Milano Chinrest Viola Boxwood, ZK-V272G
ZK-V272G
Slim long shape with a continuous contact area of around 129 mm. Boxwood in a light golden tone with the black Götz mark, the lightest of the three woods.
- The long contact area spreads the pressure over a greater distance
- Hill type screws, gold plated
- Supplied with one pair of barrels each in 32 mm and 35 mm
Technical data
| Model | Milano |
| Material | Boxwood |
| Fittings | Hill type screws |
| Instrument | Viola |
| Item number | ZK-V272G |
Features
- Contact points lined with Portuguese cork
- Height means the distance between the top and the plate. It depends on neck length and shoulder rest: those who set the instrument high get by with a flat chin rest, those who carry it lower need more height
- Higher models are usually heavier. In our experience a heavier chin rest makes the sound a little warmer and darker; a light one leaves it more open
Sound and physics
Viola barrels come in 32 mm and 35 mm; many viola models are supplied with one pair in each length. What counts for the choice is the rib height at the lower bout, measured from back to top.
Acoustically, the chin rest adds a mass with its own damping to the edge of the body through a few contact points. It therefore mainly slows those natural vibrations of the body that move strongly at these contact points, and leaves free those that have a node (a point at rest) there.
The viola chin rests we have weighed come to between around 55 g and 67 g including screws.
Boxwood is the lightest of the three woods we use for chin rests; rosewood and ebony are denser. With titanium fittings the boxwood Berber comes down to around 41 g.
Our boxwood is Buxus sempervirens. It is a light wood, light brown to deep orange, and the shade depends on the batch. It darkens with age and use, which is why newly made boxwood chin rests are lighter than older ones. The wood is sensitive to moisture, so we only work with thoroughly dried parts.
Among our models that sit over the tailpiece, the Milano has the widest opening over the tailpiece. Its position is chosen so that it touches as few resonance points as possible on the lower left rib.
At around 129 mm its plate is longer than that of the New Flesch at 111 mm and that of the Stradivari at 123 mm.
With the Hill fitting, also called English style in our house, two independent single clamps hold the chin rest, without a connecting bridge. Each screw set consists of top part, barrel and lower part. We make Hill chin rests specifically with their Hill screws and cover the feet with cork; the feet are firmly joined to the chin rest, so the height stays fixed.
Hill screws are heavier than closed screws and more stable for it. The gold-plated Hill screws are made of brass, on individual models combined with steel, and are polished and electroplated with gold.
Our experience
When we advise on a viola, we ask for the rib height and then put together the matching pair of barrels. Our experience with tightening applies to the viola as well: only firmly enough that the chin rest holds securely, because the rib beside the bottom block is more delicate than the spot directly over the block.
We will try a darker re-staining on request, but the result rarely convinces us, because not all parts darken evenly.
We originally designed the Milano for one individual musician. We regard the position with few contact points on the lower left rib as a tonal advantage.
On the Guarneri with Hill fittings the feet stand further apart than on the closed version; we therefore give particular care to the fit against the arching of the instrument. We keep the top parts of the Hill screws as spare parts, in pairs.
When another model suits you better
Anyone looking for a deep black will find many of our models in stained ebony too, the densest of the three woods.
Anyone looking for a more compact shape over the tailpiece will find our classic, with a shorter plate, in the New Flesch.
Anyone who wants titanium chooses a model with closed screws in the -T version, as we make titanium in the closed design only.
Frequently asked questions
Is boxwood subject to CITES?
No, boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) is not subject to CITES regulation; the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation confirmed this to us in 2016, and nothing has changed since.
Will my boxwood chin rest become darker?
Yes, boxwood darkens with age and use.
Where does the Milano sit?
Over the tailpiece, with an especially wide opening over the tailpiece.
Can I raise a Hill chin rest?
The feet are firmly joined to the chin rest; unlike with closed screws, the height therefore cannot be changed through longer barrels.
Do you make Hill screws in titanium?
No, pure titanium cannot be brought into the Hill geometry; we offer titanium in the closed design only.
These texts hold decades of experience and a great deal of heart. They are protected by copyright, C.A. Götz jr. GmbH. Please ask us before any use. Thank you for your appreciation.
