to 100mph wind; I must be getting soft.

I've just made a set of scrapers to the exact size of the drawings supplied with the Stradivarius book; not wishing to damage these original full sized drawings in any way so as I did with the knives I scanned the drawing then used "Gimp" to scale the drawing so that after printing onto standard white printer paper and very carefully using scissors I had full sized accurate paper templates.

Here's one of the paper templates.

The book states to use ignition points files to make these scrapers from and I've bought lots of assorted sized files but I thought perhaps I can save a lot of time not having to harden and temper if I used an old cabinet scraper I had to hand; this cabinet scraper was never a favourite it being too stiff and of heavy gauge so as seen I positioned all four paper templates and they could be arranged avoiding rust pitting. I then carefully attached the paper templates using double sided self adhesive tape; it sounds easy but actually can be difficult because once the paper template touches the tape job done.

Here's the simple method I used to cut out the scraper blanks; offcuts of Ply and MDF were used as support and securely nipped the cabinet scraper with the vice at the bottom and a clamp at the top; trying to cut metal so thin using an hacksaw has dangers and can easily result in a nasty cut to hand or finger; it's important to use a fine tooth blade in the hacksaw and take it slowly.

Two of the blanks roughed out taking care not to cut into the paper template.

Years ago I made a 4" x 36" belt sander and also seen here a 2" x 36" belt grinder this runs a lot faster; when I buy abrasive belts I buy 4" wide and for this grinder just cut them in half to give two belts; it saves trying to find 2" wide belt suppliers. I designed this grinder with rapid belt changing; I simply push down hard on the top of the belt and the top section slides inside the bottom section releasing belt tension; the two sections are spring loaded and the plastic knob seen top left is for tracking; both these machines are valuable additions to my workshop and cost very little to make.

Here are the four scrapers just needing sharpening; I was very careful indeed using the belt grinder to avoid overheating and worked on all four bit by bit; one cooling as another was worked on; I used engineers files to shape where I couldn't shape with the grinder; these scrapers are very small at about 4" long but they are used lightly on violin scraping; I'm working through the listed tools in the book it states I'll need. All the tools can be made in a home workshop and involve learning how to make them if a novice to this kind of project; I'm taking my time but find it difficult to get into the workshop.

The forum member I helped out yesterday with the PDF manual took me up until 3pm before he finally sent a message of thanks he now having a copy of the PDF file; one of these days something will work out as planned but I'm not holding my breath.

Next session in the workshop I think I'll have a go at fitting handles to the knife blades; I wish it was warm and sunny.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

A bit more progress. The blades now have handles fitted just needing finishing off and sharpening; it's surprising the amount of time it took to make these.

The wooden handles are in two halves; each just roughed out on the bandsaw then one face sanded flat this the glue face. Pin holes were drilled and in order to achieve accuracy one hole was drilled then a pin inserted before the second hole was drilled saving lots of messing around and wasted wood. The pin holes are 1/8" dia to suit brazing rod I had to hand cut to 1" lengths which was slightly long to allow trimming.

Impact adhesive was used because I had it to hand; the handles were nipped up tightly by two clamps each until the adhesive had set.

Once the clamps were removed then final handle shaping was carried out on my home made 4" belt sander; wearing a dust mask is a must for this kind of work.

The special purfling tool; this is used as a very narrow chisel to remove waste between scribed lines allowing purfling (stringing) to be glued in.

All these tools are exact size copied from the Stradivarius violin making book. Other tools are also needed so I'm working through them bit by bit. Once again I'm hampered by dire weather it being so cold and with sleet/snow forecast; it slows me down but won't stop me.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Wenchi]

Your works are so fantastic and your work style is marvelous. Above those works are really impressive.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum Wenchi and thank you for your kind comments which I really do appreciate.

I'm very old fashioned both in how I do things and how I think; it's the way I was trained all those years ago and I don't want to change. It seems these days everyone is in a mad rush and to do jobs as quickly as possible with little interest or pride in what they're doing; not everyone of course but unfortunately too many only see easy money and get away with as little effort as possible.

Now aged 74 I'm a dinosaur but well remember being taught to take pride not only in my work but in everything I do;

Here's were I worked having already worked for a year at Grange Ash Colliery before it closed; I left school aged 15 and went straight down the pit as an apprentice mechanical engineer coming from generations of coal miners; it was in these pits I was taught so much and to think for myself; I have a lot to thank the highly skilled engineers for; I knew real poverty,

https://www.ncm.org.uk/

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...0E8429815F3E135E88E60E8429815F3E1&FORM=VDRVRV

Leaving the coal industry I found myself in yet another hard heavy job this time in a huge blanket mill where I was weftman; there were two of us and we had to keep the looms supplied with weft; the noise was incredible and everyone working in the weaving shed could lip read; I'm surprised I'm still alive and not deaf; just two hard jobs I had so long ago;

I hope the links work.

It's wet and cold with lots of wind again today so I've only had a short session in the workshop this morning; later today I'll pop into the studio for a violin practice; I now make a point of practicing at least once each day for about half an hour. I've a great deal to learn with regard to violins.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Thread Repair]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum Wenchi and thank you for your kind comments which I really do appreciate.

I'm very old fashioned both in how I do things and how I think; it's the way I was trained all those years ago and I don't want to change. It seems these days everyone is in a mad rush and to do jobs as quickly as possible with little interest or pride in what they're doing; not everyone of course but unfortunately too many only see easy money and get away with as little effort as possible.

Now aged 74 I'm a dinosaur but well remember being taught to take pride not only in my work but in everything I do;

Here's were I worked having already worked for a year at Grange Ash Colliery before it closed; I left school aged 15 and went straight down the pit as an apprentice mechanical engineer coming from generations of coal miners; it was in these pits I was taught so much and to think for myself; I have a lot to thank the highly skilled engineers for; I knew real poverty,

https://www.ncm.org.uk/

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=it's+a+working+man+i+am+the+dubliners&ru=/videos/search?q=it%27s%20a%20working%20man%20i%20am+the%20dubliners&&FORM=VDVVXX&view=detail&mid=F23BDED0DC3A629662D1F23BDED0DC3A629662D1&rvsmid=35E88E60E8429815F3E135E88E60E8429815F3E1&FORM=VDRVRV

Leaving the coal industry I found myself in yet another hard heavy job this time in a huge blanket mill where I was weftman; there were two of us and we had to keep the looms supplied with weft; the noise was incredible and everyone working in the weaving shed could lip read; I'm surprised I'm still alive and not deaf; just two hard jobs I had so long ago;

I hope the links work.

It's wet and cold with lots of wind again today so I've only had a short session in the workshop this morning; later today I'll pop into the studio for a violin practice; I now make a point of practicing at least once each day for about half an hour. I've a great deal to learn with regard to violins.

Kind regards, Colin.

Wow, seems like a great life story, sir. More power to your project.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks Thread Repair for your kind comments.

Since last posting I've been extremely busy as usual; recently we had five storms pass through the last damaged a big Crack Willow tree so in bad weather I was out with the chainsaw; this tree had three thick trunks and was about 50' tall; I removed the damaged section and roped the remaining sections allowing the storm to pass by. Increasingly fed up of tree damage every time high wind hits the exposed valley side I thought I've had enough of this so in dire weather including snow; rain; sleet; hail; wind and even sun at times I felled and disposed of another 14 trees in just under two weeks; no light jobs living here and I was on my own working in the steep garden.

Jus a few of many logs I had to carry down the garden to our driveway.

One of the trees at 60' landing perfectly in spite of wind; I measured from trunk base to top corner of garden at it was 65' so I was pleased it landed where wanted; had it gone over the wire fence it could have been highly dangerous because a lane is just the other side of the fence; the logs were collected by a woodburning friend free of charge.

The studio has progressed and now is home to new stereo monitors (speakers) Tascam 8 track recorder/mixer and the new microphone arrved a couple of days ago.

The Laney LX20R guitar amp I bought a couple of months ago.

The Tascam DP-008EX sound studio 8 track.

New Rode NT1-A condenser mic on home made wooden stand.

I made the wooden stand yesterday because there isn't space for a floor standing stand and I can position this where best suits it; it was after 9 o'clock last night before I got the mic working powered with 48v phantom power from the Tascam.

These are the monitors I bought.

On top of all this my lovely generouse wife Bron treated me to a German 1880 trade violin this is orchestral quality and definitly not cheap bought from a luthier who set it up and installed a set of strings at over £100 the set; Bron also really spoiled me by adding an expensive case and carbon fiber bow fitted with best horsehair.

I've had to buy a number of cables and other smaller items so this isn't a cheap hobby. Bron treated me to a years "The Strad" subscription and I treated her to a years "The Artist" subscription also because Bron is so generous I asked if there was anything she would like; a new expensive sofa is due in August; we've not had a single days holiday away from home for the last 44 years preferring to remain home and improve our lifestyly now we can indulge in our many hobbies.

The 1880 German violin with new case and carbon fiber bow Bron generously bought for me; it's a beauty.

I can now play on the violin Twinkle twinkle little star in three scales but I'm heading towards my dream of playing "Lara's Theme" and I can play the first two lines of the song; the scratching and shrieking are history as I've gained more experience. I've bought Bron a Yamaha mini keyboard so I can use the Tascam to mix the violin and keyboard; the only real problem I have is time; I'm running flat out just to stand still; I've got our garden bench in bits having given it a top class repaint.

The wooden bench slats in new paint.

The cast iron bench ends in new paint awaiting reassembly.

I'm forever working driven by jobs needing doing leaving little time for things I want to do but I hope to spend more time in the studio this year.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I'm still dreaming of spare time to get into our music studio. Today has been taken up reassembling the garden bench and I've just completed it at 4:30. First job this morning was to visit three supermarkets doing the shopping then back home and after a mug of tea drive to the outskirts of Huddersfiel visiting Danlett for stainless steel screws because the screws I ordered through eBay on the 1st may hadn't yet arrived; then back home and get cracking with the bench.

The bench reassembly was highly frustrating because over the years the slatts had bowed making it highly frustrating aligning the holes but after a big struggle i finally succeded so the bench should now be OK for another twenty years. I also bought stainless steel woodscrews to replace rusty screws to our front porch dor handle. Danlett didn't have the correct screws for the bench slatts so I bought them much longer which then took quite a bit of time in cutting them to length.

It's taken a lot of time and effort but I never cut corners and it pays long term.

Pretty as a picture and finally completed.

Adding insult to injury I've only just received a refund through eBay for the missing screws with absolutely no other information; all I needed a week go was an apology saying sorry unable to supply but this would have been too easy when it's much better to mess me around for a week; good job I decided to say enough is enough this morning.

Whilst I had the door handle off I gave it a fresh coat of paint and and I'll touch the new screws in with matching black paint; these screws won't rust Just another of many such small jobs. Bottom screw removed for matching at Danlett's.

It doesn't take much to make a place look shabby.

Stainless sreel countersunk screws now in place just needing a touch of black paint.

Two more jobs ticked off today.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Ian]

You always do a very thorough job Colin!

How are you finding the Tascam? I've just started doing a little bit of mixing in a friends music studio and they had some Traktor mixing decks which were great fun. I don't think I'll use them any more than a dabble, but I can really see why people enjoy it so much .

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks Ian for your kind comment. I was taught there is only one way to do a job that's to do it to the best of my abilties.

Thanks for asking; at first I found the Tascam to be quite difficult because there are so many pages in the manual to wade through but I also found a number of YouTube videos which were a great help allowing me to grasp the basics. Once I learned how to record then it was time to try playback and to transfer the file to my computer.

I ran into lots of problems using the amplifier which only played at normal sound level; trying anything higher made the amplifier go ballistic with shrieking to deafen me and I had to back it off very quickly indeed; I eventually found I had the channel 1 record button still active so once I turned this off a lot of things started to fall into place; there is only one control marked volume and it's located to the back; I misunderstood this to be the main volume control when in fact all it controlled were the phones; I do so like to learn everything the hard way.

Recording level controls make a lot of difference and I'm playing around with these but now I've also got the new condenser mic and new amplified monitors all this has taken lots of time to sort out because until Bron generously bought me my first ever musical instrument it being the Hidersine Vivente violin I'd had nothing to do with music playing so it's been one huge learning curve also violin playing isn't cheap because the cheap eBay violins just make a noise.

Just learning to play a violin is extremely difficult and I now understand why a violin is ranked the hardest stringed instrument to play but I'm stubborn and determined enough to stick with it.

When I first tried to play the violin I could only do so for about five minutes before pain set in on my left arm and hand as I tried to strangle the violin; I'm now much more relaxed whilst playing and yesterday I enjoyed two 45 minute practice sessions without pain so I'm getting used to everything.

If you've had a go with a mixing deck then you'll understand it's not easy especially if on your own from scratch; I can record and playback single tracks only at the moment but I've stated many times my dream is to play Lara's Theme on a violin I make myself but now I've expanded a bit on this because the Tascam has opened up an whole new world to me. I'm now on the lookout for a really nice Balalaika; I'd like to become proficient enough to play Lara's Theme on my violin but also play Lara's Theme on a Balalaika then mix the two to make it sound more like the orginal; a big ambition but I'm already working towards its success; I've just enjoyed another violin practice the second today; I'm determined to make time for violin practicing and to play around in the studio with my new toys; I'm not in a hurry or under any pressure this hobby is just for my personal pleasure; I've stopped making the scratching and scraping sounds on the violin and am sounding much better.

Have you ever tried playing a violin Ian; I can highly recommend it as a major challenge; so many must buy a cheap eBay violin and quickly lose interest not only because violin playing is so very difficult but a cheap violin is sure to put any novice off. One way I'd recommend if buying a new violin is to buy a Hidersine Vivente as Bron kindly bought me the outfit costing around £160 but don't try to play it because it will be absolute rubbish if it's like mine as it left the factory; spend another £100 to have it set up by a luthier who could install decent strings at £60 plus his setting up and adjustment charge of about £40; my Hidersine as bought was rubbish; the "G" and "D" strings couldn't be played after only a short time the "G" string was found to be worn out by the luthier; I couldn't believe how badly it had left the factory; even the sound post had been rammed in needing it to be resited in the correct position; I knew I was at fault due to my ignorance but with the violin supplied in such poor condition I could easily have followed so many and given up putting the violin up for sale; violin playing is incredibly difficult but once the first nice sounds come out of it then it becomes highly addictive.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Ian]

Sounds like great fun, especially with that end goal in mind! Is this the tune? Beautiful!

Lara's Theme - André Rieu - YouTube

I've never played the violin, and I have to admit I didn't even know what a luthier was - so I've learned a new word there. A good friend of mine is in the process of building a new guitar, so he pops round occasionally and we build a bit of it (he bought the "bridge" and a few other parts, but the body is handmade).

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Ian; yes it's great fun as you rightly say and although oviously I've know what violins are all my life I never appreciated the many years it takes to become proficient in playing one; they sure are very difficult indeed unaided by my now short memory.

Yes that's the song/tune; here is a lovely young lady playing Lara's Theme on a violin also another video of it being sung;

It's been very difficult but I can now play part of Lara's Theme without it sounding like a cat being strangled. I just love this tune and never ever tire of hearing it.

Good luck to your friend with his guitar build; I'm sure you'll end up getting bitten by the bug too.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

It's taken 35 years solid hard grafting to get on top of the jobs here after moving in from replacing the drains to replacing the entire roofs and chimney without outside help. I'm now finally caught up with no outstanding jobs hanging over me so now I can spend time in the studio as I've been doing today. Final jobs just done;

What a job it was to anchor this post down due to access problems.

I sealed all around using top quality cartridge sealant then added heavy coats of paint; this should last a couple of weeks in our dire climate.

Here are the railings after lots of time and energy; undercoat and two top coats of paint.

Continuation of railings.

I made two heavy duty garden huts a few years ago and became fed up of applying Barrattine preservative so now they are fully painted. I added a side cover to prevent debris building up in the gap between retaining wall and hut bottom; the wood was given three coats of paint and for good measure I then added a layer of roofing felt.

The top hut.

The bottom hut.

Front view of bottom hut. This time I decided enough was enough of applying preservative only for it to wash off; three heavy coats of expensive Benjamin Moore Exterior Aura Satin; £102 per US gallon a US gallon being quite a bit smaller than an Imperial gallon; three gallons used. Let's see our dire climate wash this off. 4" roller and brush were used.

I put in a huge push in order to break clear of all this maintenance work; it took many hours and I often worked myself to a standstill wondrering if ever I'd get on top. I was also keeping up with grass cutting; hedge and laurel trimming plus weeding; it was really a job for Superman but he wasn't available.

It feels strange not having jobs hanging over me but I'll force myself to get used to it.

I feel a lot of studio time coming on and my wonderful wife has treated my to a lovely genuine Russian 1960's Balalaika in excellent condition.

I'll never be bored.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

I'm still buying kit for the studio and have just bought a Toshiba laptop; 8GB ram and 120GB SSD; £130 inc P&P next day deivery; bought through eBay as used but it's like brand new with a 3 month warranty; it was already loaded with genuine Win 10; Google Chrome and security programs; it only took a few minutes to get it fully working and to log onto the web; just activate wifi and no problems at all; it's better than some new ones I was browsing costing around £500 it's even got a CD/DVD drive and it's very heavy and solid not the lightweight plastic which is cheap and nasty.

I've already downloaded Audacity and VLC but as yet not played with it much because I'm trying to spend more time practicing with my violins; yesterday I enjoyed two lovely practice sessions playing all three violins and I even had another go with the balalaika making a bit of progress.

I also bought through eBay a 48V phantom power supply to use with my Rode mic but connecting up to the amps couldn't get a sound out of it so I contacted the seller who has been brilliant offering an immediate full refund telling me to keep it; however I'm so new to all this music scene I could well be at fault so politely explained to the seller what I was attempting to do and requested they send a second power supply so that I could compare; if the second power supply also fails to work then I'm definitely the problem and I'll gladly pay in full for both power supplies because they could eventually be used in the studio; I never mess anyone around or take advantage of anyone; if I make a mistake then I'll quickly own up to it; it would be unfair for me to keep this power supply if the fault is with me. I might need to buy an interface but at the moment I'm trying to run before I can walk but I'll get there in the end.

I'm fiding it difficult to play the balalaika because the strings hurt my fingers; seeing a balalaika being played on YouTube it looks incredibly easy but like anything new there's a steep learning curve; I even bought plectrums but these made no difference; I'll watch YouTube instructional videos then try again; I might be trying too hard and need to relax a bit; balalaika's are easy to play aren't they; please see this video;

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

My lovely wife has been spoiling me rotten again. This time she's bought me a Fishman V-200 pickup so now I can play my violins as acoustic or electric.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/fishman_v200_pickup.htm

https://www.eaglemusicshop.com/fishman-pro-v20-ovi-v200

Save £20?

Not only a pickup which was expensive but even more expensive is the Meris Enzo.

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Meris-Enzo-Synth-Pedal/2NTM

The violin with the pickup can now be played directly through the guitar amp not needing a preamp for my small studio. The Enzo though is amazing by the sounds I can get from it; connecting the violin to the Enzo was very easy indeed and although I've tried it using the bow I find I can really get the best from the Enzo by plucking the strings; it's all new to me but what fun I'm having.

The studio is now nicely set up with lots of gear so I'm on another ballistic learning curve.

We were watching a Ted Brewer electric violin being played on YouTube and my wife generously said she'd be happy to treat me to it; we've got our wedding anniversary imminent also my birthday next month which is a good excuse but I'm spoiled all year round.

I was about to order the Ted Brewer electric violin but gave it a bit more thought; listening to Alison play both violins I prefer the sound of the electrified acoustic violin and I already have three acoustic violins hence chose the Fishman pickup; our local music store sells these pickups and I was going to buy locally but decided to check online and I'm glad I did; it saved £70 for the identical pickup making our local store very greedy indeed but then I suppose they haven't the buying power of a large company but £70 extra is a lot.

I might still accept an electric violin for my birthday but I'll browse the web first; I'm not keen on coloured LED's so will look at Yamaha. We've reached the stage in life both fully retired and no debts hanging over us; we've not had an holiday away from home for 45 years so can now fully indulge our hobbies; we'd rather buy something we can use and keep than buy memories; it's not all one sided though because after pestering my wife to buy her something the only thing she wanted was a new sofa so a new sofa is due to arrive late September at £2,000 I don't begrudge a penny of it.

I'm getting set up for our long winter when the bungalow and gardens aren't demanding lots of maintenance hopefully allowing me lots of studio time.

I'm still practicing playing Lara's Theme on my violins finding it very difficult but a wonderful challenge;

I can play the above but it's taken many hours practice and fierce concentration; I hadn't realized how bad my short term memory is so I'm practicing over and over until I can play like a robot; I learn four notes at a time then join up which is slow but works. I'm obssessed with Lara's Theme and won't give up until I can fully play it; violins are the hardest of all stringed instruments to play which I'm finding to be so true.

Kind regards, Colin.