I was so encouraged by the quality of the discussion and answers to 5StringMike's discussion on fiddle repair, I thought I'd jump in.
I've gotten a fiddle that has absolutely NO finish on it and would like to finish it. The fiddle is a little on the 'rough' side, the purfling is not as fine as it might be, but it seems well worth saving to me.
I get to spend a week each April with a friend in West Virginia in his stringed instrument repair shop but neither of us knows anything about fiddle finishes or their preparation and application. I've read some on the internet but would appreciate the good practical advice I've seen here time and again so I can undertake this project this year. (Is that enough stroking?)
Talking of spoons, I have been polishing mine (they are EPNS Arthur Price soup spoons) with premium Brasso every month, but have begun to notice a slight sharpening of pitch after about 50 minutes of use. I've heard that using freshly pressed safflower oil is a preferable treatment but am wary of changing the treatment it damages their timbre. Does anyone have any advice/experience regarding the care of spoons? Thanks.
Hi Langolier.. What I did when I was ready to varnish mine was go to the local fiddle
shop and have the luthier there make me up a varnish kit.I used an alcohol based varnish
also known as spirit varnish. This dries incredibly quickly. He included samples of the
different colours that he had so I could test different combinations. I played about with
these colours on scraps until I had the colour I wanted and had a bit of a feel for the
way the varnish handled. I also decided during this time that the brush was not for me.
I experimented with using an airbrush to put the varnish on and finally (horrors!)
decided to go that way. I gave the instrument a final scrape to clean it up (I'd been
playing it in the white for about 6 months), used my teacher's recipe of egg white and
sugar to seal the wood (like d a said there are many different recipes for this) and
sprayed on 13 (for luck!) coats. I rubbed it out with rottenstone every couple of coats.
The spirit varnish is much more brittle than the oil varnishes which are the other
alternative and it picks up nicks quite easily but I've been happy with the results
for 18 years now. I certainly wouldn't recommend that you go to the extent of making
your own varnish the first time around unless of course you have leanings towards alchemy
it which case it might be a lot of fun.Just be careful when you're heating that alcohol.
Thanks to d a for that erudite exposition (I've emailed him privately to ask what lakes, mordants, mullers and nitromers are) but a question for Bob: Any suggestions on where one might obtain such a kit without a local luthier? Course, I guess if I had one of them I could just ask him how to do it.
Hi Jim. Don't know what part of the country you are in (close to west virginia ?) but you could contact these guys. If you're buying with US$ the prices are even cheaper.
You're welcome Jim. You've probably looked at the other thread about fitness and the music. I expect you have many miles to go yet. We'll probably hear that you've started to build fiddles from scratch next.
It only takes about 120 hours of work on average, maybe a little more the first time around. I look forward to hearing how the varnishing went.
Bob
Jim, I knew a violinist in one of my orchestras, an engineer, who, when he retired at 65, took up repairing and making violins as a hobby (largely self-taught). He was busy playing in the orchestra and repairing and making violins until he passed away last year in his 80s.
Trevor
It's my experience that players who know about setting up instruments, and perhaps repairing and making them, are very useful to have in sessions. It's surprising the number of fiddle players who don't have a clear idea about things like the bridge position, or how the strings should be wound on to the pegs, to mention but two items out of the many that have been discussed in this forum.
Trevor
visit www.internationalviolin.com for instructional manuals on varnishes and how to apply. They also have the materials to accomplish. The company is in Baltimore, Maryland. They are friendly folk and will gladly assist you.I enjoy the sessions, picking up some really good some information about this musical art. Unfortunately, you have to throw out the comic section (attempting to impress the other comics). Anyway, keep playing and good luck with your finish.
Fiddle finishes and finishing
Fiddle finishes and finishing
Hello all,
I was so encouraged by the quality of the discussion and answers to 5StringMike's discussion on fiddle repair, I thought I'd jump in.
I've gotten a fiddle that has absolutely NO finish on it and would like to finish it. The fiddle is a little on the 'rough' side, the purfling is not as fine as it might be, but it seems well worth saving to me.
I get to spend a week each April with a friend in West Virginia in his stringed instrument repair shop but neither of us knows anything about fiddle finishes or their preparation and application. I've read some on the internet but would appreciate the good practical advice I've seen here time and again so I can undertake this project this year. (Is that enough stroking?)
Thanks,
jim
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by langolier
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
... or you could just buy a flute ...
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by Conway
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
I just don't seen why people won't learn the spoons. Sheffield Steel - superb!
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by BowHand
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
Talking of spoons, I have been polishing mine (they are EPNS Arthur Price soup spoons) with premium Brasso every month, but have begun to notice a slight sharpening of pitch after about 50 minutes of use. I've heard that using freshly pressed safflower oil is a preferable treatment but am wary of changing the treatment it damages their timbre. Does anyone have any advice/experience regarding the care of spoons? Thanks.
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by Conway
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
Hi Langolier.. What I did when I was ready to varnish mine was go to the local fiddle
shop and have the luthier there make me up a varnish kit.I used an alcohol based varnish
also known as spirit varnish. This dries incredibly quickly. He included samples of the
different colours that he had so I could test different combinations. I played about with
these colours on scraps until I had the colour I wanted and had a bit of a feel for the
way the varnish handled. I also decided during this time that the brush was not for me.
I experimented with using an airbrush to put the varnish on and finally (horrors!)
decided to go that way. I gave the instrument a final scrape to clean it up (I'd been
playing it in the white for about 6 months), used my teacher's recipe of egg white and
sugar to seal the wood (like d a said there are many different recipes for this) and
sprayed on 13 (for luck!) coats. I rubbed it out with rottenstone every couple of coats.
The spirit varnish is much more brittle than the oil varnishes which are the other
alternative and it picks up nicks quite easily but I've been happy with the results
for 18 years now. I certainly wouldn't recommend that you go to the extent of making
your own varnish the first time around unless of course you have leanings towards alchemy
it which case it might be a lot of fun.Just be careful when you're heating that alcohol.
Bob
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by bmcivor
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
bah. Just play the ruddy thing. Who cares if it's varnished or no?
or just get yourself a bloody 'zouk.
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by Pádraig
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
Care of spoons? My butler polishes mine.
Trevor
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
... before he "borrows" 'em.
Trevor
# Posted on January 6th 2004 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
Thanks to d a for that erudite exposition (I've emailed him privately to ask what lakes, mordants, mullers and nitromers are) but a question for Bob: Any suggestions on where one might obtain such a kit without a local luthier? Course, I guess if I had one of them I could just ask him how to do it.
jim
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by langolier
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
Hi Jim. Don't know what part of the country you are in (close to west virginia ?) but you could contact these guys. If you're buying with US$ the prices are even cheaper.
http://atlanticviolinsupplies.com/MakingSupplies.asp
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by bmcivor
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
I'm in the little point at the top of Virginia. I hang around West Virginia because that's where (most) all of the good old time fiddlers are.
I probably should have mentioned that I'm 70 years old so this is more likely a one-shot event than the beginning of a career.
Thanks for all the help.
jim
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by langolier
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
You're welcome Jim. You've probably looked at the other thread about fitness and the music. I expect you have many miles to go yet. We'll probably hear that you've started to build fiddles from scratch next.
It only takes about 120 hours of work on average, maybe a little more the first time around. I look forward to hearing how the varnishing went.
Bob
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by bmcivor
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
Perhaps we could talk d a into giving us a varnishing workshop. Or failing that a cathedral restoration course.
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by bmcivor
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
Jim, I knew a violinist in one of my orchestras, an engineer, who, when he retired at 65, took up repairing and making violins as a hobby (largely self-taught). He was busy playing in the orchestra and repairing and making violins until he passed away last year in his 80s.
Trevor
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
It's my experience that players who know about setting up instruments, and perhaps repairing and making them, are very useful to have in sessions. It's surprising the number of fiddle players who don't have a clear idea about things like the bridge position, or how the strings should be wound on to the pegs, to mention but two items out of the many that have been discussed in this forum.
Trevor
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
My old time fiddler friend, Melvin Wine, passed away last spring at 93. I'll never surpass his fiddling so my goal is to outlast him and reach 94.
jim
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by langolier
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
94? That's it? lad, aim for 95 at least. ;)
P
# Posted on January 8th 2004 by Pádraig
Re: Fiddle finishes and finishing
langolier
visit www.internationalviolin.com for instructional manuals on varnishes and how to apply. They also have the materials to accomplish. The company is in Baltimore, Maryland. They are friendly folk and will gladly assist you.I enjoy the sessions, picking up some really good some information about this musical art. Unfortunately, you have to throw out the comic section (attempting to impress the other comics). Anyway, keep playing and good luck with your finish.
# Posted on January 11th 2004 by endpin