Unless you have already taken the step from a “beater” fiddle to a fine professional-level instrument, there is a pretty good chance that the Rickert Model 2.9 Fiddle sounds and plays better than any fiddle you have laid your hands on. This is especially true if you have taken the leap from typical lousy bow to one of the quality you deserve.

The Rickert Model 2.9 Fiddle starts as a new John Juzek Model 130 Violin. The Model 130 is extremely well-made with beautiful varnishing, which appears to be tradition oil varnishing. The original fittings are ordinary but quite well-fit ebony pegs, an ebony chin rest and polycarbonate tailpiece. The standard stringing is Thomastik-Infeld Dominant, which, frankly, we consider to be rather weak-sounding and not nearly as responsive to the bow as higher-tension strings.
The stock bridge is for violin playing; that is high with an extreme arch. This is not what the average fiddler is looking for.

To transform the Juzek Model 130 into a Rickert Model 2.9 Fiddle, we make the following alterations:

• Tuning pegs replaced with Wittner Fine-Tune™ internally-geared pegs or higher-quality ebony traditional pegs. See…
• Tuning Peg Options
• Why Wittner Fine-Tune Planetary Pegs are a Good Idea
• The polycarbonate tailpiece is replaced with an ebony Dov Schmidt compensated (“harp”) tailpiece
• If the Wittner Fine-Tune™ pegs are used, the tailpiece has no fine tuners. If traditional pegs are used, the tailpiece will have 4 built-in polycarbonate fine tuners.
• Unless otherwise requested, the strings are replaced with Thomastik Infeld SuperFlexible (rope core) strings, which are very powerful, responsive and dark (possibly the darkest-sounding strings made), yet focused and balanced.
• Of course, we can use other strings, such as…
• D’Addario Helicore for a somewhat brighter sound
• Pirastro Passione real-gut/Kevlar composite strings (a very stable modern gut string and favorite of Don Rickert)
• The nut grooves are expertly lowered
• The bridge is lowered and the arching is adjusted to your preference and the chosen strings. For example, because the SuperFlexible strings are rather high-tension, the bridge height can be quite low without the “bottoming out” typically associated with low string height.
• This is one of Don Rickert's favorite fiddles. It is quite playable and quite sonorous with good acoustic balance.

The instrument comes with a very nice suspension case. An OK but not great bow is supplied. This bow should be replaced with a better bow.

About John Juzek Violins

John Juzek began producing master quality violins in Schoenbach, Czechoslovakia in 1900. He established a violin shop, then called the Czeckoslovak Musical instrument Company, in New York City around 1920. The company is now called Metropolitan Music Co. and is one of the most respected suppliers of instruments and tools to the lutherie trade.