Morawetz Chinrest Viola Boxwood, ZK-V4841B-MED
ZK-V4841B-MED
Mounted on the left side, with wings towards the tailpiece. Rounded dip with an additional step at the edge. Boxwood in a light golden tone with the black Götz mark, the lightest of the three woods.
- Available in three plate heights, so it can be matched closely to neck length
- Medium plate (2.4 cm)
- Screws and barrels in metal
Technical data
| Model | Morawetz |
| Material | Boxwood |
| Fittings | Screws and barrels in metal |
| Instrument | Viola |
| Item number | ZK-V4841B-MED |
Features
- Contact points lined with Portuguese cork
- Supplied with one pair of barrels each in 32 mm and 35 mm
- 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.
We make the Morawetz in three heights: Low, Med and High.
- Low: plate 1.8 × 10.0 × 5.5 cm, 45 g including screws
- Med: plate 2.4 × 10.6 × 5.6 cm, 52 g including screws
- High: plate 2.8 × 10.4 × 5.3 cm, 61 g including screws
Between Low and High, 1 cm more plate height adds around 16 g on the scales. Low and Med are close in their dimensions; they differ clearly in plate height, 1.8 against 2.4 cm. Portuguese cork sits at the contact points.
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.
For anyone looking for more height and hold at the chin, we often recommend the Morawetz High. The Morawetz High can also be built as a viola chin rest.
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 above all for chin support will be well served by the Stüber, which of our models is the one most strongly designed for it.
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.
Is the Morawetz also made for the viola?
Yes, we also make the Morawetz as a viola chin rest, with the same wooden plate and longer fittings.
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.