MEZZO VIOLINS WILL BE READY FOR SALE AND SHIPMENT BEGINNING WEEK OF AUGUST 11, 2008.

I'm very pleased to offer the first of my low-cost Chinese-made mezzo violins for sale. The availability of affordable octet instruments should, I hope, go a long way toward helping them enter our musical life. As you will read in various other places on this site, they are remarkable instruments with many desirable characteristics. There are special circumstances to consider if you'd like to try or buy a mezzo. Please be sure to read "How To Order" at the bottom of this column.

The imported octet violins listed on this page are made on my models and built to my specifications. There was a bit of a learning curve to go up here because the Chinese workers seem to have never seen a mezzo violin before and didn't quite know what to make of it. The first one I received was set up as a small viola!

The typical instrument receives anywhere from 20 to 25 hours worth of additional work in my shop. I do it personally, even though it raises the cost. There's quite a checklist to go through, but since these are octet violins, they can't leave the shop until they pass muster.

The first thing I do is remove the top, regraduate it, and retune the bass bar. While the top is off I get the chance to examine the instrument for hidden damages and make any repairs that are necessary. After the violin is closed again, it is set up with a well-fitted and tonally adjusted soundpost and either an Aubert a Mirecourt or Despiau bridge. The fingerboard is dressed and receives a hand-rubbed oil finish. I pay particular attention to setup since this is of great importance to the player, so the fingerboard edges will be beveled and the nut smoothed and rounded so there are no sharp edges. The instrument is fitted either with a good-quality wooden tailpiece with a fine-tuner for the E or a lightweight Wittner model with adjusters on all four strings.

The quality of wood in these violins has so far been quite nice, and the varnishing is well done and presents an attractive appearance. Workmanship varies from piece to piece, from adequate to very good in some cases. I put Dominant strings on most of the mezzos, but you can swap in any violin string you like later.

When the violin is ready for sale, it looks and sounds much beyond the usual factory instruments in this class and represents an excellent value for the money.

Perhaps Your Next Violin Should Be A Mezzo?

There are many reasons to consider a mezzo violin. If you are a section player in a large ensemble, the dark and rich tone of a mezzo enhances the normally bright sound of conventional violins. The greater power of the mezzo comes in the range where it is most lacking in most standard violins. If you are a chamber player on the second violin, the subtle but definite tonal difference means that you will not have to work as hard to be heard. Since the mezzo tone sits distinctly between the violin and viola, definition in parts occurs naturally.

While mezzos have power on demand, they can easily be included in standard chamber ensembles because they can be played softly when needed. Their slightly longer string length takes very little getting used to. In fact, the majority of players tell me they don't even notice. Despite the mezzo body length of 368 mm (about 14 1/2 inches), standard chinrests, tailpieces, pegs, and strings will fit, so you don't have to deprive yourself of your favorite accessories. Although it won't fit in a standard violin case, It will fit nicely into a case for a small viola, and there are many good models to chose from.

More information about mezzos here.

How to Order.

I try to always have a mezzo in my shop that's ready for sale, but because my business is very small, I cannot yet afford to keep large numbers of instruments in stock all the time. I use the few on hand to demonstrate the mezzo and take orders. If I sold them, I'd have nothing to show prospective customers. It's one of the fun problems of getting a small venture up and running. I suggest that you try out the instruments I have available to see if a mezzo is what you want. Then, if you'd like to own one, I will place an order based on a 50% deposit. When the next shipment arrives, you can play them all and take your pick. That way, you'll have the best instrument of the lot, and I'll have something to show future customers. At this point, delivery times are averaging six months. As this venture progresses, though, I expect delivery times to get shorter. I am always open to suggestions about your particular needs. Please contact me by email if you are interested in further discussions.