Blog - Fiddler Dan Violins & Workshop, Brisbane

Exploring the Henry Strobel Violin Making and repairing Books

If you peak into just about any luthiers workshop, on a shelf or pinned to the wall is likely to be something from Henry Strobel who has written prolifically about many aspects of violin luthiering. His books tend to be short stapled US letter paperbacks and are written in a style for accessibility with plain speaking and matter of fact content.

Probably his most popular book is “Useful measurements for violinmakers”, from which his pages of measurements for setting up instruments is popular work wide and adorning many the wall of a violin shops workshop.

Whilst I am traditionally taught for the most part , here is a handy guide for taking a lot of the guesswork and refinement out-of setting up in particular fractional size instruments from the violin, family including viola, cell and bass. Which unless you have an encyclopaedic like memory or want to spend lots of time play testing is a really quite way to get an instrument going reliably.

His catalogue of other violin books is also a really handy source of knowledge, inspiration and can save you heading down a blind alley or too. And if there is a rabbit hole you want to open up, it serves as a lamp to guide the way. Postage to Australia is a bit much so buy a few with a friend 😉

Luthiering is traditionally learned from a single teacher so you might learn their way only, and through isolation, secrecy or limitations on time might not learn that there are other ways of doing things. It’s here that Henrys books can supplement you own environment really effectively. In his books he often states his ways are not the only ways and describes or drops hints about other ways which can help provide insight into your own practice. Probably one of the things that resonates for me is he has a background in engineering and with the technical way about it speaks to my own engineering career ways of thinking and doing things ie down to earth, matter of fact and levels of precision.

Masson Music

Masson Music like Music Express has been a fixture on Brisbanes Southside for many, many years. And although its been closed now for a few years I still see quite a few Masson Music violins come into my shop for repairs. One of the nice little things I notice about them is a little message “Unwind your bow” on a small card in the case, as a reminder to young players that bows need to be unwound when you are finished using them. A nice touch John!

John Masson was kindly to a *cough* young luthiers apprentice when he was just getting started, introducing me to a few of the wholesalers and occasional gifts of bits and pieces useful to a luthiers workshop. Thankyou John

Cellos for students – Brisbane

I keep a modest selection of cellos from 1/4 to full size The smaller size cello are more entry level and get progressively higher in quality with size ( by the time you grow into a bigger cello you want something a bit better). I draw from the Neo, Neo+ and Encore range of Vivo instruments for these and Hidersine instruments for the larger sizes. I keep a few secondhand cellos as well and refurbish factory instruments when i can get them (the price point is quite favourable, has full warranty and i fix whatever flaw they had in them) . I can also order in the fabulous Piacenza and reserve range in about a day which will do most players through high school and into tertiary study of the instrument.

I also keep a range of accessories for Cellos including bows and strings.

Becoming a violin luthier

Becoming a violin luthier

The path to luthiery is different for everyone, whilst traditionally it was a father-son apprenticeship, or apprenticeship to a violin maker you knew, this is less likely in Australia than somewhere like Europe. Thus for some it means going overseas to study, or taking up a kind of apprenticeship in a specialty music shop. There is something about being an apprentice in an old world European workshop that appeals to us all I think…and some secrecy too.

In getting to know violin luthiers here in Brisbane and further afield, there is a bit of a mix of all of these and everyones path is somewhat different. For my own part, coming from an academic background I can see the advantages of a deep dive under a single master, but also the wide range of expertise from a course of study, or a more collegiate style approach.

However you get your start I am not sure it matters so much its generally driven by passion rather than anything else. Along the way there are plenty of barriers of entry to the trade to deter the casual and while luthiers are in short supply, its not something to do if you want to make a lot of money.

Most luthiers I have come across have an intrest in music, usually and ideally a string player in music. They also need to have some manner of mechanical aptitude and affinity with wood. Luthiery is thus the intersection of these two skill sets – and they don’t commonly intersect – but here is the sweet spot for a violin luthier. Being able to play the violin and perhaps even teaching experience all helps in under standing the needs of a player – and is a really important ingredient for understanding what a violin should be able to do. A musical ear is really helpful here for fine tonal adjustments. An ability to understand the mechanics of a violin, how it works from a acoustical-mechanical perspective help guide the craft. An appreciation for fine tolerances, combined with practical skills with tools is the second major skill set. Understanding wood and tools used to work wood at fine tolerances, together with finishing and construction are something that need to also be developed along the way.

So if you can play a Paganini caprice or two and cut a decent dovetail joint…you will likely make a fabulous luthier in time.

For the rest of us mere mortals this is something we might work up to in time, not sure about the Paganini bit…but hey this is a blog). Luthiery, just like playing a violin is where a teacher plays a pivotal role. Being shown technique and then practicing your scales err… skills over and over is important. After you have carved and admired your first bridge, you will look back on it 50 bridges later and wonder what you were thinking…and so one as you master technique after technique.

My own journey began as a player, and then repair of my childrens instruments under the watchful eye of a violin maker friend…eventually he told me to hang a sign out…but more on that later.

Brisbane’s Bow Rehairing Journeyman

For bow rehairing by Brisbane journeyman luthier Fiddler Dan. Choose from Mongolian fine hair or courser grades for viola, cello or bass. I can also replace thumb leathers and bow windings as well.

Bow Rehairing is something in demand in Brisbane and with several luthiers recently retiring, it is even further under pressure as demand continues to grow. Reasonable mastery of violin bow re-hairing requires something of the order of a few hundred rehairs to have been completed, which is not a short path by any means….of course reasonable competency is reached well before that.

bow hair stock for bow rehairing per customer reuuirements

UPDATE: August ’24 I’ve now rehaired over 60 bows and have a good selection of hair from fine Mongolian, to courser grade hair and black hair for individual preferences of violist, cellists and bass players.

my bow rehairing jig given to me by my teacher...its made of huon pine...which i like to use for my plugs — My bow rehairing jig, a gift from my violin making teacher David Brown

Under the instruction of my teacher I have been learning the art of bow rehairing for the last year or so with numerous rehairs and bow repairs now under my belt, as well as general bow repair services . I am happy to say I now can offer this service as a ‘journeyman’. The challenge now is to continue to progress my experience for the future, which is where I need your help.

Rehairing from Brisbanes most experienced luthiers is around $250 and well worth the price. Some music shops are doing them for around ~$200, either in house or outsourcing the work to a specialist. I highly recommend these services if you have a professional level bow and are playing to a high level.

bow rehairingh requires the replacement of the wedges at the tip and in the frog of the violin bow

However for student and intermediate bows for intermediate/advancing players you might like to give me a try, as I am offering my ‘journeyman’ bow rehairs for substantially less as I develop my experience and further refining my skill. Rest assured though I am using the same high quality Mongolian horse hair that my more experienced colleagues are using.

Take a look at some the elements of bow rehairing

Why are my violin pegs slipping?

Actually most people don’t ask why are my pegs slipping, they just say my violin is out of tune and won’t hold a note. There is a myriad of reasons and the violin pegs slipping is usually the culprit. To understand why it happens it’s useful to understand how pegs work.

Pegs have a slightly conical taper to them, this neat design allows them to fit more snugly by pushing them in slightly as you tighten the string. Its not perfect , probably need to move to something like guitar tuners, but hey this is a traditional classical instrument so pegs it is!

The pegs them selves are made of a hardwood, usually ebony so they they don’t wear out and go into the peg box which is maple – also a hard wood but slightly softer. So inevitably though use they start to wear a bit. Wood on wood can get a bit sticky or creaky so they are lubricated with peg paste (or peg dope). Peg past is made from some lubricating and some sticky elements, so they can grip and slide appropriately. A mix of fine clay, rosin and perhaps graphite is in this material. The different makers of peg paste have different combinations and I find using the right one for the climate is important. Peg paste is something replaced yearly with an instruments service.

Home/ teacher solutions can involve some crushed rosin or chalk applied to the pegs – yes it works as a quick fix, but you may end up with stuck pegs.

Over time the wearing of the pegbox takes place , and its an out or round wear, because for the string tension in one direction , meaning the peg develops favourite positions to sit in and may slip to these. The remedy here is to ream the peg box hole slightly to return it to round and shave the peg also if appropriate.

Another thing that happens to pegs /peg box as they wear is the peg sits further in the hole. At some point this is limited by the string that is wound around the hole as it hits the opposite side of the peg box, and so push in as you may the peg will never fit tighter in the box and always slip. this is common on a violin thats been played for some time (years), so on secondhand instruments that have been handed down to the 2nd, 3rd, 4th player its an inevitability. The solution is to drill a new hole in the peg for the string to sit more in the middle of the peg box…no hassle!

One note of caution if your violins pegs are slipping, resist the temptation to push it too hard into the peg box to get it tight. The danger here is you crack the peg box and have a very expensive repair – or in the case of a student violin it will be cheaper to replace it.

A Guzheng for the win

I had this lovely Chinese Zither in for some minor work last week. Its proper name is a Guzheng. Its a plucked instrument like a horizontal harp if you will.

Accompanying it was a Ruan that also need some work, A Ruan is a kind of Chinese guitar that comes in three sizes and it tuned tonic-fith-tonic fith

Cara, the artist who brought them in is a regular performer, here is one of her recording for the ABC.

Horsehead Fiddle ( Morin Khurr)

Visiting artist Bulgantamir brought this amazing horsehead fiddle by my workshop for some minor work. It has 2 strings, that are made of twisted horsehead. Inside the instrument is a bass bar and sound post. The music was interesting, lots of harmonics and rhythmic bowing.

Catch him on insta

Violin Expert

Make makes a violin expert? Are you looking for a violin expert then you might have come to the right place ……or you might not? It’s a self appointed label a violin store or workshop owner might give themselves. So what would make a violin expert, would you need to be an expert violin player, a expert luthier with expert knowledge of product? …

If your looking for a violin expert to fit out your young child with an instrument you might be looking for something quite different to a concert violinist looking for a new specialist instrument for soloing.

So after 40 years of violin playing (not all of it at a high level), working as a violin luthier for various music shops and apprenticing to a violin maker I find myself unwilling to venture in and call myself an expert ( Dunning Kruger have something to say on this ) . Yet when I look at the instruments that come to me for repair, or someone coming to buy an instrument I certainly think I have a measure of some expertise to offer. Many find my perspective as a player, educator, luthier and also as a parent of young players helpful.

Violin Appraisal

Appraising a violin for value is a tricky business, with more than a few places not doing it? Violin appraisal is looking at the quality of the build of a violin, its sound and then also its historical value. Un-picking these three components of a violin during appraisal I find helpful in determining the value of a violin. But it’s not without its challenges. (See How much is my violin worth).

For modern instruments from a reputation brand or maker, appraisal is more straight forward and google can really help here. Of course you also need to consider the providence, or how the current own (and owner before them) came by the instrument to ensure it is authentically what it purports to be.

Older violins are much harder to appraise, labels to the uninitiated can be misleading at best, age can be faked, many in the trade are unwilling to appraise such instruments. For example most if not every instrument label as a Stradivari is labelled so at best as a homage to the famed maker, or indicates a copy of one of his models and the same is true for the instruments copied of other famous makers like Guarneri, Maggini and Amati’s in the wild.

Less kindly there is an entire business around “antiquing” of both instruments and the labels inside them , with dust, staining and even “tone balls” added to give a sense of age. In the trade valuing of these instruments is acknowledged as difficult to do, even with a encyclopaedic knowledge and years of experience, where there is intent to deceive by a maker it can be tricky to detect. There is the business of fake repairs, fake neck grafts etc… to give an impression of age.

Through the quality of the timbers, construction on the insides and sound one can learn much about an instrument during appraisal.
How old is it, where was it made and ultimately how much is it worth are the common questions i am asked during appraisal.

Usually I can give a pretty good idea, though where I have some uncertainty I often refer on to someone else, in particular with higher quality older instruments. Usually my estimates come in the same ball park as my collegues..but not always.