I’ve written before about the love I have for 5-string basses. The 5-string is not the right tool for every bass player, but for those seeking the extended lower range within a real-world budget, the 5-string can be a compelling option.  The cost of a high-quality, professionally-installed, expertly-adjusted C-extension makes excellent economic sense when attached to a professional level 4-string bass.  As an example, a $2,500 extension is nicely at home on a $15k-$25k 4-string bass.  The problem is when a customer has a total budget of $5,000 and wants a C-extension.  It is not ideal to put a $2,500 extension on a $2,500 bass.  At these lower price points – and please bear with me as I call $5,000 a lower price point – the 5-string can be a wonderful option. Please call me if you are weighing your options – there are so many nuances to this decision they cannot all be covered in a blog post!  

We are often asked about viola sizing – what are the sizes and who plays which size?  As a rule in the US, viola sizes are expressed in inches and reflect the length of the BACK of the viola, not its overall length.  If you play a 15.5″ viola, that would be the measurement if you strung a tape measure from the bottom of the back (down by the endbutton) to the top of the back (just next to where the neck joins the top, NOT to the top of the heel of the neck).  Anything 15″ and larger is considered “full-size”, and instruments smaller than 15″ are often described as “fractionals”: 14″ = 3/4 13″ = 1/2 12″ = 1/4 It is quite easy to confuse a 3/4 size viola with a 4/4 violin, as both of them have a 14″ body length.  In that case, checking the strings can be the easiest way to tell them apart – the violin will have a high E-string (thin wire) and the viola will have a low C-string (thicker than the lowest string on the violin).  There are exceptions to every rule, but this will serve as a general guideline.  We

I spent yesterday evening talking to parents or orchestra students about the merits of higher quality instruments.  I’ve been having very similar discussions for the past ten years and some questions keep surfacing.  I’m going to start trying to answer a few of them and hope to add accompanying videos as time allows. “What is the difference between a $500 violin and a $1,000 violin?” This question (and variations of it) is easily the most common question I’m asked.  First, some ground rules.  In my answer, I am only talking about recently produced instruments, not antiques.  Also, as in everything, my answer is a broad generalization that always comes with exceptions. The difference in cost between these levels of violins can be broadly described in two words – time and material.  Almost all quality violins are made of the same material – maple, spruce, and ebony.  However, each one of those materials can vary a great deal in quality.  Up to a certain point, the higher the cost of the new violin, the higher the quality of the materials.  Workshop violins are produced through a combination of person and machine.  Many of the large workshops are now implementing the use

Wow…what a whirlwind week!  I was in Pittsburgh for the national conference of the American Strings Teachers Association.  It was an amazing week of sessions, networking, and socializing.  I learned new ways to learn the Popper cello etudes, learned about the ways ASTA wants to formalized a mentorship program for young teachers, played some exciting instruments, ate some delicious food, and reconnected with colleagues and friends from all over the country.  In every profession, it is vital to continue to learn and grow.  I had the opportunity to talk to 120 young musicians about alternative career paths in music and it was so rewarding to hear about their dreams and share some of my story. Now I’m back…energized and ready to help you with all of your string needs!

This week is the national conference for ASTA (American String Teachers Association) in Pittsburgh.  I will attend primarily as the President of the Indiana state chapter, but I’ll also get to have my Encore hat on from time to time as I scope the exhibit hall.  One of the most exciting parts of the week will be when I sit on a panel to talk about alternative careers in music.  There are so many wonderful professions that involve music…and music can be involved in EVERY profession.  When I was a young musician studying the cello, it was hard for me to see any other possibilities besides playing in an orchestra.  I had several mentors who tried to explain that there are numerous paths in music, but I wasn’t ready to hear it at that time.  I feel like if even one student in the audience considers the broader world of music, the panel will have been a success. I’ll look forward to bringing back stories and pictures to share with you!

I just returned from a trip to one of our sources for instruments and hand-selected an entire van full of violins, violas, cellos, and basses.  It has been exciting to get them arranged here at the store, ready for you to try them!  Interested in looking at violins between $850 and $2,000?  We have about SIXTY of them for you to try!  Many different workshops are represented and all of them are lovingly set up for maximum playability. On another note, this warmer weather has been a wonderful break from winter, but the cellos and basses in the shop are about as confused as the birds chirping in my yard!  If your instrument sounds or feels like it needs an adjustment, bring it in as well. Good luck to everyone involved in ISSMA state competition this weekend!  

Over 50 new instruments will be available by this time next week!  25+ new violins, 15+ new cellos, 10+ new violas, and 5+ new basses will be here in order to provide you with the best selection possible.  We take the selection of the instruments we offer you extremely seriously.  We have hand-selected each of these instruments and they are set up to the highest standards.  Several of them will be new models, so even if you’ve been in recently it will be worth another trip to play these instruments.  Photos coming soon!

We just received a HUGE number of violins, violas, and cellos from the Snow Violins workshop.  These have been customer favorites for years and it’s always exciting to have dozens to choose from at once.  We received about twenty model 200 violins, eight model 400 violins, and three of the “Per Caso” model violins (pictured below).  The “Per Caso” is a deceptively simple looking instrument, but European tonewoods and a simple oil varnish make these exceptional sounding violins.  We also have model 200 violas in 15″, 15.5″, and 16″.  Several of the 15″ violas have BEAUTIFUL one-piece backs.  Finally, we have three of the model 200 cellos.  If you aren’t familiar with the Snow workshop, now would be a great time to come by and play.  The model 200 violin starts out bright and vibrant, but quickly mellows into a rich, complex, and powerful sounding instrument.  We would love to show you why we think this particular violin is one of the best values available.  

We occasionally have the opportunity to represent baroque and transitional bows.  While I enjoy experimenting with them, I have not personally spent much time learning the technical intricacies to effectively use these bows.  The local musicians who ARE experts in this style of playing have been happy with the examples we’ve stocked.  The latest pair of bows – one cello and one violin – come from a different workshop and we are excited to hear some local players put them through their paces!

Please allow me a moment of reflection as Encore passed it’s 10-year anniversary this past November. Almost as if the shop were celebrating, we’ve paired up three modern master instruments with their new owners in as many months. When we started this adventure ten years ago, I hoped we would one day have the opportunity to represent top makers with the same ethos that drives the rest of what we do. The best modern instruments are great indeed, and the opportunity to have relationships with these master makers – to call them friends – is a great honor. I look forward to pausing in another ten years to reflect…I trust it will be on good things.

IMEA’s annual conference (in Ft. Wayne this year) is a chance for orchestra directors, band directors, choir directors, private instructors, students, and a host of others to gather in one place to learn and share.  I’ve attended each year for the past decade and always enjoy the performances, sessions, and clinics.  It’s also a good chance for a bunch of very busy people to actually see one another face-to-face!  Encore will maintain normal hours through the weekend even though some staff will be enjoying the balmy weather in Ft. Wayne!

This time of year, with crazy temperature swings and wildly fluctuating humidity levels in our homes, it is typical for cello pegs to slip or “let go”…leaving strings completely loose.  When we then bring the strings back up to pitch, we often tip our bridges over as the strings slide across it. If this continues over time, the bridge will lean and warp.  While a leaning bridge can be easily set upright again, a warped bridge needs to be removed and straightened…sometimes even needing to be replaced.  Try and keep track of whether your bridge is standing straight up and down.  We’re happy to help you put it upright again and our luthiers can fit a new bridge if it isn’t able to be straightened.

John gets to spend the week with his family and apologizes in advance if you were absolutely counting on seeing his smiling face. Regina is here most of the week and will be happy to take care of all of your Encore-related needs. We look forward to serving you in 2017!

This time of year is so much fun as we help people shop for Christmas presents.  One of the most common questions is about electric instruments.  I love electric instruments and all of the neat things that they can do, but they are so often purchased as an afterthought with too much emphasis placed on flashy looks.  There are a plethora of cheaply-made, wildly-shaped electric instruments available on the internet and we see them in the shop on a regular basis.  Most of these end up being unplayable due to poor setup or faulty electronics.  Most often, the value of the labor involved to make them playable is higher than the original purchase price!  There are a few good ways to avoid the common pitfalls of purchasing poor-quality electric instruments: Focus on reputable brands carried by brick-and-mortar stores with a good reputation.  Yamaha is one of my favorite makers of electric instruments, their YEV-104 being a great example of a quality instrument that doesn’t break the bank ($595). Consider electrifying your current acoustic instrument.  Fishman makes a line of transducers that allow you to hook your instrument up to the effects pedals and amplifiers that can make electric instruments so

I’ve been going through the cellos and basses in the shop and have found quite a few open seams…which is completely normal for this time of year. It’s just worth noting that these are instruments that are just sitting still, resting in the racks, waiting for their future owners. They aren’t subjected to the rigors of playing and transport. If these instruments are experiencing the winter blues, it is definitely time to take a look at your instrument! If you don’t feel comfortable checking the seams yourself, stop by the shop and I’ll show you how. Our repair department can take care of any issues we find and your instrument will be so much happier!

As I looked at the forecast for later this week, I realized…winter is coming.  We already have the humidifier running in our showroom and we’re already flipping coins for who has to fill up the tanks!  As the temperatures drop and our furnaces run, the interior air becomes dry enough to pose a danger to our instruments…especially cello and bass.  The wood in our instruments lose moisture and contract slightly, potentially placing tremendous strain on the plates and seams.  For cellos and basses, it is very common to see open seams and the occasional (and dreaded!) crack.  Feel free to contact us for advice on how to best care for your instrument given your usage and storage!    

We just received the first two (of four) Antonio Banfi violins.  These violins are, like so many instruments made today, a collaboration.  They start out life as master-made, unvarnished Chinese violins with the top and back left “thick” for final carving and graduation.  We have a local luthier do the final graduation (the careful carving of the top and back for maximum resonance), install the bassbar, varnish and finish the instrument, and set it up.  The final instrument is both visually and tonally very close to the best modern instruments, for a fraction of the cost.  The Antonio Banfi violin sells for $4,500.  Please come and visit so you can play and see these for yourself!  

I posted last week about a wonderful dinner we had in honor of Larry Wilke visiting after dropping off his cello at the VSA competition in Cleveland.  His cello, along with a cello by one of his sons Ben (age 19), underwent nearly a week of evaluation for workmanship and tone.  Certificates for workmanship and tone are awarded, along with prestigious Silver medals for tone and workmanship, and the Gold medals.  Larry has won both Silver and Gold medals in past competitions, and Ben was awarded a certificate for tone in his very first competition two years ago.  The results came in and BOTH Larry and Ben won Silver Medals (Tone) for their cellos!  Encore Orchestral Strings gives them both a hearty “congratulations” for this wonderful achievement!  We continue to be honored to represent their instruments.  It is extremely rewarding to remember not only all of the Larry Wilke cellos we’ve placed with players, but also the fact that we sold Ben Wilke 001 (his first cello) to a student here in Indiana.  

Lawrence Wilke, the award-winning cello maker, came to stay with me for an evening earlier this week.  It was a perfect opportunity for local cellists fortunate enough to own one of his instruments to come together for food and fellowship.  We had Wilke cellos from 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2016 present at the dinner and Larry had a chance to examine all of them to make sure they were all healthy and in good adjustment.  Larry is a fine cellist himself and that certainly informs his perspective on how his instruments should perform.  Several guests brought delicious deserts, we brought in some delicious Thai food for the meal, and my two daughters provided some of the entertainment.  It is truly wonderful to share experiences like this with friends!