Materials used by Alexander Accessories
Woods
BOXWOOD
All the box we use is from the French Pyrenees (Buxus Sempervirens). It is fine grained, exceedingly strong and durable. Box is an evergreen shrub and is best felled when the sap is at its lowest, usually just before Christmas. Each year, the logs are purchased soon after felling and transported to Leicestershire. During this period they usually start to split, straight to the heart. If the supplier hasn't sawn them, we cut them straight along the crack. These half logs are stored for at least 3 years to season. The resulting wood, when stained in the traditional way, is used to make chinrests and tailpieces.
EBONY
There is a shortage of black, fine grained ebony. Wherever possible, well seasoned Sri Lankan, Madagascan or Indian ebony is used to make our accessories.
ROSEWOOD
We have good stocks of Rio rosewood. It is not as strong as boxwood or ebony, but can be very beautiful. The density is lower, so it is lighter in weight.
AFRICAN BLACKWOOD
This is the densest of the woods used for accessories. It is very strong, very beautiful and very heavy.
Fittings
Like everything else, the material specification has developed over the years, dictated by experience. The alloy that the barrels are made of has been upgraded to increase its strength and hardness and avoid distortion of the adjusting holes. The stud alloy has been upgraded to provide greater ductility. The fittings are polished, stamped with our AA logo, assembled and then plated.
Fittings Materials
STANDARD FITTINGS
The standard plating is nickel, covered by a thin coat of silver.
DIRECT DEPOSIT SILVER AND GOLD
We can also offer direct deposit silver or gold plated fittings. The silver or gold deposited in this way is more than 99.98% pure. Although these fittings look beautiful, the plating is not as durable as the standard cheaper "nickel silver" because pure gold and silver are very soft.
TITANIUM
Titanium fittings are strong and lighter in weight. Titanium has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant metal. Fittings produced in titanium are non-allergenic which can be a huge bonus to players who have certain skin allergies. An additional benefit is that the overall chinrest weight is reduced by 12 grams.
+44 (0)1509 621611 | enquiries@alexanderaccessories.com