Old Violin

[sam]

Found an old Stradivarius knockoff with some cracks that need gluing. I'm not looking to make some kind of profit on this. I just want it to play. Is it some kind of sacrilege to use old fashioned epoxy resin to fix it?

It's one of the many that says Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno 17(40 written in)

Thanks,

Sam

[Robatoy]

Take it to a luthier and get a quote.

[sam]

There is absolutely no way I'm spending money to get this restored. I just want it to play.

s

[Robatoy]

Man, do I have to spell it out for you?

Get quote. Ask why so much. He'll explain what he has to do. Knowledge.

[sam]

Got it. Good idea.

Thanks,

s

[knuttle]

Besides even though is a knock off, it still could be valuable, and worth significantly more that the cost of repair. Don't you watch Antiques Roadshow? ;-)

[Larry Jaques]

It likely wouldn't resonate with that goop on it. Howzbout brown duct tape?

-- Woe be to him that reads but one book. -- George Herbert

[Bill]

Out of respect for the instrument, and to help provide it with a long lifetime, you are supposed to use "hide glue" (it is melted it in a cooking pot of hot water). The advantage is that the instrument can then be easily taken apart when necessary. Besides for reasons having to do with sound, using epoxy will seal the instruments fate permanently. BTW, removing any of the instruments finish is is an offense considered punishable by a fate worse than being boiled like hide glue. ;) No kidding!

Bill

[sam]

Thanks, Bill. Looks like it will be cooked hide glue for me.

s

[Bill]

Sam,

If you want to read more along these lines, you might browse the "setup and repair" forums at:

are also several experts there that will probably be glad to help you with your questions. Be prepared to invest more time than the instrument's probably worth and read a bunch before you do anything. Do you realize that just to get the tuning pegs to work "nicely", you may spend close to $100 on tools? Maybe you should take it to a luthier as has already suggested by others? If you aren't committed to doing this sort of thing as a hobby, I think the argument to do so is compelling. Here's a link to some parts and tools you may find interesting:

desc

Bill

[sam]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the great links. I'm going to wait until summer when I'm in full woodworking mode and I'll study up and try to do it right.

Thanks again,

Sam

[F Murtz]

Try

[Bob AZ]

I think the argument to do so is

Do you know of a similar site for harps?

Thanks Bob AZ

[Larry Jaques]

If you decide to take up the violin and can't fix that one within a tight budget, grab one from an eBay vendor for as little as $25. They're handsomely made, good sounding instruments, too. I doubled my money selling it locally for half the price the locals get for similar instruments. (My neck didn't like the fiddlin' position at all so I had to give it up before I learned much.)

$24, $19 to ship. Violin, bow, rosin, strings, case, tuner.

$2 auction, $19 to ship.

-- Woe be to him that reads but one book. -- George Herbert

[RonB]

Agree - - A good luthier will be able to tell you if there is value in the instrument before you start dinkin' with it. An old, European violin was brought into our museum about a year ago. It was owned by one of the Nuns who ran the frontier boarding school and music program in our 1880's home town. We were delighted to have it as an artifact. Had a luthier look at it and, in rough condition, it is worth more than $4,000.

Be nice to know before you start applying the epoxy and duct tape. :o)

RonB

[Bill]

I regret that I don't.

F. Murtz's suggestion to look at

probably a good place to ask, though I haven't checked on the existence of a harp newsgroup.

Bill

[Father Haskell]

140 F to be precise.

Hide glue can not only be disassembled easily (some routine maintenance jobs call for it), it can be reglued without having to scrape out the old glue. Even after

300 years, the old glue is reactivated by the new.

Hide glue also doesn't creep, like almost every other modern glue.

[Bill]

>> desc

You should try this shoulder rest before you say "I quit" (unless you have a short neck):

> $24, $19 to ship.

[sam]

Thanks, I already have a violin that I play (not well). For 30 bucks, I couldn't turn down the antique, even if it needs some work.

s

[Doug Winterburn]

If this one is a total loss, and if you're ambitious, try this: