Technical data
| Model | Guarneri |
| Material | Boxwood |
| Fittings | Hill type screws |
| Instrument | Viola |
| Item number | ZK-V1597 |
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.
Guarneri, Stradivari and Schulze-Priska are mounted over the tailpiece. Together with the Varga, these shapes differ mainly in how deeply the dip is curved: of the four, the Stradivari has the deepest and most contoured plate, the Varga follows, the Guarneri is gently curved and the Schulze-Priska has no curvature. The deeper plate guides the chin more closely and so gives more control.
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.
For the viola we like to recommend the Varga instead of the Guarneri.
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 who prefers to rest the chin beside the tailpiece will find a flat, side-mounted shape in the Kaufmann or the Slim Style.
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.
Which of these chin rests has the deepest dip?
The Stradivari, followed by the Varga; the Guarneri is more gently curved, and the Schulze-Priska has no curvature.
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.
