The NS Designs Violin is practically a work of art by itself. Unfortunately, the case it comes with is not so practical. As with any violin, the shoulder rest must be removed when the violin is stored in the case. Installation/removal of the custom shoulder rest requires tightening/loosening two thumbscrews, sliding the shoulder rest post out of the violin’s body, and folding the post flat with the shoulder rest. That’s not difficult in itself, the problem is that every time the shoulder rest is reinstalled, it has to be repositioned the same way, which is not easy with 3 degrees of freedom. Etching some markings would make it a little easier.
The violin is used at home the large majority of the time, so the solution was to make a storage case which did not require me to remove or reposition the shoulder rest.Due to their solid wood body design, electrical violins like this one are less susceptible to changes in humidity and temperature. Thus storing it outside the case is not a problem. Still have to be cautious, especially if the bow is stored outside the case.
I had an old violin case that was in terrible condition. I think it’s the case from my first violin. The interior fabric was pealing off, as was the vinyl on the exterior. I was afraid to see what kind or crappy wood the case was made off. Surprisingly it was reasonably good looking plywood. But the adhesive used to attach the fabric took a lot of sanding to remove. Using a small random orbit sander and lots of hand sanding, I managed to remove most of the glue residue.
In order to accomodate the shoulder rest, a cutout in the back of the violin case had to be made. I also built a box which is glued to the back, and lifts the bottom of the case away from the wall.
