Thank you Mr. Olaf. Aloha from Hawaii. As soon as I saw your video I carefully knocked on my E.Martin violin and sure enough discovered the back plate separating at the bottom as it started to make that "slapping" sound. I currently have it in for repair. Thank you very much for your quick and very useful tips on maintaining the violin.
Olaf, thank you for you continued willingness to share your experience. I am a paramedic by license, but a woodworker from a lineage of carpenters. My daughter (8) has started her journey learning the violin and I hope to one day build her, her own violin. Thank you again!
It's always so nice seeing you work and learning so much - the theory of how instruments work often falls by the wayside when learning to play an instrument. However, as a cellist I'm a bit biased and would love to see you work on a cello as well? ;P Wäre echt toll. All the best from Germany.
Your videos are absolutely fascinating sir. I do not play the violin, but your work is so very interesting. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos!
Hi Olaf, I started folowing you after I discovered twoset, and I like your videos. I used to play violin, but dont have the time anymore but my violin was given to me by my late grandfather so I dont want to sell it. My question is, how do I maintain it so it doesent fall apart? I have it stored in a hard case, sometimes I check on it but I dont know if I should do anything else. Thank you in advance. Keep your good sense of humor.. Bye
I used to play double bass as my 2nd study (clarinet being my 1st study). The college double bass I used to use was originally an ancient 3 string one converted to 4 strings at some point in its life and was pretty much matchwood all held together with glue. The soundpost was tied to a piece of string that was then tied to one leg of the bridge to make for easy retrieval. On certain low notes, the back would flap about in sympathy as it was open near the end pin. I've no idea if they ever got it fixed - maybe it's still flapping about to this day, although I doubt it's being played and is now collecting dust or got used as firewood as they've since cut teaching music at that college - obviously music and music education isn't important here in the UK.
I cant afford to not learn how to do things for myself. If I want a beautiful instrument Ill just have to learn how to make one. What are your thoughts on red cedar? It is considered a softwood but it grows slowly with cold winters in my area.
Hey Olaf! New subscriber here. I'm loving going through so many videos in your channel recently. Your shop and showroom are awesome! I really enjoy watching you work on violins and hearing you talk about it. Anyways... I have a question on the hide glue you use. Does it have capillary action? How thin is it? I ask because it surprises me how you apply it by putting it on the knife and then sticking the knife where you want the glue to go. I have no experience with this glue or with the procedure you show. How do you ensure that you are applying the amount you want through the entire surface desired? sorry for the long comment/question. Cheers mate!
Olaf, The white spruce from northern Canada grows in a very cold environment and has very tight growth rings. Would trees from that region produce a wood that would be ideal for violins? The wood is very dense compared to warmer climates. Cheers, Rik Spector
Any finish on the bridge will deaden (to some degree) the vibrations through the bridge. An instrument with no finish will sound better than a finished one but they need the finish, to be protected from atmospheric humidity and body sweat.
His client played that violin a lot, and his sweat running down caught the rim of the bottom plate . Steadily over years of playing and sweating the glue dissolved, hence the open plate and the buzz.
Your country has a strong and relatively stable economy. Is it true however that you pay high taxes for government services? There’s always a mitigating factor…
He said the job shown in the video is between 100 and 200 dollars... He didn't specify if it's USD or AUD dollars, which if it's AUD, it translates to less in USD
@@mercoid I was referring to what he said at 6:20 in the vid. Maybe I missed when he said what this actual repair he shows was going to cost. If that's so, then my bad...
Haha... yes, I recently had to fix a duc tape repair on an old German double bass... gluing was the easy part, removing the adhesive that had hardened over the years took many hours and was really frustrating...
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker: Yep, trying to clean off that old adhesive can be a real "B". It is also very easy to damage whatever you are trying to clean it off of. Factoid: What we call "duct" tape was originally called Duck tape, when it was created for the US military. A manufacturer has now named their product Duck Tape.
Thank you Mr. Olaf. Aloha from Hawaii. As soon as I saw your video I carefully knocked on my E.Martin violin and sure enough discovered the back plate separating at the bottom as it started to make that "slapping" sound. I currently have it in for repair. Thank you very much for your quick and very useful tips on maintaining the violin.
Olaf, thank you for you continued willingness to share your experience. I am a paramedic by license, but a woodworker from a lineage of carpenters. My daughter (8) has started her journey learning the violin and I hope to one day build her, her own violin. Thank you again!
Always informative, I think a lot of us would like to see your workshop, maybe a vid with a tour?
It's always so nice seeing you work and learning so much - the theory of how instruments work often falls by the wayside when learning to play an instrument. However, as a cellist I'm a bit biased and would love to see you work on a cello as well? ;P Wäre echt toll. All the best from Germany.
Olaf, you share so much useful information ! Very much appreciated. 👍👍👍👍
Your videos are absolutely fascinating sir. I do not play the violin, but your work is so very interesting. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos!
Hi Olaf, I started folowing you after I discovered twoset, and I like your videos.
I used to play violin, but dont have the time anymore but my violin was given to me by my late grandfather so I dont want to sell it. My question is, how do I maintain it so it doesent fall apart? I have it stored in a hard case, sometimes I check on it but I dont know if I should do anything else. Thank you in advance. Keep your good sense of humor.. Bye
Ive been very interested by your videos lately, keep it up
I used to play double bass as my 2nd study (clarinet being my 1st study). The college double bass I used to use was originally an ancient 3 string one converted to 4 strings at some point in its life and was pretty much matchwood all held together with glue. The soundpost was tied to a piece of string that was then tied to one leg of the bridge to make for easy retrieval. On certain low notes, the back would flap about in sympathy as it was open near the end pin. I've no idea if they ever got it fixed - maybe it's still flapping about to this day, although I doubt it's being played and is now collecting dust or got used as firewood as they've since cut teaching music at that college - obviously music and music education isn't important here in the UK.
I like that we got to see a few different angles of the workshop! I think it maybe the first time I saw above your work bench where the camera is.
I cant afford to not learn how to do things for myself. If I want a beautiful instrument Ill just have to learn how to make one.
What are your thoughts on red cedar? It is considered a softwood but it grows slowly with cold winters in my area.
I am wondering... do/did you make a video serie of making a violin from scratch.
THank you for the lesson. What is the "polish"?
👍 great information Olaf.
Hey Olaf! New subscriber here. I'm loving going through so many videos in your channel recently. Your shop and showroom are awesome! I really enjoy watching you work on violins and hearing you talk about it. Anyways... I have a question on the hide glue you use. Does it have capillary action? How thin is it? I ask because it surprises me how you apply it by putting it on the knife and then sticking the knife where you want the glue to go. I have no experience with this glue or with the procedure you show. How do you ensure that you are applying the amount you want through the entire surface desired? sorry for the long comment/question. Cheers mate!
tnx for the explaining, nice video !!
Is it worthwhile using humidity control packs (like those used for cigars and guitars) to manage the storage humidity of the instrument?
Olaf,
The white spruce from northern Canada grows in a very cold environment and has very tight growth rings.
Would trees from that region produce a wood that would be ideal for violins?
The wood is very dense compared to warmer climates.
Cheers,
Rik Spector
I think those q's were answered in his last vid - 'I visit where Stradivari got his wood'.
@@wakingtheworld yes, your right ,but I’m talking about
Spruce from Canada which may be more available.
So why aren't string instruments varnished on the inside? Also, why aren't bridges stained or varnished to match?
Because it is unnecessary.
Any finish on the bridge will deaden (to some degree) the vibrations through the bridge.
An instrument with no finish will sound better than a finished one but they need the
finish, to be protected from atmospheric humidity and body sweat.
🩷 thank you.
I hit the like button
His client played that violin a lot, and his sweat running down caught the rim of the bottom plate . Steadily over years of playing and sweating the glue dissolved, hence the open plate and the buzz.
Never occurred to me a scallop could swim or even want to 😮
Just some 5-minute amber colored epoxy should really fix that puppy real good, good as gold ..
that is crazy, here in Norway can you get the job done and pay nothing more than 150 ish USD, and I mean at the best violin makers or violin restorers
Your country has a strong and relatively stable economy. Is it true however that you pay high taxes for government services? There’s always a mitigating factor…
He said the job shown in the video is between 100 and 200 dollars... He didn't specify if it's USD or AUD dollars, which if it's AUD, it translates to less in USD
@@polescalante…. Look again. He specified $150 USD.
@@mercoid I was referring to what he said at 6:20 in the vid. Maybe I missed when he said what this actual repair he shows was going to cost. If that's so, then my bad...
I was talking about Australian dollars... at the moment it's about US$.65 to $1 Australian...
DucTape!
Haha... yes,
I recently had to fix a duc tape repair on an old German double bass... gluing was the easy part, removing the adhesive that had hardened over the years took many hours and was really frustrating...
A hard core Red Green fan huh? 😁✌🖖
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker: Yep, trying to clean off that old adhesive can be a real "B".
It is also very easy to damage whatever you are trying to clean it off of.
Factoid: What we call "duct" tape was originally called Duck tape, when it was
created for the US military. A manufacturer has now named their product Duck Tape.
Just put some hot glue and tape it up .. Don't come touch all that nonsense, is a 50 second job
lol
Your comment history on this channel indicates that you are an agitator troll
@@mercoid: And, more than likely, a moron as well.
But I guess that goes with the territory.
people who have sweaty palms should not play the violin.
That is a foolish thing to say.
it was a joke@@zapa1pnt