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Posted by fiddlepogo on Friday, April 29, 2011
I picked up "Stinky", my Knilling 4KF (of alternate woods probably of Chinese origin) at the luthier's Monday.
The new soundpost and new bridge are a success. The instrument sounded lots better. Still a bit nasal, but much more pleasant. Since it's softer under the ear, it's been getting used a lot for Irish tunes.
However, now that I know the soundpost and bridge are good, I've started tweaking other things... and the sound after the tweaks is... INTERESTING... to my ears it REALLY sounds like the Irish pipes now. A thicker sound- not so good for Old Time now.
I do think that I have a way of tweaking it back into balance, but sometimes I wish I could leave well enough ALONE!!!!
Doesn't seem to be possible, though!!!
(Later, after some tweaking and playing)
Well, it still has that somewhat nasal bagpipey sound, but it's mellowed to be more oboe-y or uilleann-y than highlandish.
Before the other tweaks it had a lot of ringy sustain... made it sound a bit like a Hardanger. That's gone now.
The tweaks I just did were practically invisible bridge tweaks... I think the luthier who did the bridge probably couldn't spot them.
I contrasted it with my other Knilling, and you know... I think the latest tweaks have brought it closer to the OTHER Knilling 4KF... which is good and bad... less contrast between fiddles, but then, I guess I tweaked it in that direction because I LIKE that sound. It's louder now, with a bit of bite that wasn't there before, and also a bit more of an expressive, singing quality.
Of course, it should be interesting to see how things develop as it gets played more and settles in
4 comments on “Well, the repairs to Stinky were successful! BUT”
mudbug Says:
Saturday, April 30, 2011 @3:13:53 AM
POGO!!!!!!!! Step AWAY from the fiddle!!!!
bj Says:
Saturday, April 30, 2011 @5:57:03 PM
What mudbug said . . .
fiddlepogo Says:
Saturday, April 30, 2011 @7:36:48 PM
I figured you two would say sumpin' like dat!!! ;^D
Well, I didn't do too bad... sounded good in practice today, very expressive and responsive.
And I used it for a gig, and it did well there, so I'm happy. I am however looking forward to putting Prims on it again-
it liked them before better than the Thomastik Precisions that are on it now, so I'm hoping it will be even better then.
However... I made a belated appearance at a jam after the gig. Took the Eastman and Stinky... and my West Virginia clawhammer banjo player friend still likes the Eastman better. And although the tweaks increased the volume somewhat, it still gets drowned out at jams somewhat. I'm thinking it's going to be my gigging and Irish fiddle... and maybe busking as well, since I don't necessarily want a loud fiddle there due to proximity to vendors at the Farmer's Market.
The character is kind of in the middle between the Eastman and Booker the other Knilling.
Humbled by this instrument Says:
Sunday, May 1, 2011 @7:19:49 PM
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