Liebenzeller Rosin Is Back!!

July 30, 2009 at 12:05 PM ·

OK gang.  Those of you who remember the old formula have to tell us just how the re-release compares! ;)

January 13, 2011 at 11:18 PM ·

I just got an email from Shar about this. I would like to hear feedback!

January 14, 2011 at 02:19 PM ·

 At $25 introductory price (shar email) I think I'll wait a long while.  ; )

January 14, 2011 at 02:41 PM ·

I'm a card-carrying old cynic when it comes to rosin and some other peripherals (shoulder-rests in particular).  The products are often over-hyped (snake-oil ofttimes being used as a lubricant), and in the case of rosin are there any scientifically designed blind test results available? We know that blind tests have been done on violins (tell the difference between a 1713 Strad and a modern replica), usually with inconclusive results.  I have no reason to believe that blind rosin tests will be any different.

I don't use much rosin, anyway. I have just two cakes of the stuff that I've had for 10 years or more. Both Pirastro; one is dark cello rosin (I use it on the violin as well), and the other is light, and I tend to use that in the warm weather. The only reason I can think of for getting a specialist rosin is if you're allergic to the standard material and need a rosin to which you are not allergic.

January 14, 2011 at 07:34 PM ·

In the case of Liebenzeller Kolophonium snake oil is granted. See http://www.violinist.com/discussion/response.cfm?ID=15640

June 10, 2012 at 05:38 AM · Hi.Last year i spoke to Renate Schmidt (the inverter and producer of the Liebenzeller Rosin ) several times on the phone .She is 88 years young now and still fit.

I obtaint some of the last pieces she still had for Bass, Viola , cello and Violin. I was absolutely thrilled with the talks we had on the phone. She also told me that the original Recipe was never handed on to LARICA. And she gave me the letter where she stated that, which is signed by her. If you are interested in reading this letter , you can find it on trademe under Liebenzeller Rosin , because i am selling a few pieces of.

I must say that i also do believe in science, when it is proper done , and i am sure that there are some other Rosins of equal quality.

My son and me play the Violin and we use the Liebenzeller Rosin Gold 1 now for 4 1/2 years.Its absolutely brilliant .And i estimate that one piece would last about 10 years if you play 2 hours a day.It is amazing how little is used up from it.

Anyway if anyone is interested i more info about it ,i am happy to help. I would love to put that letter from Renate on this side but dont know how that would work .Any tips ?

Next year i will be able to visit Renate in Germany .I do look forward to that.

June 10, 2012 at 03:07 PM · Shar Music has been handling Liebenzeller for close to two years. My orchestra director told me that his wife (a violin teacher and symphony violinist) uses it, and suggested that it might help bring out a better tone quality and more volume from my violin. I bought some last year (the Gold II formula). The tone of my somewhat-"mousy" violin took off, and hasn't looked back! :) It really has made a wonderful difference -- worth every penny of the $30 price!! And it DOES appear to be VERY long-lasting!

June 10, 2012 at 05:03 PM · If you believe rosin can give you a huge inprovement in tone you must also believe in fairies. Rosin is rosin. If you want to improve your tone then work on your bowing technique. Rosin won't do it.

June 10, 2012 at 06:17 PM · Even if it's imaginary, placebo effect works.

June 10, 2012 at 06:23 PM · Only if you believe in miracles, and I'm afraid I don't. I've now got this new set of strings, and they make me play all the right notes!! And I've got this bow which does spicatto on its own. Even when it's still in the case. This rosin is the answer to all my lousy tone problems ... etc., etc.

June 10, 2012 at 06:45 PM · If a small investment can make playing more pleasurable, there is nothing wrong with that.

Peter, don't knock it until you have tried it.

June 10, 2012 at 08:16 PM · Peter, usually your unqualified comments are at least funny, but I'm afraid if they are not funny, they are only unqualified.

(Of course things like non-shoulderrests and magical rosing with non-gold/silver content are way overrated. But a rather new and decent rosin is really better than an 50ys old el cheapo from granpa's attic)

June 11, 2012 at 02:48 AM · It'll be especially good rosin if there is a waiting list to get it.

June 12, 2012 at 05:15 AM · "If you believe rosin can give you a huge inprovement in tone you must also believe in fairies. Rosin is rosin."

As far as the subjective matter of "tone" (whatever that is) goes, I suppose any kind of statement like this is irrefutable. If you want to talk about something more concrete, like ease of playing or articulation or bow conservation, then rosin is not rosin.

I hope that those fairies don't put some kind of curse on you for making this ridiculous and factually incorrect statement.

Thankfully the Liebenzeller rosin Gold 1 that I have will probably last a lifetime, but just in case it doesn't I am glad to not have to compete with you for another can.

June 12, 2012 at 03:38 PM · Peter - can you give us a list of the magic stuff you have. To paraphrase the film, "I want what your having."

June 12, 2012 at 04:24 PM · There is an obvious difference between some rosins at least.

I have a Liebenzeller III (purchased in 2005 if I recall correctly) that I mostly use (it too, will last forever at the rate I'm using it). There was an obvious difference in 'grip' when I switched over from what I think was Hidersine.

I also had to get rid of an older 'dusty' rosin that aggrevated my allergies and replaced it with Kaplan (very little dust).

I don't know that I could tell the difference in grip between those two though...and I don't know if the $40 or so I paid for the Liebenzeller is worth that much more than the $10 I paid for the Kaplan.

But, I would avoid the $2 rosins...

p.s. I use Bernardel for my viola bow...no complaints.

June 12, 2012 at 05:15 PM · 'Peter - can you give us a list of the magic stuff you have. To paraphrase the film, "I want what your having." '

-------------------------------------------------

It is very orgasmic ... Kaplan Art Craft rosin, dark No 7

I've had it between 15 and 20 years I think.

Sound comes from the player, not from the rosin.

June 12, 2012 at 05:34 PM · "Sound comes from the player, not from the rosin."

Sniff...

...shouldn't sound better come only from the instrument?

June 12, 2012 at 06:34 PM · You are just a hair splitter.

June 22, 2012 at 09:10 AM · If anyone is keen to have an original piece of Liebenzeller Rosin,i am happy to sale a few .I have them for Violin ,Viola,Cello and double Bass.Each piece includes the letter from Renate Schmidt ,where she states that the original recipe was never handed over to any one.Just contact me for more details.

June 23, 2012 at 03:20 PM · I've been using rosin, bows, and violins since my first lesson in 1939. Until the mid 1990s I too was a definite believer that "rosin is rosin!"

Then I discovered the Liebenzeller line of rosins. I used them all the way from grade I to grade IV. with at least 4 of the different metal fillers. I used them on my violin, viola, and cello bows. There was no question that they were more utile than any previous rosins I had tried. Whether or not they made my "tone"" better is not for me to say, but they made it easier to achieve the tone I sought in my playing, and they made it easier to continue that tone through hours of playing (no more need for a rosin cake in the tux pocket).

I still have enough cakes of various original Liebenzeller rosins to last another few lifetimes.

However, when I tried "orginal" Tartini rosin, at the time it was first marketed in the USA, I found that it was even better for my purposes in every way that I had preferred Liebenzeller. And the "Andrea" brand that has replaced Tartini seems the same to me in every way.

I am familiar with many rosin brands, I probably have 5 dozen cakes of rosin in my used rosin drawer. I think I know what I'm talking about.

An easy way to lose my respect is to claim there is no difference between rosins. It just means to me that you haven't experienced the full range of them and don't intend to. My condolences!

Andy

January 23, 2013 at 12:11 PM · sorry to get this post out of the grave.

What is the difference between Larica Liebenzeller and Liebenzeller Metal Cholophonium?

I want to buy some, but i don't know which one is the right one. There is a Liebenzeller variant produced by Larica and then there is a Liebenzeller variant produced by Liebenzeller Metal Cholophonium.

January 29, 2013 at 05:53 PM · Liebenzeller metal cholophonium is the original one from Renate Schmidt. She never handed the original recipe over.

I use the original rosin from her. Great if you can still get it some where. She is not producing it anymore.

I can not comment on the Larica one because i have never tryed it.

norb

January 29, 2013 at 09:50 PM · i ordered some from liebenzeller and i got it yesterday. got gold II hoping to make that Dominant D&G more responsive. I used Dominant rosin before and the first thing observed is that Gold II leaves 10 times less dust. the rosin bites into the strings better and I find the D&G more responsive. can't judge the tone pulled though as my ear is not developed enough.

March 11, 2014 at 07:31 PM · Anyone tried the liebenzeller rosin against the Bake'r original?

That would be an interesting comparison.

March 15, 2014 at 07:02 AM · Peter -

I don't understand how you can say there are no differences between rosins. Beside the clear difference and feel that should be obvious from your sensory input, logically, the fact that they aRe physically different makes it actually impossible for there to be no difference.

January 1, 2016 at 02:05 AM · So why isn't Renate Schmidt producing any more of the original recipe rosin, or passing it to others if it's such an amazing rosin? She wants to forever hide the art of her rosin, like so many fiddle makers in history? Unfortunately, instruments hang around for centuries but Rosina don't. This whole scene doesn't make sense!