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Petz No. 3 Rosin - Click on the
image for a larger view.
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In 1912 after many years of experimentation - Ernst
Petzka - a musician who lived in Vienna - established Petz Kolophonium.
It was received by musicians all over the world to great acclaim.
Today production is still made by hand - piece by
piece - using raw materials of the highest quality.
The bass rosin is cast in an aluminium container and packaged
in a distinctive green tub with the logo of a bear playing a double
bass in front of a pine forest. If the name Petz doesn't stick
in the memory too well - the green tub and logo certainly does.
This cleaver piece of marketing - whether by accident or design
- has helped establish the brand as a firm favourite amongst bass
players all over the world.
We would describe Petz as a "soft-rosin" or for want
of a better word - the more "sticky" type of formulation.
There are three grades available. No 2 is soft, No 3 is Medium
and No 4 is hard. Here at The Contrabass Shoppe we find No3 - Medium
is absolutely perfect for most users - however should you live
in a region with a generally colder climate then the No 2 - the
softest in the range can be easily applied to the surface of the
bow hair in just the right amounts. For those of you in a hotter
than average climate - the No 4 - the hardest in the range will
produce a good, consistent performance with just the right amounts
of grip.
Yes indeed. Many pro-players will carry a tub
of each grade around in their bass cover so as to be prepared
for every eventuality or for that extra "special" performance.
Many musicians do touring work and can find
themselves performing in a cold country one week and in a hot
country the following week. In really cold, dry countries such
as Norway or Finland a Hard or Medium rosin will perform almost
like a powder rosin. For those of you who demand the more instant,
grippy response from your bow - the lack of attack or bite from
a powder-like rosin will completely frustrate your playing. Should
you only have your soft No 2 rosin when on stage in a hot, humid
country such as Greece, Spain or Italy in August- well you'll
be even more frustrated. The rosin will start to clog up the
entire length of your bow in such a way that it will almost cease
to produce any sound at all. During your rehearsal - you'll find
that you start to "pick-and-flick" at
the "slicks" of rosin on the hair - especially at the
frog end - which of course is the end you use the most - and in
the performance you start to loose your concentration. Things get
even worse when you loose your place and the conductor starts to
glare at you. Oh hell - you curse at your bow - but its not the
bow and in the back of your mind you know full well that it's the
wrong grade of rosin. Unfortunately its all far too late now -
for the hair is completely messed up. It will certainly need a
good rehair when you get home. And how much will that be? Much
more than a couple of blocks of rosin - and that's for sure.
Yes certainly. Sometimes a musician can find
himself doing some recording work in a freezing cold church in
the morning and afternoon followed by an evening show in a hot
stick theatre pit. Don't tell me - I know what you're thinking.
Why is this lucky person doing a three session day when I'm only
doing the one? Well - its only a possible scenario to demonstrate
that in having a selection of rosin grades at your disposal -
it may just get you out of - err... shall we say a "sticky" or "not-so-sticky" situation?
Oh yes - I nearly forgot that one. Just imagine the scenario.
The Royal Albert Hall - doing Bruckner 7 at the Proms and you're
on trial for the principal position. You need to make a huge impression
and a huge sound - so you simply open up a new block of the No2
- soft - and use sparingly. Brilliant - it could have just got
you the job.
Yes plenty. Imagine this one. You're doing your first recital
at college and you need to be absolutely sure that the fast passages
in the first movement of the Bottesini No2 Concerto will be controlled,
precise and fluid. You use Petz No 4. Brilliant move - the recital
goes absolutely fantastic. What a relief. Celebrating at the student-union
bar in the evening - you even get chatted up by the leggy blond
harpist who came especially to hear you. What a result!
In terms of longevity - a tub of Petz rosin
just seems to last and last and last. This coupled with the fact
that the quality of the rosin doesn’t seem to deteriorate
as you get further down to the bottom of the block make Petz
rosin a particularly good investment.
Yes - the rosin doesn’t produce that
much dust. Even with a larger than average application - this
means that there shouldn't be too much string and table dusting
and cleaning to do after the gig.
No - In comparison to other soft-formulations rosins
- bow hair noise - often referred to as "secondary or "surface" noise
is quite minimal.
You first need to remove a narrow ribbon of
the aluminium foil from the top of the cup. We would describe
a narrow ribbon as being between 5 - 8mm. Use a knife or something
similar to carefully cut into it. You'll find that the foil is
quite soft and the "operation" is
quick and easy to do. Try not to cut into the rosin block itself
or otherwise a flake or chunk may split off. Once you have removed
the ribbon - you may find that the new top edge of the aluminium
cup is sharp or protruding from having pulled the foil away - so
smooth it down with the handle of the knife. Job done.
Applying the rosin is simply a matter of stroking the bow hair
over the rosin until the hair has absorbed the required amount.
It's the amount that you need to get the grip that you need. You'll
soon find out.
Petz is a well recognised and popular rosin. It is available in
three different grades. The green tub with a bear on the top.
Type: Soft
Grades: No2 - soft, No3 - medium, No4
- hard
Colour: Amber
Block Type: Round in aluminium foil cup
Weight of Block: 44.0gm (average)
Diameter of Block: 45.0mm (average)
Depth of Block: 28.5mm (average)
Container: Green plastic tub
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