To everyone who made comments. I am very appreciative that Jerry agreed to take this project on for me. From my Father's closet and after 20 years of not having anyone willing to attempt repair, it is reborn. If my Father were alive he would be so impressed. I know that I am totally impressed and eternally indebted to Jerry . I called him today to tell him so. I should have it back tomorrow and it will be the centrepiece in my collection. In sum, Jerry is nothing short of a genius and I could be no happier. Thanks for the kind comments. Paul
As the benefactor of a great repair by Jerry of the Regal Wreck, I know how heartwarming it is to have an heirloom instrument reborn. Again, Jerry, you are a Master and these videos are wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing your craft.
UPS just delivered my old violin. Wow, I am very impressed. Outstanding workmanship and attention to detail. A true professional job. Christmas came early this year. I called Jerry to tell him how impressed I am. I can't overstate my gratitude to him for fulfilling my commitment to my Late Father to have it restored. Jerry my heartfelt thanks. You are the best. Paul
In this day and age of disposable, everything, it makes me happy that one person would honor his father's memory and preserve an instrument that belonged to him, because his father cared about it and used it, and that another person would take the time and stand up to the difficulty of the effort to make it happen. I have often wondered if the instruments I have labored to purchase and have played, cared for, and loved, will provide my son with this city's greatest musical yard sale, the first Saturday after I'm gone. I mentioned that to my son, who is 15, and he stared at me with a, "that's what you think of me?" look on his face. My son is a fine musician and I am very proud of him, and I now know that he will care for my memory and my instruments, not because they are worth a lot of money, but because they were mine. Maybe almost as much as Mr. Paul Wood, and Mr.Jerry Rosa.God bless you both.
Absolutely mind boggling :-) I know almost nothing about violins/fiddles, but my wife has been taking violin lessons on a rented violin, so I decided to buy her one on eBay Auction. I won an unbranded used violin that looks very good (it should arrive Monday). I've spent the last few days looking at videos showing how violins are made, ...and then came to this video. I have to say, this was great. I'm from the old school in the sense that I don't like to throw things away, so this video gave me an education on how to repair violins (wish I had an old broken one to work on) so I really enjoyed Jerry's videos. Morel season is right around the corner in SW Montana where I live. They usually grow where forest fires have burned for about 3 seasons. Thank you for the most enjoyable couple of hours I've had this year.
I am so addicted to this channel. I envy Jerrys skills. And regardless of Jerrys playing it down I love his renditions of Ashokan Farewell.. even if its all he can play on a fiddle
Your customer in Nova Scotia Canada will be immensely satisfied with his violon and I hope he was able to enjoy your workmanship as much as I did. Congradulations and thanks for sharing !
WOW ! You amaze me every time I watch another of your videos. And I think your playing was just beautiful. Music and Luthier is an ART. I've never seen a painting that I didn't see some beauty in. And I have never heard you play anything that I did not like. Your heart is in everything you do. Love the work and Love the music Every time.
Again , great work. I have a Trumpet I've had since third grade. I'm 65 now. I had it worked on but not re finished. They put new springs, straitened the bell , and it sounds great , and maintains its aged look. I'm glad I left it that way.
It is with great honor that l have the opportunity to congratulate you and witness one of your restoration works by a great master who knows what you are doing. These skills that wonderful gift... I attach great value to these works of art
+Samir Ferreira thank you very much. It's very nice to know that something you build will last hundreds of years if properly cared for. So it should be around long after I'm gone. Thanks for watching. Happy New Year
Jerry, Thank you again for sharing your years of knowledge and expertise. My favorite part of watching you work is your approach to problems which would leave most people scratching their heads! Your explanation of each little issue and how to tackle is a great help in it'self, let alone produce a wonderful instrument that can be played once again. I just can't say enough about the great work you show us all. Thank you, Friend!
This has to be one of the most fascinating pairs of RU-vid clips ever. Thank you for sharing your skills, education and honesty, superb, thanks again...
Beautiful set of videos showing the resurrection of an old fiddle. Thank you so much for sharing all those details. You are a real craftsman, and not a bad fiddler either with those double stops. Now the fiddle will return to its happy owner in Nova Scotia, probably to play some fine Cape Breton Strathspeys and reels for years to come.
Great video. I have a son that plays the fiddle pretty good. He was been invited to the Canada Grand Masters. He has learned to set up his own fiddles. I liked the part where he carved the bridge. I will point my son to the video. Love the tunes playing in the video also
Regarding the little dots of paint you found, they march he light green paint on the dining room wall of my Grandfathers house. It also matches the paint drops on the dining room table. Just a little useless information.
I'm not a musician, nor am I particularly interested in fiddle music, but this repair fascinated me. I DO like seeing things restored to former glory and boy howdy this fit the bill, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Well that violin could hardly have been worse bodged by amateur repairers in it's previous history! It was very satisfying to see the gradual order brought to the chaos by your wonderful skills and artistry Jerry. At the end the violin looked beautiful with it's richly deep patina and the sound was also rich and sonorous! What a great job you did and thank you for posting.
I really enjoy watching these videos even though I don't know half of what's going on. It reminds me so much of watching my mom's step-dad, Renos, (how's that for an school country name?) work on antiques when I was a kid. He could make claw feet and things like replacement legs for an old Queen Ann desk and could make them look just as old as the others too. Fun times.
Loved both parts. So very interesting even though I don't play anything. You are talented beyond belief! Thank you! You should know that there are thousands of viewers who have never seen anything like this in their lives. Beautiful work except at the end when you played it. You mentioned, and I believe this, that a fiddle player could could extract the dulcet tones that you restored to an otherwise pile of junk. Beautiful!!!!
Jerr, you play fiddle a lot better than me! Great, as always, another "brought back from the dead", project! I always pickup helpful tips and ideas from you. Keep your chin up and keep um' comin'! Thankz
It is hard to say "one of the best restoration video" because a lot of your videos (I watched almost all) are so good, but this time I watched it like a movie scene and waited for the results and first sound. Thanks for great work and inspiration.
Love your show Jerry. I recall my Grandfather gave me a old fiddle to repair. I remember it only had the seems come unglued. Was stored in the heat. A possible easy fix. However, my shop teacher declined to help as he had not worked musical instruments. I was 16 at the time. Art
I learned a lot about settling up a fiddle from this video. I am truly amazed with your knowledge and attention to all details. I am not a fiddle player, but I have my uncle’s old fiddle to set up and see if I can make some respectable sound from it. Thanks from Gilbert, AZ.
that thing sounds awesome. and atleast I could tell that was faded love .lol. can't wait for the "full meal deal" on my mandolin with more pick space at the lower neck and your Sadle or anything else you think it needs. 😆🖒just watching these videos....there is just nobody else I would rather in trust my instruments with. you do some beautiful work saving old wood from the fire box. and letting them be enjoyed for many years to come . just awesome.your a true Luthier.
As always you do great work. I did not have a lot of hope for that fidel when I first saw it. But I knew you would work your magic. And do a good job with it. As you always do. Thanks for sharing your video my friend.
You almost sounded apologetic regarding the replacement of the neck block. No way! You improved the quality of that violin. Keep up the great work. I am more confident in my guitar work thanks to YOU.
Rosa String Works Jerry I watched part 1 and part 2 I enjoyed it all tremendously but I didn't see the neck reset glue up I saw the strip down fix re string set up. The fiddle looks sharp sound's great.Thanks for the nice video be blessed with loving care and grace.
Hello Jerry, I like your videos very much! I love to see videos on RU-vid about craftsmanship for all kinds of 'products', but yours are very special, because they're about musical instruments (I'm a guitar player and musiclover) and because you are always positive, etc. Many compliments for sharing your work with 'the world'! (And greetings from Amsterdam.)
Hello Jerry, more than 25 years ago, don't remember the date exactly, you put my grandfather's fiddle back together, it had dried itself apart. At the present time, it is still together just as you finished it. I wish I could play it, and now that I'm retired maybe I will give it some attention. I enjoy your video's, it's easy to see the amount of care, and respect you have for musical instruments. I will have no trouble sending any instrument I have to you if in need of repair. Looking forward to being able to come visit your shop this summer possibly.
I like that you fixed it to function as well as well as it can function without destroying its "personality" that it has picked up through its long life. I think there are folks who get old fiddles and try to make them look like brand new... and that's a shame. When you take grandma out and get her liposuction, facelifts, and fill her with Botox, somehow she ain't "grandma" anymore. I'm a fan, sir.
Howdy! Another nice one...comparing how it was at part 1,this is better then new! It sounds wery good too! I would buy it! Greetings from Croatia ! 🇭🇷🇭🇷🇭🇷
Very meritorious effort to bring back this ol' piece of wood to life!.. You did a wonderful job sir. I don't know how much you charged you customer ($500-700?) for that repair but, if this old fiddle is a family instrument, it fully deserved such an expense ... Who cares if one could find a chinese or korean beginner-grade soulless violin for $300, money has nothing to do with such a resurrection
It does have a very nice tone. The highs are not harsh, and the lows are pretty rich, especially since it hasn't even had time to settle in yet. I went back to part one of the video and looked again at what you had to start with, and I'm amazed. Nice work.
A cosplay trick you might want to know about. Liquid Shoe Polish is similar to your dye, If you coat the surface and then wipe it straight off you can blend you dye and the wood a lot easier. It is thin and will wash into the detail cracks a lot better so you actually make the vintage look more consitant.
well looks like you fixed another one Jerry. I saw some of the problems from the beginning and figured he will never get that one to work. But you did it with your craftsmanship showing through again. Great video
you make my dog howl at the moon with the fiddle loll and by the way NS stand for NOVA SCOTIA atlantic part of CANADA beautiful place and a lot of very good fiddle players and your video their are always good to watch keep on the good work!!!!
You's right! Yer not a fiddle player, but 53 points for trying... BUT, YOU ARE a Master at repairs! Beautiful job...love seeing a ugly oldie become a diva in your hands. Hope the owners are thrilled with its new voice and get years of pleasure out of it!
Nice job all the way around! I think you handled the logic in this repair completely appropriately. Couldn't have done better myself. Oh, and,....your fiddle playing is just fine. You should give yourself a bit more credit
I play guitar a bit not playing fiddle at all, but this is quite entertaining to watch. Now I wish my dentist would watch this video to learn how nice it is if everything that is done to the patient is being explained so well while it is done ;-)
Paul, could you be persuaded to shoot us a video of how the violin sounds? I think there's a lot of us who would like to hear more. Jerry, thanks for the great tips on patching those stress points. Geeze, I feel like I could almost make a violin now! LOL LOVE your videos!
Your playing set my dog to barking:) Another luthier uses a small pillow filled with rice to set uneven parts of wood on for stability. seems like a good idea.like bean bag
After hearing you play it. The fidel does sound good. You are a pretty goof fiddle player. You should give your self more credit. I have enjoyed your videos. Thank you. I hope you have a blessed week.
Great work Jerry. The fiddle sounds good, but the sound system seems to be breaking up a little so it's really hard to tell. I think any fiddler would be proud to play this fiddle. The best to you and your family in this new year Jan 3, 2019.
Watching you perform your miracles and listening to Issac Stern on my local PBS radio and at the end what sounded like Ashoken farewell(?) in your non-performance. Great. Narragansett Bay
