Violins Fiddles: Converting to Left-Handed

Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 05:11:53 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Fwd: left handed violins

Hello,

I read some of the responses on your site and learned about something called the bass bar. I wanted to ask about this. 1st question is - Can i have someone make a custom violin with this bar on the side it has to be if i would play left handed. And if i do what price ranges would i be looking at. 2nd- If i have it customed with the bass bar on the side it has to be for a left hander does this mean i need to get a more high end violin? Thanks your response is greatly appreciated!

Sincerely, Gabriel

Greetings Gabriel, I haven't seen a left-handed import violin to date...most violin teachers encourage left-handers to learn right-handed. As is true in my case...I taught myself to play right-handed...I still consider myself a student (on violin, I'm not sure if anyone ever reaches a plateau)...even so, I'm enjoying the learning journey...I get very little time to dedicate to the violin/fiddle...

We've converted many imports...usually as fiddles, to left-handed configurations...with fiddle there's more latitude to play left-handed...in classical situations, the orchestra alignment of no one being poked by a bow, along with the importance of a symmetrical silhouette, places critical emphasis on left-handers learning the right-handed approach...Mickey

Steve Perry for Folk of the Wood here. You can indeed
have a custom violin made left handed for you. More
than the bass bar is involved. When I do a custom
violin this way I switch the direction the pegs go
into the pegbox, contour the fingerboard relief
properly (there is more scoup or relief under the G
string), put the soundpost and bass bar on the
opposite sides from a right handed violin, and cut the
bridge appropriately. Much more is involved than just
the bass bar.

There are three ways to go for getting a left handed
violin. First, one can find a commercial model. I
haven't found any inexpensive commercial models to my
liking. Second, one can have a violin in the white
(unvarnished) diassembled and modified for you. This
allows selection of other factors as well. Examples
are our Gianna Violins "Appalachian" and "Rose"
models, which are available left handed for no extra
charge. Finally, you can get a custom handmade violin
by good violinmaker carved just for you. This is the
best, but most expensive, route. I benchmake violins
to order and could easily do a left handed model.
Actually, I have a violin using a beautiful piece of
slab cut red maple under way right now. This hasn't
been committed to being one hand or the other.

Steve Perry
Gianna Violins

Subject: fiddles
Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:05:30 -0400

Greetings Denise,

First of all I would like to say I think your site is awesome. I have learned alot from your site.

Thanks for tuning in with us...we appreciate the kind words...

My question to you is this. For a left hander playing the fiddle I realize that you need the chin rest on the opposite side but do you need to restring it so that you can play the correct notes with your right hand ?

Yes, the violin would have to be completely restrung backwards...and, keep in mind, the bass bar will then be on the treble side...which can make the sound seem off-center....even so, to learn on, reversing the strings on a violin shouldn't be an issue...your main goal to start out, would be to have the tools to learn on. You might want to take your violin in to a local shop to have the conversion done...since there are some critical aspects to consider such as the string slots being cut out to fit the gauges of the strings.

Your other option would be to learn to play right-handed...I'm a lefty myself that has taken up the violin in the right-handed mode...not easy at first but, overall, well worth the effort...now I can test out most any violin that passes through...most learning materials were easier to become oriented to...and, most all accessories, such as the chinrest and shoulder rest, can be fitted to my violin. I'm not trying to discourage you from playing left-handed; I'm only illustrating how playing right-handed can have its own benefits.

Hope something here helps, Mickey

I am not sure if the difference is with the stringing or just the tuning . I am lost in this area can you help me ????
Denise