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Fuzzy violin sound Help!
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MaceCRO
Croatia

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November 15, 2012 - 6:09 pm
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First of all hello everyone as this is my first post!

 

on to the problem, i have bought a violin 1 year a go month give or take, not an expensive instrument kind of cheap really (http://www.fohnwind.com/model14.html)

i got mine of ebay for 120 bucks it was cheap for instrument i know, but i was really happy with the sound at first couple of months, it had a nice response time and a rich mellow sound, but after a while it begin to produce kind of fuzzy and dull sound (G string especially), now i did some research and i got the new strings (pro arte) and i even played with soundpost (not very smart to do myself i know but got the tool and was being careful) 

Now, i did get some improvements on the sound (well, actually it just sounded different as i adjusted the post), but i cant get that mellow sound that violin produced even with the cheap strings i got with the violin it just sounds kind of harsh and response time isn't as it used to be (well at least i think so).

 

And the thing is on some days it does sound kind of nice, but the day or two after the sound changes to the fuzziness again \"dunno\" i dont know whats the deal? is it normal for violin to act like this? also i noticed that the strings (A and E) are getting more and more \"carved\" in to the bridge (i do have jacket on E) is maybe the bridge faulty? tnx

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TerryT
Coleshill, Warwickshire
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November 15, 2012 - 6:22 pm
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Welcome to the forum maceCRO
Does your chinrest touch the tailpiece? Is is close enough that your chin pressure might cause contact?
Do you have fine tuners that might be buzzing on the body?
Does the wire that hold the tailpiece to the button touch the body.

Somedays my (also not expensive violin) make these same noises, so I just put an ear plug in my left ear and pay on....

Good luck in finding your buzz. It might be a rattlesnake inside your violin!!

I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....

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Tyberius
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November 15, 2012 - 6:56 pm
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There could be alot of things causing the buzzing sound. Moving the sound post could be part of it.

 

On cheaper violins, you could be having an issue where a glued seam let loose. A grooved finger board, strings trouching or vibrating on the finger board, string ends under a peg not properly wound (ends vibrating in the peg box), a cracked bridge or the violin body itself. If you tightened the strings without the sound post, the belly cound have sustained a crack. The strings normally press down with about 50 pounds of pressure. It can easily be over tightened without much effort. Without a sound post, the bridge can cause physical damage to the wooden top plate (belly).

 

Check all your add on pieces, chin and shoulder rest for the screws (and nuts) on them. If you have a plastic tail piece, inspect it for a crack. check your violin to see if the finish looks like it has been dinged really bad in any locations. It could have been dropped, banged or even stepped on.

 

As mentioned, the tail piece or end pin can also cause this. It was also mentioned to check your tuners.

 

Hard to tell you what direction to go, but these are a start. good luck!

"I find your lack of Fiddle, disturbing" - Darth Vader

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November 15, 2012 - 11:38 pm

Terry and Ty, gave you some really good place's to start looking.

Check your A string to see if it has a plastic sleeve to slide on the bridge. Sometime's they get slid over the silk winding's and they are hard to see. Sound's like you have a very soft bridge if the A string is cutting in.

I'm not sure about the " Pro Arte" string's, but the Zyex string's come with the sleeve on the E only. The "helicore" string's have it on the E and A.

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cdennyb
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November 15, 2012 - 11:41 pm
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I didn't read where the soundpost was down and the strings still tight so a crack is probably not the issue. I would look close at the strings, the part that goes in the tuning pegs and make sure when you put the strings on that the tail of the string isn't touching anything that might create the buzz.

Like stated earlier, strings contacting the fingerboard would buzz also. The strings cutting into the bridge is an issue. The bridge shoulder area (the part the strings are touching) should be barely rounded not vee cut where each string sits and only 1/2 the diameter of the string or less, not more. The E-string most likely has the sleeve and sometimes the A string has one also.

If you moved the soundpost, well... welcome to the fraternity of luthiers cheers

Now you get to move it some more! and again, and again, and again... until eventually you'll give up and say it sounds good enough for who it's for. LOL

1-2mm behind the bridge foot and sometimes even with the outside edge of the bridge. I have had some that trace better with the post slightly outward of the bridge foot. (less than .5mm) Almost centerline of the post is even with the outside edge of the bridge foot.

The string length should start about 328mm from the nut for the bridge to sit. Make sure it's at 90 degress to the body top and straight. You might find moving all these things will greatly affect the sound, so that's why I welcome you (whether you wanted to or not) to the fraternity!thumbs-up

"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein

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Picklefish
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November 16, 2012 - 1:30 am
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I have no idea what would be causing your problem. Welcome to the forum anyways. I am glad to see more and more members taking it upon themselves to tweak with their instruments. I am learning more and more from reading your posts and the advice that you recieve. It makes me think (inspires) that I might want to tackle a restoration at some point. If nothing else, to see what the innerds look like and appreciate more how the sound is produced. I dont know if there is a luthier forum...hmm.hats_off

"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.

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DanielB
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November 16, 2012 - 5:51 am
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Hmm.. With a fuzziness like you describe, and it also being present on some days and not on others, the first thing I would suspect is that something has come a bit loose and is vibrating. 

It being there some (even most) days and not others sounds like it might be affected by humidity.  Things that come just a tiny bit loose can do that, because they may be tight/secure at one humidity level and just loose enough to rattle/buzz a little at another humidity.  Temperature differences can also cause problems, but hey aren't as often the culprit as humidity is.

First question would be if you check humidity normally, and the second would be if you have changed any of the fittings/parts on the violin since you got it.

"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman

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Almandin
Stockholm, Sweden

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November 16, 2012 - 9:23 am
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TerryT said
Does your chinrest touch the tailpiece? Is is close enough that your chin pressure might cause contact?

Mine does! Thanks for pointing that out! Maybe that's the reason for my buzzy E-note that I was complaining about a while back? Problem is, I can't hold the violin comfortably with that chinrest in another position. Maybe I could get extra cork slices to raise it up a bit...

~ Once you've ruled out the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true. ~

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TerryT
Coleshill, Warwickshire
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November 16, 2012 - 10:04 am
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Almandin said

TerryT said
Does your chinrest touch the tailpiece? Is is close enough that your chin pressure might cause contact?

Mine does! Thanks for pointing that out! Maybe that's the reason for my buzzy E-note that I was complaining about a while back? Problem is, I can't hold the violin comfortably with that chinrest in another position. Maybe I could get extra cork slices to raise it up a bit...

Glad to help, even indirectly. Maybe just moving your chinrest a smidjin away from the tailpiece will help.
Move it when your chin isn't watching, it may not notice the difference!

I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....

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Almandin
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November 16, 2012 - 11:21 am
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TerryT said

Maybe just moving your chinrest a smidjin away from the tailpiece will help.

Move it when your chin isn't watching, it may not notice the difference!

Haha, yeah, that'd be a neat trick! rofl Sadly, though, I think I'd need to move it rather more than a smidjin as it's reaching in about two cm over the tailpiece. Ho hum, maybe I'll just wish for a new chinrest for Christmas along with the strings...

~ Once you've ruled out the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true. ~

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MaceCRO
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November 16, 2012 - 5:45 pm
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Tnx everyone for replies i did a lot of tings suggested and i end up removing fine tuners on G and D because i did noticed they were a bit loose also very hard to work with (cheapos anyway) and G does sound a little bit better now amuse

cdennyb said

If you moved the soundpost, well... welcome to the fraternity of luthiers cheers

Now you get to move it some more! and again, and again, and again... until eventually you'll give up and say it sounds good enough for who it's for. LOL

1-2mm behind the bridge foot and sometimes even with the outside edge of the bridge. I have had some that trace better with the post slightly outward of the bridge foot. (less than .5mm) Almost centerline of the post is even with the outside edge of the bridge foot.

 

Haha so true, i already find myself "adjusting" it for just a little bit and i end up doing it for like 2 or 3 hoursfacepalm not even funny...anyways i did what you suggested an put it a little more to the edge of the bridge and i did get a stronger sound especially on A and E string (love how E sounds now) but also G and D are more weaker sounding, can you recommend where to put it to get a warmer more "mellow" sound?

 

As for the bridge...it does look it is too soft i suppose, now that you mentioned it i did get to luthier once to adjust my bridge he did some cutting on it and said that it could last for years more no problem, i did bought a new bridge but he didn't put it on because he said it is not necessary, is it hard to do trimming yourself? what tools do i need for the job? i am felling kind of adventurous right now i just stopped working so i have some free time until i find another job...who knows mybe playing on some wedding hahaviolin-1260

 

 

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Almandin
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November 16, 2012 - 6:42 pm
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MaceCRO said

As for the bridge...it does look it is too soft i suppose, now that you mentioned it i did get to luthier once to adjust my bridge he did some cutting on it and said that it could last for years more no problem, i did bought a new bridge but he didn't put it on because he said it is not necessary, is it hard to do trimming yourself? what tools do i need for the job? i am felling kind of adventurous right now i just stopped working so i have some free time until i find another job...who knows mybe playing on some wedding hahaviolin-1260

You can read an excellent manual for how to trim a new bridge here:

https://fiddlerman.com/2011/11.....n-m-healy/

Good luck!

~ Once you've ruled out the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true. ~

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