Getting It In Gear: These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

About a month ago at a concert with Laura Story in North Carolina, a guy and his wife came up to me at the merchandise table.  He introduced himself and mentioned that he was a violist and was especially curious to know what sort of gear I use to amplify my violin.  It was fun to talk to him and geek out like string players do when they randomly meet.  I scribbled down on some paper the different products that I'd recommend. 

Today, I was thinking that it was about time for a new blog post and since I've had lots of other violinists and violists ask about my gear at various gigs, I thought that I'd write a few notes on the products that I use.  Please note that I don't have any endorsement deals, so I've not been paid or perked to mention any of this...it's all just stuff I love after a lifetime of trying different violin related products.  (Although if you happen to work for one of these companies and feel like sending me free stuff, I'm totally cool with that as well.)

I highly recommend you purchase products from The Violin Shop located on 8th Avenue South in Nashville, Tennessee or HERE at their Online Store. 

If they don't have what you need in-store or online, then I recommend Young Musicians, a Ft. Worth based company that began just as I was beginning violin lessons. 

Other quality retailers include Corner Music (Nashville, TN), Williams Fine Violins (Nashville, TN), Shar Music (online), Andy's Music (Mobile, AL), and Southwest Strings (online).

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L.R. Baggs Violin Pickup - Because most of what I do involves playing as part of a band, it makes the most sense for me to have some form of direct amplification.  Trust me when I say I've tried it ALL.  I'm pretty sure I've put every single pick-up on the market on my fiddle at one point or another, and also clipped on many a mic that wasn't even made for a violin.  But when I first moved to town I discovered this fantastic option by L.R. Baggs.  It's built into your bridge and the plug in part secured to the side of the instrument by a Carpenter Jack which attaches basically the same way the chin-rest does.  It won't damage your fiddle: it's semi-permanent since it's built into the bridge, so it won't harm or alter the construction of your instrument, but you also don't have to take it on and off every time you play, and the resulting tone is true to the acoustic sound.  And any live sound engineer I've ever worked with adores it.  What's not to love?  Get a luthier to install it to keep the warranty valid.  Cost: $200-$250 including pickup, jack and installation.  (about $150-$175 for the equipment alone.)

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Fishman Pro EQ Platinum PreAmp - I remember the first time I saw a preamp or direct input box.  Another violinist friend had one and I was perplexed at the purpose of this little metal box with dials on it.  Realizing that I probably needed my own little box with buttons, I purchased this preamp and have loved playing through it for the past 8 years now.  I was even playing though it when my album was recorded.  It's nice to be able to control my own sound at least a little bit, and when the sound man yells, "you got a volume knob on that thing?!" I can confidently answer Yes, yes I can! Cost: $150 - $250 depending on the retailer.  Consider purchasing one used for a lower price.

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Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner Pedal - Although I was taught to tune my violin by ear as a kid and I carry a tuning fork with me in my case, (yes that's oldschool, and I love it.) when I made the jump from playing solo or in orchestral settings to jamming with drums and electric guitars, I quickly realized that in addition to tuning before the show I needed the ability to tune during a show (which I'd need to do by sight, not by ear if other instruments were playing), and the ability to mute my line.   This pedal allows me to easily do both. Even though this pedal is technically built for guitars and basses and the like, it works great on my violin line and I love it. Cost: $100-$175 depending on the retailer.  Another thing that you could probably find used at a discounted price.

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Ingles Violin Stand - Once, back in college, I had just finished soundcheck with my church's praise band, and I propped my violin up against a monitor speaker while I ran to the bathroom.  Needless to say, it was not a good move and that violin is now in about 6 pieces in a little satin bag in an antique violin "coffin" case I have....(the irony of which is not lost on me.)  These days, I'm older and wiser and my instrument is more valuable, so when I need to leave it onstage, I use this violin stand by Ingles.  It goes on the road with me everywhere I go, (and my husband props his banjo on it when I'm at home and my fiddle is in it's case).  Also works great for violas and mandolins, and they even make a bigger version for cello and upright bass.  Cost: about $30 for the violin/viola/mandolin sized version....a small price to pay for the safety of your instrument.

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Larsen Light Rosin - Rosin is one of those things where you can spend a little or a lot and it's often hard to know what to get.  On my first trip to the Violin Shop, I asked what they recommended and they sold me a cake of the Larsen Light rosin which is about middle of the road on the price meter.  I gave a cake of it to my uncle (a fine fiddler) for Christmas and he too is a fan.  Cost: $19-25 depending on the retailer

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Wolf "Super Flexibel" Shoulder Rest - Growing up I was a hardcore fan of the Kun Original shoulder rest, well, after I graduated from a kitchen sponge to a WeBad to a real shouder rest that is.  My teacher in 8th grade told my mom I had to buy a Wolf, which we did (we were complient folk) and I hated it.  At least I hated whatever model we bought back then.  But a few years ago when my Kun finally bit the dust (yes, I'd gone back to my Kun!), I noticed this model by Wolf in the glass case at The Violin Shop and tried it out and finally found the shoulder rest of my dreams.  I had some difficulty location this exact rest online for you fine folks, but looks like the Wolf "Forte Secondo" might be the newer and fairly equivalent version.  Cost: about $30

So there you have it!  A few of my favorite things.  What gear do you love?  Any more questions?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.