No 6 -- the "Spring"

Introduction:  The "Spring" wolf eliminator is the latest model to arrive on the scene, and will thus conclude my series on wolf eliminators.  If any new inventions hit the marketplace, I will be sure to let you know.

About the "Spring":  This is another offering from Dictum, and came out around the same time they were issuing the "Button".  The "Spring" consists of a small weight, suspended between two rather powerful springs, which are affixed to the A and C strings of the cello.

Fit & Finish:  This one is definitely conceived for functional purposes rather than aesthetics.  It is fiddly to attach -- first, one spring is suspended from the A string (attention must be paid to getting the wolf eliminator right-side up, which is why it is marked with the blue tag); then you have to stretch the springs by means of a piece of twine, in order to be able to extend the little apparatus far enough so it reaches all the way across to the C string.  Once successfully installed, it pulls the strings into a rather severe, uncomfortable-looking angle.

Price:  The $48.00 retail price reflects the complexity of the construction of this wolf eliminator -- however, given the equal complexity of the installation, and the variety of other choices available, I am not sure it is money well spent.

Conclusion:  I tried this model as a last resort  on a cello that had not one, but two wolf tones.  It worked -- the wolf notes were gone, but so was most of the resonance of the instrument.  The tone was deadened considerably.  As a disclaimer, I have to add that I have tried this wolf eliminator only once; I am personally disinclined to put a two- or three-hundred-dollar set of string through the extreme bending necessary to sustain the "Spring", if I have other alternatives.  However, sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures!   For a cello with a particularly challenging set of wolves, this could be a good tool to have up your sleeve.