Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.

Check out our 2023 Group Christmas Project HERE

AAA
Avatar
Please consider registering
guest
sp_LogInOut Log Insp_Registration Register
Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search
Forum Scope




Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
sp_Feed Topic RSSsp_TopicIcon
Has Anyone Tried a Wittner Isny Shoulder Rest
The Wittner Isny shoulder rest is of a rather high tech design that is positioned by a "windshield wiper" type arm. Rather pricey at $60 US.
Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 (0 votes) 
Avatar
Irv
Members

Regulars
February 8, 2018 - 5:08 pm
Member Since: December 23, 2017
Forum Posts: 1650
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
21sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

Hi Fiddlerman (and others).  I did not know that Conrad Gotz sold more than one type of chin rest.  I am using the Flesch model, and I am placing it under the left portion of the jaw in combination with the Wittner Isny shoulder rest.  I am now playing with my head upright in the position favored by Charles.  I must say that I really like it and I feel much more relaxed and "in control."  My bowing has immediately improved since the violin lean (and overall position) is completely rigid and uniform.  I have not progressed in my training yet to attempt vibrato, but with this combination of chin rest and shoulder rest I am now confident that I will be easily be able to do it.  I previously thought that it would prove to be a difficult technical challenge.

I find that my left hand is more fluid since I no longer rely on it at all to maintain violin position.  

If I were to purchase another one (and I am confident that I will), I would like to try the viola model given the thicker 8 mm pad (although the 6 mm version of the violin model is perfectly comfortable) and the assumed longer rib attachment fasteners.  I think that I would use a torque screwdriver if securing the Isny to an acoustic instrument (no problem at all on a solid body electric violin, such as I am using).  I would not trust the conventional barrel connectors (version 282) to secure the Isny.

I think that the ability to configure the shoulder pad with the "windshield wiper" balls is an important feature and I do not know why Wittner does not address their use in the instructions and in their videos.  I also don't know why they use a phelips head screw on the rib connection fasteners, since they use an allen head on the arm adjustment balls (they would save the cost of providing the phelips head screwdriver with every unit).  Wittner should have made the arm removal levers a few mm longer to reduce effort required by young players.

The above "objections" are certainly minor in nature and the Wittner Isny shoulder rest is already paying dividends on my practice.  I can now go longer periods without muscle fatigue, and my playing is better because my hands have better control.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

Avatar
MrYikes
Members

Regulars
February 9, 2018 - 7:04 am
Member Since: February 11, 2014
Forum Posts: 633
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
22sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

That is certainly very high praise for a shoulder rest.

Avatar
Irv
Members

Regulars
February 9, 2018 - 6:36 pm
Member Since: December 23, 2017
Forum Posts: 1650
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
23sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

I sent an email to Wittner asking about the purchase of a Isny mounting plate so that I could install it on a second instrument and transfer the swing arm and pad.  They sent me a parts list for the shoulder rest and told me that they would send whatever I needed.  It seems that they had no idea that the pad attachment balls could be latched and wanted me to send them a photo (it shoulds like engineering is not talking to marketing).  

The parts list is attached.

sp_PlupAttachments Attachments

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

Avatar
Irv
Members

Regulars
February 15, 2018 - 7:38 pm
Member Since: December 23, 2017
Forum Posts: 1650
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
24sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

OK.  I have only owned this shoulder rest for two weeks and I already put a "hack" on it.  I was practicing the other day, heard a "pop," and found that the "windshield wiper" latch holding the shoulder rest pad in the "J" position had released.  No damage to the latch, but I wanted to prevent it happening again.  I placed a 1/2" piece of 1/4" inside diameter black surgical tubing in the windshield wiper.  Problem solved.

 Do I still like the shoulder rest--absolutely.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

Avatar
Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
February 19, 2018 - 9:39 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429
25sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

We have these shoulder rests at Fiddlershop, I just haven't tried them and we haven't added them to the site.... I know, that is plain embarrassing. :(
Will have someone add them this week and post the link.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

Avatar
Irv
Members

Regulars
February 20, 2018 - 9:36 pm
Member Since: December 23, 2017
Forum Posts: 1650
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
26sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

I am glad to hear that I can order the Wittner Isny from your shop.  Do you carry the viola variety as well?

The parts I ordered to mount the shoulder rest on another violin (transferring the swing arm and pad) came today priority express from Germany.  Wittner also provided me with two sets of clamps and a 8 mm pad.  I now must wait for the chin rests to come from India.  

The two most important changes I made to the violin as they affect my playing are a properly fitted bridge and this shoulder rest.  The Knilling planetary pegs and the Fiddlershop strings and bow are very nice but not as important.  

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

Avatar
Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
February 21, 2018 - 3:39 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429
27sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

Irv, we don't carry the viola model but we can get it or drop ship it at any time.
As a matter of a fact, we only had the model that is intended for no chin-rest and we were not aware of that. I just ordered the one intended for a violin with a traditional chin-rest. I'll order a Viola version as well. :)

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

Avatar
Irv
Members

Regulars
February 21, 2018 - 5:36 pm
Member Since: December 23, 2017
Forum Posts: 1650
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
28sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

I thought that I would add a photo of my surgical tube mod to better secure the pad latch.  I tried the 8 mm pad (intended for the viola) last night.  I was amazing that a 2 mm difference from the standard violin 6 mm pad would make.  Since I did not want to change all of my settings, I quickly reinstalled the 6 mm pad.  I also requested viola length attachments and, as I suspected, they are about 1/4" longer than the violin version (perfect for my mod of adding slots to non-Wittner chin rests to act as anchors for the Wittner Isny shoulder rest).

Wittner-Isny-Tube-Mod.jpgImage Enlarger

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

Avatar
Irv
Members

Regulars
April 27, 2018 - 6:36 pm
Member Since: December 23, 2017
Forum Posts: 1650
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
29sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

A question was made a while back on this thread of how much room the Isny shoulder rest "receiving socket" would take up in a violin case.  The short answer is not very much at all.  I recently posted a photo of a Cecilio Mendini MV 650 in the "Review" section of this forum.  The photo shows the "receiving socket" if you would like to see one on a violin.  I don't want to repost the picture here because of the image size (I am of the age where I remember that the Moon rocket shots only had 50,000 bits of core memory).

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

Avatar
Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
April 30, 2018 - 8:11 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429
30sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

You could change the image size so that the max length is around 800 pixels and a medium or low JPG. I'm sure it won't be a problem. Otherwise, lot's of people use image sharing sites to share their images the same way they use Youtube to share their videos. :)

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

Avatar
Irv
Members

Regulars
July 14, 2018 - 5:24 pm
Member Since: December 23, 2017
Forum Posts: 1650
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
31sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

Hi all.  It has been several months since I last posted about the Isny shoulder rest so I thought that an update was in order.  I still love it.  The only change I would edit in my original review is regarding its use by children.  The tolerance in the two mating surfaces in the connection cam is very tight and it is slightly difficult to assemble for the first six to eight times.  Once “worn in,” the parts drop in easily and a child would have no difficulty in doing it.  The length of the lever is of no consequence.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

Avatar
Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
July 16, 2018 - 10:39 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429
32sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

We ordered some models from the distributor but the options for using without the Wittner Chinrest were not optimal. I'm very happy that it works for you.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

Avatar
Irv
Members

Regulars
July 16, 2018 - 4:32 pm
Member Since: December 23, 2017
Forum Posts: 1650
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
33sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

Hi fiddlerman (and ohers).  I did try one that used conventional barrel connectors and it did work, but the Wittner "L" connectors is the better system (I mill my own slots in non-Whittner chin rests so I am not bound to using their chin rests).  I just discovered that Wittner now makes their Isny shoulder rest system for 1/4 to 2/4 sized violins.  

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

Avatar
Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
July 17, 2018 - 12:36 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429
34sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

Great that you found the ideal solution for yourself. Thanks for the explanation.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

Avatar
Irv
Members

Regulars
September 25, 2018 - 12:19 pm
Member Since: December 23, 2017
Forum Posts: 1650
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
35sp_Permalink sp_Print
0

Hi all.  I have discovered that Wittner is making another version of the Isny shoulder rest for 1/4 to 1/2 sized violins.  I am not sure that they are importing them into the USA yet.  I inquired to the company about this model.  The size of the shoulder rest is identical to their other versions.  The "fitting elements" have an approximate clamping range of 29.5 mm (1.1614 inch) to 37.5 mm (1.4764 inch).  This compares with an approximate clamping range of 32.6mm (1.2835 inch) to 40.6 mm (1.5984 inch) for the 3/4 to 4/4 violin model and 40.0 mm (1.5748 inch) to 50.6 mm (1.9921 inch) for the viola model.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

Forum Timezone: America/New_York
Most Users Ever Online: 696
Currently Online: stringy
Guest(s) 86
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Members Birthdays
sp_BirthdayIcon
Today RCall
Upcoming Sofia Leo, TKDennis, Ms-G, FiddleDetroit, CookiesViolin, Bobby, Elaisa, Michael Browder, EBurrell, Gordon Shumway, ViolinD, dougga, MoonShadows, Astandane, JohnG
Top Posters:
ELCBK: 7718
ABitRusty: 3896
Mad_Wed: 2849
Barry: 2690
Fiddlestix: 2647
Oliver: 2439
Gordon Shumway: 2422
DanielB: 2379
Mark: 2138
damfino: 2113
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 3
Members: 31657
Moderators: 0
Admins: 7
Forum Stats:
Groups: 16
Forums: 81
Topics: 10581
Posts: 134093
Newest Members:
bittruster, fiddlecastro, jackdaniel, romanmills08, creativestringsinfo, rubble_b, mariachi, avagrey92, Alison, David
Administrators: Fiddlerman: 16429, KindaScratchy: 1760, coolpinkone: 4180, BillyG: 3744, MrsFiddlerman: 2, Jimmie Bjorling: 0, Mouse: 5296