Epoch Musical Instruments

FAQ / Care and Maintenance

Features:

One of the most endearing features of every Epoch Instrument is its robustness and ease of assembly and maintenance.

While claims about its strength are only as good as the treatment they receive from owners, it can be said that the Epoch will stand a lot of hard playing and rough handling.

Celtic fiddler Andrew Maddick used his electric Epoch Violin at a one month long gig at Airlie Beach and a few days out from the end, broke a bridge. If you've seen Andrew play, you would be amazed that that was all that broke. This was after three weeks of full-on seven nights a week, four to five hours a night Irish and traditional fiddling. No matter, the bridge was changed in minutes.

The Epoch Violin is:
Strongly made of modern laminated plates.
Hi-tech glues are used for assembly.
All parts are standardised and inter-changeable within the Epoch family of violins.
Neck and finger board is serviced as a complete unit and is available as a replacement part.
Violin body is available as a replacement part.
Bridge has standard curve and string spacing.
Bridge is available in three heights.
Metal tailpiece and fine tuners.

Assembly:

The neck-finger board unit fits into a recess in the body and is located by a dowel. This joint is not glued.

This has the effect of limiting damage to the instrument in the event of accident.

The alloy tube extends to the end of the body and the tailpiece gut slips over the tailpiece button.

The bridge sits in a groove in the top of the spider and should be nearly square to the body but leaning slightly towards the tailpiece.

Ideally, it should be approximately half the angle made by the
strings as they pass over the bridge.

It is advisable to loosely string the "G" and "E" strings first and then place the bridge on the spider with minimum tension before placing the two sound posts in position.

Regularly check that the sound post is clear of the hole through the body. If it touches it will spoil the sound.

The top end of both sound posts sit squarely under the spider.

The bottom end of the short sound post sits squarely on the belly and the bottom end of the long sound post fits into a shallow indent in the flat bass bar which is part of the back plate of the violin. It can be seen through the "F" hole.

Make sure the alloy tube is centrally located above the tail pin at this stage.The strings can now be brought up to tension, beginning with the "G" and "E" strings and making sure that the bridge is kept upright and flat as you proceed.Check that the bridge remains centred on the spider and the sound posts do not move out of position.

Cleaning and polishing:

Epoch Violins are protected by a modern spray finish and are not easily damaged. Clean with a damp soft cloth and a little detergent. Polish with a good quality musical instrument polish.

Remove surplus resin from the strings at frequent intervals, otherwise it can build up so that the string goes out of round. This can affect the bowing.

Brush off resin dust from the body and fingerboard after each use. If this builds up it can be difficult to remove without damage to the finish.

Warranty:

The manufacturer, Gondwana Musical Instrument Company Pty Ltd warrants to the original registered owner that every
Epoch Instrument is free from defects in parts and manufacture for a period of one year from the date of purchase.

Exclusions from such warranty are the bridge, the spider and the strings.

Every Epoch Instrument carries a serial number.

For Warranty return, Epoch Instrument must be sent, carefully packed in a hard case, to :

Epoch Musical Instruments
PO Box 10582
Southport Business Centre
Queensland 4215 Australia.

Epoch Musical Instruments will return the instrument to the purchaser at Epoch Musical Instruments' cost.

Because of the overwhelming inquiry from other countries, Epoch Musical Instruments will happily provide technical advice by email promptly.

Questions & Answers

What does the ‘Spar’ across the top do?
ANSWER:
I explained in our Dec newsletter that this instrument is a ‘free floating’ system made in two parts – the neck assembly and the body. This spar is an integral part of the neck assembly. It absorbs and rechannels all the string stresses (in a traditional instrument these are absorbed into the body) which has allowed us to redesign the sound chamber (the body) and enhance the sound potential eg our instruments are louder and brighter than traditional models.

The neck moves.
ANSWER:
The instrument is designed as a ‘free floating’ system and made in two parts – the neck assembly and the body. Movement between the two assemblies is a necessity to ensure the sound is not choked and remains clean and even. Please note that the neck will not move while being played unless –
1. the instrument is not set up correctly
2. the instrument is being abused
3. the player is using a highly original (and probably unrecommended) technique

The bridge is ‘floppy’.
ANSWER:
Our wooden bridges are designed this way for specific acoustic reasons. Players must ensure that bridges are upright and correctly positioned prior to playing. This characteristic means that the ‘E’ string must have a suitable sleeve where it
crosses the bridge. Ensure the spider is not excessively bowed or touching the spar.

Do I have to use Epoch Strings and Accessories?
ANSWER:
With exception of the bridge and spider kit, the Epoch uses all standard, interchangeable strings and accessories.

What shoulder rest works best?
ANSWER:
The Epoch adjustable, folding foot model or the Wolf adjustable.