ZK-300R
Mounted centrally over the tailpiece, with a gently rising curve and a clearly defined dip. Rosewood with a warm reddish brown figure and the white Götz mark.
| Model | New Flesch |
| Material | Rosewood |
| Fittings | Screws and barrels in metal |
| Instrument | Violin |
| Item number | ZK-300R |
The chin rest sits on the lower bout of the violin and is clamped to the rib with a metal bracket. Its clamp grips over or beside the bottom block, the wooden block inside the body that holds the end pin and reinforces the rib at this point.
The resting chin creates a hold between shoulder and head, and the violin is carried almost entirely by this hold; the left hand supports it only slightly.
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 violin chin rests we have weighed come to between around 41 g and 80 g including screws, depending on model, wood and fittings. With closed screws the barrel sets the height above the rib; violin barrels come in 25, 27 and 29 mm, and most of our violin models take barrels up to 27 mm. With the Hill fitting, by contrast, the feet are firmly joined to the chin rest.
The rosewood of our chin rests is East Indian rosewood, botanically Dalbergia latifolia, Palisander in German. Its density at 12 % moisture content is 820 to 920 kg/m³. Among the three woods we use for chin rests, rosewood therefore sits in the middle: denser than boxwood, lighter than ebony.
On the violin Berber, which has the same shape in all three woods, the rosewood version with standard metal fittings weighs around 49 g, the ebony version around 56 g, the boxwood version around 45 g. For the same model the dimensions are the same in every wood; in height two pieces may differ by up to 1 mm, because each is made by hand from natural wood.
Both Flesch shapes are mounted centrally over the tailpiece. At around 2.5 cm the New Flesch is a little higher than the Flesch Traditionell at around 2.0 cm; the Traditional in turn has a higher chin hump in the centre that supports the chin in the middle. The New Flesch sits further from the outer arching and closer to the chin and has no strongly curved contour, so it finds its position easily on many instruments.
With centrally mounted models, the height of the tailpiece above the top sets the minimum height of the chin rest. Measured on the violin: New Flesch ZK-300E in ebony 68 g, plate 6.1 × 11.1 cm, height 25 mm; Flesch Traditionell ZK-4880 in ebony 67 g, plate 6.1 × 11.8 cm, height 20 mm.
Before we recommend a model, our first question is whether the chin prefers to rest beside the tailpiece or centrally over it. Our experience when tightening: a chin rest only needs to sit firmly enough to hold securely, because the rib beside the bottom block is more delicate than the spot directly over the block. If the chin rest touches the tailpiece, we solve it through the angle of the screws or with a slightly longer barrel.
When a chin rest is to match a set of fittings in colour, we will pick out a slightly lighter piece of rosewood on request; the variation between pieces is usually small. For us a rosewood chin rest and a rosewood tailpiece make a harmonious set.
For us the New Flesch is the classic, and for most of the musicians we advise, the favourite. We recommend the Flesch Traditionell when the chin is looking for clear support in the middle.
Anyone looking for a central head position with even more hold will find two further shapes we recommend for this in the Berber and the Vermeer.
Natural cork without coating, so that the chin rest does not slip and no metal touches the varnish; pressed cork is unsuitable because it crumbles over time.
Yes, Palisander is the German and rosewood the English name for the same wood.
Yes, for the same model the dimensions are identical; in height, natural wood and handwork produce small deviations of up to around 1 mm.
No, because since 14 December 2019, musical instrument parts made of East Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) have been exempt from CITES certification; our rosewood chin rests therefore reach you without a separate certificate.
The New Flesch is a little higher at around 2.5 cm and less strongly contoured; the Traditional measures around 2.0 cm and has a higher chin hump in the centre.
No, the Flesch comes as the New Flesch and as the Flesch Traditionell, not in height steps; adjustment is made through the barrels.
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.
