Very heavy metal practice mute for viola and violin. Chrome plated steel. For use when maximum muting is essential, for example, in hotel rooms, flats etc.
Beginner
Keen Amateur
Beginner
Beginner
Beginner
Best sordine ever
Pros: It seriously dampens the sound, and it fits pretty much well the bridge. Despite having been made by heavy material, this brass sordine doesn’t scratch nor damage the bridge, as long as one pays attention when dropping down the violin after practising.
Cons: N/A
Other: It fabulously assolve the purpose I’ve bought for, therefore I highly recommend it to everyone whose sharing houses or aiming to keep living in the same place for a while! ;-)
Keen Amateur
Sits on bridge well; cuts down sound
Pros: Mine sits on my bridge very well. After reading other reviews I was worried it would fall off a lot, but actually mine feels secure. It only sits snugly one way round, so try both ways to see which sits better on your bridge. It definitely cuts down the sound. You can still hear the violin clearly in the next room (my walls are thin) and I'm sure my neighbours can still hear it, but it's a quieter sound, and hopefully the mute takes the edge off what they hear, so that they can more easily ignore it.
Cons: It makes the violin sound horrible! This is its job, so it's not a fault with the product - but it's impossible to practise one's tone/sound when using it. Also, at the heel my hand tends to hit the mute, so it may not be good for my bowing long term. All in all, I don't think it will be good for my playing - BUT it will be better than stopping altogether due to complaints from the neighbours!
Beginner
Noise greatly reduced
Pros: Reduces the amount of scraping and all that the neighbours hear to virtually nothing. Feel confident I can take violin away and would be able to maintain practice in most situations Had been concerned from what people had told me that it was very heavy - but at 60g it was not significant.
Cons: Not being able to see over it to where my bow is on the strings - I can only see the G string - just. If I remove it part way through practice then the noise of the violin is suddenly very loud and takes a couple of minutes to adapt to
Beginner
Does the job
Pros: Mutes the sound .. great for hotel practice Good fit
Cons: Heavy and needs to used with care ... one slip and 'crack goes the table' ..... Marks the bridge (not for the aesthetically conscious)
Other: possible improvement would be rubber covered metal
Beginner
A good mute for when you need to be quiet
Pros: This mute works very well. It's nicely secure on the bridge, and although it's bulky, it sits quite low so you can still see what's happening if, like me, you need to peer quite closely at the strings and fingerboard... I was worried about it coming off the bridge, but it's actually quite secure on mine, and hasn't damaged it so far. The sound is very heavily muted, but the fiddle still sounds nice. I have dealt with mutes that produced odd distortions on some strings, but there's nothing of the sort to complain of here. In terms of volume, this is a very effective mute. I play in a three room flat after the kids are asleep and I'm not in the slightest worried about waking them - I can saw away to my heart's content.
Cons: None. I'm very pleased.
Other: Quick delivery and well packed - excellent service as always :)
Keen Amateur
The quietest mute I've found, but not perfect.
Pros: The quietest mute I have yet found. Stays securely on the bridge while playing.
Cons: The muting can be a little uneven over the 4 strings- some buzzing sounds. On my violin it doesn't fit neatly in-between the strings like other mutes so there is a risk of damaging the strings if not carefully applied.
Other: If quiet practice is a priority this is the one to go for, but could be a little easier to use.