Wall Independent
Violin & Viola
Set-up, Repair and Restoration
Custom Woodworking and
Consulting
Douglas Wall
585-392-3478
Hours by Appointment
only
Email: dwall2 (at)
Rochester.rr.com
(You know what I mean. To
avoid email harvesters)
Wall
Independent is a violin and viola set-up, repair, and restoration service.
Hilton, NY is located near the south shore of Lake Ontario, just northwest of
Rochester, NY. We are about a 25 minute drive from the center of Rochester. (How to find us) We are located a short
drive from the towns in western
My training includes courses with Hans
Nebel at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Violin Workshops. This
includes both external and internal repairs, proper set-up, and some
restoration work.
In June of 2007, I
continued my education with a week of training in bow rehairing and some other
bow work with Lynn Armour Hannings at the University of New Hampshire, and a
week of varnish retouching with Hans Nebel at MCLA.
My training
continued in June of 2008, with a week of learning neck resetting with Hans
Nebel at MCLA.
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LATEST NEWS FROM
WALL INDEPENDENT
07/08 We
just got back from a two week tour in Ireland with the Dady Brothers. Had a
great time! Saw lots, and heard some great music. Click here for details
Organ Trophy (1724), St. Michan’s
Church,
10/08
Latest updates to the “Latest in the Shop” pages will be indexed, and show some
updates on projects.
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I am currently expanding my offerings to include the John Juzek™ line of new instruments for
both rent and sale, Kun™ Shoulder
rests, D’Addario bowed strings, Cadenza and K. Holtz bows from Eastman
Strings, the fine line of Eastman
Strings instruments, and some other accessories such as cases and rosin.
I’ll continue to expand my offerings to fill the needs of my clients. If you
have something that you would like to get, or have me carry, contact me to see
if I have it, or can get it for you.
Thinking
of buying an inexpensive violin from an internet dealer? Click on the VSO link
below.
|
(Violin
Shaped Object) |
My philosophy is to do quality work at a reasonable price,
and have the instrument back to the player as soon as possible.
Wall Independent currently accepts cash or checks. New York State
sales pay NYS sales tax (Monroe County, 8%).
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Some of the services that I can provide are:
*Cleaning and
polishing
*Fingerboard planning and
replacement
*String
installation
*Peg fitting and replacement
*Soundpost
setting and replacement
*Peg hole bushings
*Bridge
adjustment and
replacement
*Internal repairs, including
bassbar work
*Nut adjustment and
replacement
*Varnish touch-up
*Crack and
seam repairs *Neck
resetting
*Bow rehairing and minor
repairs
I will work with you to determine how
much work needs to be done to bring your instrument into playable condition and
present you with an estimate for the work. My prices should be competitive to,
or lower than many other shops.
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Here’s a brief example of some work that I’ve done
on one instrument.
The instrument pictured below is a ¾ size Violin made in
Czechoslovakia, pre WWII.
The work that I’ve done on it includes; regraduation of the
top and back (Regraduation is controversial, but in this case, necessary), new
bassbar, fingerboard, nut, saddle, bridge, pegs, tailpiece, and strings.
Below right is a picture of the inside of the top. You can
see the new bassbar, and also a linen patch that was installed to reinforce a
very thin spot at a high stress area near the saddle.
BOWS
Yes, I can also do bow rehairing, and some repairs such as
tip and frog repairs. Below are before and after pictures of a ca. 1897 bow
that I’ve worked on. The pearl eyes and slide on the frog were replaced, and a
new grip was installed. The bow was also rehaired.
The pernambuco used to make fine bows has recently been
declared an endangered species. There are only about 1200 trees left! I support
the efforts of the International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative (IPCI). One
dollar from each bow rehair will be donated to help with efforts to plant trees
in Brazil to insure that future generations will be able to play with
pernambuco bows. Conservation efforts also include keeping old bows in playing
condition. Old bows that many would consider to be junk can be refurbished and
turned into decent student bows.
Click on the picture to link to the ICPI website.
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INSTRUMENT RENTALS:
I’m just starting to carry a few instruments (violins and
violas) for rentals. I’ll adjust the number as time goes on to cover the
demand. If you’d like to rent an instrument, and I don’t have one, I can
probably get one in about a week.
** Instruments, Bows, and Accessories For Sale
and Rent **
Click above to see the instruments and accessories that we have
available.
USED/ VINTAGE
INSTRUMENTS AND BOWS:
My interest in repair and restoration leads me to seek out
instruments to work on for my own collection, to play, and to restore for
resale to a new owner. I would be interested to hear of any old instruments or
bows for sale. Condition is, of course, along with the quality of the
instrument or bow, a major factor in its value, either bought or sold.
The instrument on the right is a
Fiddl-ette ca. 1930. This unusual instrument was sold by the Gamble Hinged
Music Co.. It was originally created by Edwin H. Bergh and Carl Wheeler Mott
as an inexpensive student
instrument. It was only produced in limited numbers for a very few years, and
sold in the Illinois and Wisconsin areas. (from my personal collection) Click on the picture for an enlarged view
Find out more about the Fiddl-ette at http://www.vandercook.edu/archives/collections/hvbergh.htm
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In order to show the type of repair/restoration work that I’m
doing, I’ve set up a page so that you can see some of my current and past
projects.
Check here often to see what’s new.
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Wall Independent is now
offering the fine line of John Juzek
and Eastman Strings instruments and
bows to our local clients.
I am now and authorized
dealer for both Eastman Strings and Metropolitan Music.
Because of my low overhead, I can order these
instruments for my clients at a considerable discount from the list price. I
will also do a complete check on each instrument before I release it from my
shop. I can also custom outfit many of these instruments with your choice
of strings, pegs, tailpiece and
chinrest. For example, If you see a Juzek or Eastman Strings instrument that you
like, but would prefer Dominant strings and Rosewood fittings, I can probably
do that for you at a reasonable cost. Contact me for details
You can see the entire line of Juzek instruments at:
You can see the entire line of Eastman
Strings instruments and bows at:
Wall Independent is also a dealer for
D’Addario products
I’ll be
keeping a stock of bowed strings to support my repair and restoration business
and to sell to my local clients.
I’ll be stocking :
(Current prices are listed.
Prices may need to be adjusted, depending on my costs.)
Prelude violin strings
(steel core) $16.00 (violin)
Pro-Arte violin strings (Perlon core) $26.00 (violin)
Helicore violin and viola strings (multi-strand steel
core) $32.00 (violin 4/4)
I’ve
used the Zyex strings on several
instrument, with very nice results. I’ll be using these strings for a lot of my
restorations.
$36.00 (violin 4/4)
I’ll
be offering other D’Addario products (on a special order basis) to my clients,
at a substantial discount from the list price. Contact me for details.
I’ll
also be keeping Thomastik-Infeld Dominant strings
in stock, $42.00 (violin 4/4, med).
I
can order most other strings on a special order basis, usually at very
competitive prices. Turn around time for special orders, is usually 3-4 days.
Contact me for a price quote and availability.
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Wall Independent also does
custom woodworking, custom assemblies, and consulting.
Some examples can be found at the CUSTOM WORK link
below.
Please contact us for further information.
Here’s a link to some other interesting stuff in our
world.
Check out Michael’s Guitar Page!
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Visit some of
our interesting neighbors and friends at their websites:
The Dady Brothers. Great
musicians and friends! 
www.dadybros.com
Fine Glass Art from Milon
Townsend at: 
http://www.milontownsend.com
Scottish Highland cattle
and other neat stuff at: 
http://home.rochester.rr.com/highland/
More great Glass Art from
Sabra Richards at: 
http://web.mac.com/sabrarichards
Some great quilts and
fabric art from Anne Fischer at: 
http://annemfischer.com/index.html
We don’t do guitars.
Stutzmans is great for that: 
http://www.stutzmansguitarcenter.com/
Violin and viola
instruction in 
http://www.greecestrings.com/
A comprehensive listing of
violin shops around the world: 
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Here’s a link to some other interesting stuff in our
world.