Dear friends and valued clients,

WINTER OPENING HOURS

Our normal winter opening hours are 8.30am to 5pm on weekdays. Towards summer when the evenings get lighter we may be staying open later. However, please phone ahead and check if we are open. On Saturdays we are open 9.30am - 1.00pm, unless it is a long weekend, with a public holiday on either the Monday or Friday.

WHY STRINGS WEAR OUT

A question we hear frequently is "Why do my strings wear out so fast?" Some players notice they get through strings much faster than other people do. The first possible causes to consider are physical hazards: long fingernails, ragged nut slots and/ or bridge slots can all damage strings. The other factor causing string wear is far more complicated. Sweat from a player's fingers can cause strings to wear out (and it can also corrode varnished fingerboards). Different people have different concentrations of acid in their sweat. Unfortunately, acid eats metal (and varnish). Some people's sweat literally eats their strings, which may mean broken bindings and/ or sound deterioration. Washing your hands before you play and cleaning your strings regularly may help, but it won't completely resolve it. Some players don't seem to have this problem at all, while others find they need to replace their strings more often. Unfortunately, if you have this problem there isn't much you can do apart from grin and bear it!

ROSIN RESEARCH

Rosin is essential when playing bowed string instruments because it creates friction between the string and the bow, enabling a player to produce a beautiful tone. Rosin is made from pine tree resin, heated and processed with oil and other ingredients - the method is hundreds of years old, but manufacturers guard the precise details as a trade secret. Pine resin comes in different colours - according to the website of Pirastro Strings, French and North American pure resin is light yellow while German resin is brown. Many string players ask us about the difference between different types of rosin. Some people claim it doesn't matter what kind of rosin you use, but we disagree. For example, violin, cello and bass rosins are quite distinctively different. Violin/ viola rosin is harder or drier, cello rosin is medium, and bass rosin is softer. We stock many different kinds of rosin at a wide range of prices, from AB rosin at $10.95 (a good standard rosin) to Liebenzeller which is currently priced at $52.00, a premium grade rosin. In between, there are many other brands and varieties. Pirastro produce several different kinds of rosin, which are generally designed to complement their range of strings. However, they say other factors to consider when choosing rosin are a player's bowing technique and the particular sound colour of their instrument. Different strings suit different rosin - steel strings are generally better played with a harder or drier rosin, synthetic strings with medium, and gut or gut wound strings with a more sticky rosin. A good quality rosin should enable a good tone with only a moderate amount of rosin on the bow - if you're getting clouds of rosin dust, you've used too much and it will sound scratchy anyway. Experienced players often prefer a softer rosin for the studio and a harder rosin for the concert hall. Pirastro say that dry rosin is better in tropical climates and softer rosin in colder climates. Rosin also deteriorates and dries out with age - Pirastro recommend replacing your rosin regularly, ideally every year.

PERNAMBUCO CONSERVATION UPDATE

In past newsletters we've written about the Pernambuco Conservation Initiative, an international organisation of bow makers who are concerned that this essential bow making wood is becoming an endangered species. Pernambuco is native to Brazil's Atlantic forest area, which is increasingly being cleared for farming or urban development. Bow makers, dealers, Brazilian conservationists and local farmers are working together to promote sustainable production of pernambuco wood. Thousands of seedlings have been planted over the last few years. The organisation has 220 members over 22 countries - the majority of the world's bow making community. In June this year pernambuco was officially listed on CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora) Appendix II, which means that international trade in pernambuco wood is now banned - but international transport of finished bows is specifically exempted. Bowmakers will now have to register their stocks. This listing recognises the efforts of the Pernambuco Conservation Initiative. (The original proposal by Brazil would have banned the international transport of all pernambuco bows ever made!)

BANNED TORTOISESHELL ALERT

Pernambuco is not the only violin-related material on the endangered species list. We can no longer use bows with ivory or tortoiseshell frogs, since international trade in both ivory and tortoiseshell has been declared illegal. This doesn't just apply to the raw materials - it applies to all bows, new and vintage. Some governments, for example the United States, are being particularly vigilant and efficient in enforcing the international rules. If you take a bow with a frog made of ivory or tortoiseshell to the United States, you risk having your bow confiscated and criminal charges laid. However, there is also a substantial black market in these materials, particularly in bows made in China. We have seen bows for sale in New Zealand recently that feature genuine tortoiseshell from the seriously endangered Hawkesbill turtle. We would urge all musicians to be very careful about any bow purchases they make - it's not just an ethical decision; having your bow confiscated and facing criminal charges in a foreign country is a very serious possibility.

WEB SITE

If you are looking for a new instrument or bow, we have a current stock list on the site, plus full contact details. If you would like to ask us about any item on the stock list, ring us on 09 6308421, or email us on: info@stringedinstrument.co.nz