Testimonials

Hi Peter,

The violin has improved so much, far more than I expected. My Canone now sounds as good as a Guarneri del Gesu, maybe even better. Do you agree? … If there would be an orchestra of string players all having your bass bar, how would it sound? Maybe we will know in the next few years when more musicians will take the “risk” to send their violin to you! Thank you again,

Dick, Concert violinist in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dear Dr. Zaret,

I want to thank you again for the magic you’ve worked on my violin. I will probably never understand the science behind what you do. The upper register is clear and brilliant without being brassy, the lower register warm and full and much more responsive than before. I’m so grateful for the work you’ve done! You are a gifted artist and generous person, and we are lucky to have you here in Cleveland.

Emily

Dear Peter,

The Hammig is superb. It responds instantly on all strings and I totally believe you when say that it is as good as any Strad. This violin has excellent wood and is beautifully crafted, but it was a mystery to me why it was so poor on sound.

From time to time there are discourses on ‘acoustics and the violin’ in the Strad Magazine with various theories put forward and hashed out by the same inner circle year who know all about your miracle bass-bar but dismiss it for the ulterior motive of sustaining the cartel for clapped out Italian instruments. I trust, Peter, that you will live long enough to see your research and bass-bar take its deserved place in the minds and hearts of musicians globally and that intelligent makers will grasp the opportunity to fit your bass-bar and give future musicians the gift of sound as a matter of course.

Thank you Peter, with kind regards, sincerely,

Leo Harris

Dear Dr. Zaret,

I just received the old German and the Bulgarian violins you retrofitted. The change is amazing! The old German with its small and narrow and extremely boring sound has been transformed completely. Now it has power, brilliancy and deepness. You have made a jewel from it! And the Bulgarian finally sounds even in all the registers. To say Thank you is not enough! Many thanks and regards from Madrid!

Vera Paskaleva, 1st violinist in Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid-Spain

No doubt, you must be tired of people praising your bass bars, but nevertheless I felt that I should express both my admiration and my gratitude. When I wrote to you initially I said that I was amazed at the recordings you had made on violins for students and serious players, but now that have retrofitted my violin, I realize what your bass bar actually does for a violin: The dynamic range from pianissimo to the most robust fortissimo is incredibly easy to manipulate … If this is your idea of a student violin, I am at a loss to imagine what a more professional violin would be capable of if enhanced by one of your bass bars. For the first time in my life I own a violin that does everything I ask of and more, without any fuss or fighting. I am deeply indebted to your genius, patience and generosity.

Kevin Cerezo, Australia

Dr. Zaret,

Enclosed is a check for another one of your lovely cellos with your bass bar. Thank you for sharing your time and giving me advice on performance careers…We so appreciate your instrument genius. Art can never go forward unless rules are broken & our fears are faced, would you agree?

Ann Hymel

I’m just writing to tell you I received the bow yesterday. It looks great, sounds great and I love it! I will probably be ordering hair hanks when I start making bows in a few months (I’m finishing my first violin now and it’s my next step). I’ll be contacting you then. Thanks!

Joaquin Jares, Argentina

The Zarelon is really fantastic! Congratulations on this great invention. It has a big sound, great articulation, and a very smooth feel.

Garrett Fischbach

Dr. Zaret has created a concept with his newly developed Zarelon bow hair. Unlike traditional horsehair, this synthetic type hair will not break, stretch or be adversely affected by weather conditions. The need for periodic bow rehairs is virtually nonexistent. Its gripping qualities on the bass is incredible even using violin rosin. Peter Zaret has once again devised another concept in enhancing the sound and ease of playing on the four members of the string family.

Marty Flowerman, bass player in the Cleveland Orchestra

Very good, I like the clarity of the sound, evenness of sound from one end to the other, articulates well in the spiccatto, and quite expressive. Mind you I am playing on a totally new bow, I like the feel in the hand, good feel and give in the expressive passages, although it is 60gr. it fulfills well in the ff passages.

Comparing with my Persois and Maire bows so far, I hear the difference in the overall warmth character of the sound, but value the clarity of the sound that is probably combined from the stick and the hair, I will have to rehair some of my bows soon to know better the quality of the hair.

I am very impressed of qualities that are coming out of the hair, CONGRATULATIONS, I think you have come out of something that is very impressive.

Thank you very much for sending it to me, I will also experiment with different rosins. and also different tension, I am little concerned to tighten the hair too much for not breaking the tip!!!! So far it is holding well, and as you told me loosen it completely before packing it at the end of the day.

Next weekend I am playing Concertmaster to the Nutcracker. I will show it to my colleagues.

Miran Kojian, Former concertmaster of the National Symphony of Washington D.C. and is credited on hundreds of recordings for major movies and musicians

Hi Peter,

Yes, I like the new sound! It’s really terrific. I can really push it louder & louder without the tone “cracking” on me. The sound is now very even and clear in places I hadn’t even realized were fuzzy before. A huge improvement. I have the tone, now, that I’ve always wanted from this violin. Also, the responsiveness is much faster and more precise; I can do a smaller/faster vibrato now.  If I want to…It speaks immediately and I feel like I have even more precision with pitch (loud or soft). As if I could do 1/4 tones with a clean sound. Or, I could do a wide gypsy-like vibrato and slides. It’s hard to put into words, but it’s like I now have a greater range of styles available to me in one instrument. Thank You! I’m very happy to have my violin back, with it’s modifications. Thanks again!

Alanna Schugg, assistant to Jack Frye commenting on a German violin with the Zaret Tonal System