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.
Private messaging is working again.
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
(3 votes) 
Offline
I just put a set of Fiddlerman Synthetic Strings (which I like very much compared to the D'Addario Helicore Steel Strings that were on it before) and I'm trying to decide which rosin to use with them.
Right now I'm using Dominant rosin which makes sense since the Fiddlerman Strings are meant to be similar to Dominants, but I'm wondering if there's something better.
I should also mention that despite it snowing right now (very rare), I live in a hot, dry desert climate, but I mainly play in an air conditioned / heated room I keep around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
The hygrometer in my violin case says 55 right now, but like I said, it's been colder and wetter than normal here.
The Holstein Premium Rosin seemed interesting being amber, kind of an in between dark and light rosin.
I'm also looking to order a new bow to replace my fiberglass one and I'm leaning towards the JonPaul Fusion at the current moment if that makes any difference.
Regulars
Offline
Fortynothing,
I personally like Andrea solo rosin, the Holstein Premium works very well also and a lot cheaper.
Mark
Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.
Albert Sammons
Regulars
Offline
My teacher thinks she is on her third cake of rosin after 30 years of professional playing, so treat yourself to some Leatherwood and assume it will last you 15 years.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Offline
I am using Colophane Superieure Resine De France, Archetier R. GUILLAUME, Brukelles on thr Fiddlerman Strings. I got it at the violin shop when I got my violin. Did not work so well with the Dominants or Obligatos.
I have the Holstein Premium. I keep trying it because I love the way it is packaged and the base you hold. No rosin on my fingers. But, I can’t use it in any of the strings so far. I am assuming, due to that, that it might be better in the warmer summer weather.
I was also using green Jade violin/cello/viola rosin. Works for the cello, but seems too aggressive for my violin.
So right now on the Fiddlerman and all my violin strings, I am using that French one I mentioned and hoping the Holstein one will work late Spring, Summer and early Fall.
The sticky of the rosin seems to seep through the cloth for me. I have a solution though. I have some red vinyl with the cotton backing left over from a purse I made. I cut a circle large enough for what I needed and have the Jade centered on it, against the liner. I just hold the red vinyl part. I still ise use it for my cello. Works really nice. If the long named French one develops that issue, will do the same for it. Something I would not have to be concerned with the the Holstein.
I am in a cold, snow area, but use a humidifier in the house, if that matters.
Learn Violin and Fiddle
on
Fiddlerman's Fiddle Talk Forum
Online
https://fiddlershop.com/produc.....tory-rosin
or
https://fiddlershop.com/produc.....-argentina
My two favorites for now. 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Offline
Fiddlerman said
https://fiddlershop.com/produc.....tory-rosin
or
https://fiddlershop.com/produc.....-argentina
My two favorites for now.
I'll try the Sartory rosin when I order my Holstein bow on friday. Thanks.
Offline
Gordon Shumway said
My teacher thinks she is on her third cake of rosin after 30 years of professional playing, so treat yourself to some Leatherwood and assume it will last you 15 years.
Good point, and interesting given you can read a lot of stuff about rosin cakes "losing their essential oils" over time and all that (we're talking many months to many years) - and apparently, becoming less effective.
Well, in some ways, sure, it must happen, but I've never been a strong adherent to such a philosophy - if there's any effect, it surely is VERY marginal (on what is originally a "good" rosin, and not some kind of already glass-hard cake of unknown origin or age when purchased) !
My current rosin of choice is Andrea Solo - well - it's just me, and I like it for what I do and the way I play.. I've gone through that early phase ( trying various rosins ) - and a number of "cheapos" really have been consigned to the bin. Second to the Andrea is either the Goldflex ( I now a lot of folks don't like that, although it works fine for me ) or the FM branded rosin.
I have these 3 all here - now - if (or indeed when, on a whim) I fancy trying a different rosin, then @Gordon Shumway - I'll definitely go for the Leatherwood !!! Recommendations are always worth investigating !
And @the OP @FortyNothing - I think experimentation and choice by trial and error really is the only way to go - same set-up (bow, rosin and fiddle) may handle quite differently in another player's hands - I recall passing my MJZ and bow to a fiddler friend - who - after about 30 seconds asked me to pass her the rosin.... LOL (OK, it WAS intentionally very very lightly rosined at the time, but still, she, MUCH a better player than I am, just couldn't use it...
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
Honorary tenured advisor
Regulars
Offline
Newbie question!
If you decide to try a new rosin, do you just begin applying it to your bow or do you some way need to "remove" as much of the present rosin you have been using from your bow? I am assuming you just start applying the new rosin to the bow.
Jim
Offline
MoonShadows said
Newbie question!If you decide to try a new rosin, do you just begin applying it to your bow or do you some way need to "remove" as much of the present rosin you have been using from your bow? I am assuming you just start applying the new rosin to the bow.
Moonshadows, so as not to get your question lost in this thread and so as the OP gets the answer to his/her question, I am going to create a new thread starting with a quote of your question. The subject of this thread does not reflect your added question and may not get the views it would get if it was a separate thread with your topic as the subject. Hope you don’t mind. A similar question was asked not too long ago. The answers confused me.
I started a new thread for Moonshadows’ question and answers. It will be easier for people looking for information. I hope this was okay. 😁
Learn Violin and Fiddle
on
Fiddlerman's Fiddle Talk Forum
Regulars
Offline
At the moment if I want to switch rosin, I clean my bow hair by wiping it on a microfibre cloth until I can't see any more coming off (it takes about 6 swipes). I don't know how well that works.
BillyG said
a number of "cheapos" really have been consigned to the bin. Second to the Andrea is either the Goldflex ( I now a lot of folks don't like that, although it works fine for me ) or the FM branded rosin.
I have these 3 all here - now - if (or indeed when, on a whim) I fancy trying a different rosin, then @Gordon Shumway - I'll definitely go for the Leatherwood !!!
I doubt I will, although what I said was more than half serious - for the same money I could have an FM CF bow!
I've got Hidersine 6V, Hills, Goldflex, Kaplan (smashed to smithereens. I may melt it and remould it or I may bin it; I've never used it) and Royal Oak.
They are all the same price, so they are all more or less the same rosin, although the Hidersine is the most generously sized cake, and it's what my teacher uses. I've never used the Royal Oak, and I've only used the Goldflex once. I only bought it because a vendor was selling a cake cheap on Amazon. It didn't affect my sound overnight, nor should a beginner expect it to. I won't bother comparing them again until I'm more experienced.
I have binned my Jade, but that was over hasty - no real harm in consigning unwanted rosin to the back of a drawer. I also binned some Hidersine 3V (paler than the 6V). That was probably also over hasty.
My teacher sometimes changes her mind. When I first told her I'd bought a fiddle and a couple of cakes of rosin, she said "you've already got a lifetime's supply then!". But then the topic was broached later and she said "no harm in collecting rosin, it's fun and cheap"
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
If anyone is curious about Hidersine's coding system, there's 1V, 3V and 6V for violin and viola going from pale to dark, and for cello there's 1C, 3C, 6C.
Incorrect! 1V and 3V seem to be the same amber rosin but different sizes!
6V is dark, supposedly for steel strings, according to Hidersine's website, but I wouldn't worry about that.
But if I were living in the USA, I'd just get some FM deluxe and not worry.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Online
When I switch rosin types, I just use the new type over the old. I'm sure it takes a while before I can feel the effects of one specific rosin but I don't feel it necessary to totally remove rosin from a bow to test a new one.
Many bow makers actually crush their favorite rosin and pre-rosin their re-haired bows before handing them back to customers.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Regulars
Offline
I didn't know where to put this, as there are now too many threads that mention Guillaume rosin. Someone on vcom said they thought it was over-rated.
I've just been using a Col Legno Standard bow with Royal Oak Classic rosin and a Coda Diamond GX with Guillaume (it's the only rosin I've ever used on it since I bought it 6 months ago). Dominant strings. Over the last few days I had been hating the wispy, woolly sound I was getting from the Coda, so I tried the Col Legno, and the sound was much more solid and clean. So I wiped the Coda repeatedly on a microfibre cloth in case I had too much rosin on it and tried it each wipe. No joy.
Eventually I wiped the Coda clean and put on some Royal Oak Classic, and bingo!
I'm going to forget Guillaume for a while.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Regulars
Offline
Gordon Shumway -
Very interesting...
In my search for the best sound, less dust, less frequent rosining - I discovered I like Andrea Solo. I have a FM carbon fiber weave bow, used on a Glasser carbon composite violin (5-string) with strings from 3 different manufacturers.
From what I read of the description, I think the Royal Oak "Profi-line" rosin might be similar to my Andrea Solo.
Have you compared the RO "Profi-line" to RO "Classic"?
- Emily
Regulars
Offline
ELCB said
From what I read of the description, I think the Royal Oak "Profi-line" rosin might be similar to my Andrea Solo.
Have you compared the RO "Profi-line" to RO "Classic"?
I have. After the Classic I tried Larsen Red (because Larsen make, or own, Royal Oak), but didn't like it. Then someone sent me some Profi-Line because they were out of stock on the Classic. And I liked it a lot. It looked identical to the Red, so I emailed Larsen to ask, and they said the Profi-Line was softer than the Red, and that explained why I preferred the Profi-Line.
But I can't find any of them. I have been known to put out unnecessary rosin with the trash, but I can't believe I ditched all of them. They are probably in a violin case or a drawer somewhere.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Online
https://fiddlershop.com/produc.....tory-rosin
My new favorite
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Regulars
Offline
Fiddlerman - does the Sartory deposit less on the strings than Andrea Solo (in your opinion)?
🤔 you have me interested...
- Emily
Regulars
Offline
However....when I decided 6 or more months ago that Royal Oak Classic was my favourite rosin, I ordered a second cake as a spare, and it's not even the same colour as the first - the first is dark amber, the second is red, lol.
I looked for Sartory, but the only supplier I've found so far is Pöhling in Germany, and I'm avoiding them.
Andrew
Verified human - the ignominy!
Online
I'm not sure Emily. Probably not.
I like the grip and how easy it is to apply. I guess the mess is about the same if you use too much rosin.
That being said, I don't feel that I need to re-apply rosin as often when using the Sartory Rosin.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Regulars
Offline
Fiddlerman - Thanks. Thought I liked Andrea Solo for the same reasons, but even though I try to apply lightly I still have to wipe the strings down after playing a few minutes (maybe twice) before it feels right - then it lasts longer than anything else I've tried (but I haven't tried the Sartory).
Not meaning to change the subject, but just recently I think I've felt the need to rosin more often - not really playing differently. Could this be a sign it's time for a rehair?
Not really sure if I'd be able to tell when my bow needs a rehair - might feel I need to tighten the hair a little more, but not much.
Gordon Shumway - does it cost too much for you to have Sartory shipped from the Fiddlershop (to make it worthwhile)?
...I already have more rosin than I need for my lifetime 😖 - well, curiosity will be the death of me!
- Emily
1 Guest(s)
Fiddlerman
ELCBK
Mouse
