Books › The violin : how to choose one, 1893 › scan 63
Scan 63
The violin : how to choose one, 1893
10 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 59. See the scan on archive.org.
1doubled. The music would thus lie outside the violin case fittings and round the back of the violin, and the case would not be materially increased in size. The case of a violin ought always to fit somewhat wide of the violin—say half an inch all round, and the space round be filled up with a soft padding of wadding, the reason for which is, that should any accident befall the case, or anything go crashing through the sides, the probability is that the case alone would suffer, whereas if the violin were fitted tightly, both violin and case would suffer. I once was shown a valuable Guarnerius violin so tightly fitted into elaborate wooden fittings that I could scarcely get the instrument out, and noticed that the edges of the violin were becoming worn with the friction. The slightest concussion to that case might have injured the violin irretrievably. I see no reason why a fine veneered case should not be turned out strong enough for any violin, and to weigh only 4 lbs., or even 3½ lbs. The only difficulty is to get the makers to move in such matter. Like violin makers, they seem to have forgotten that they have brains.
3The Handle.
5The handle should always be on the top of the violin case, not only because the case carries better thus, but as a protection against a shower of rain, which will penetrate when the handle is fixed to the side. The handle ought also to be long enough to easily admit the four fingers of the hand. A very comfortable and thick handle of stitched leather, with metal fastenings, has been brought out, which may be had through any musicseller, and fastened to any violin case.
7Good Violin Strings—
9where to get them, and how to distinguish them—I have already written of fully in "The Violin: How to Master It," and "The Secrets of Violin Playing" (price 1s. each: Edinburgh, E. Köhler & Son, North Bridge), but I may here briefly set down that the best Second and Third strings which I have been able to get anywhere are those sold by Mr. D. I. Thompson, Nethergate, Dundee, price 6d. each; the best silver Fourth strings are those named Florentine silver, sold by Edward Withers, Wardour Street, London, price 2s. 6d. each,
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