The fact that the Bridge is Sometimes called the 'Heart of the Violin' and the Sound Post 'The Soul', should be indicative of their fundamental properties and relationship to one and another, yet both parts, as are many parts of the whole, can be overlooked resulting in poor quality of sound.

 

A decent set-up can supercharge a dull and lifeless sounding instrument, and to a great degree be skilfully adjusted to suit the players taste and needs. This is particularly evident when a freshly cut bridge releases it's first sonorous forays into tone, enhanced with a correctly placed and perfectly fitted sound post can be a stark revelation. 

 

Sound isn't always the issue, sometimes an instruments lack of playability will stifle creativity, perhaps quite simply remedied by lowering the bridge height and nut channels or selecting more suitable strings.

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A buzz coming from the fingerboard can be very distracting and may be caused by hills and valleys gradually etched out by the strings over the years or a previously badly finished board. A properly executed fingerboard dressing will prove rewarding and can have other beneficial consequences to tone and playability. 

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Perhaps your violin looks fatigued and battle weary and could do with a clean and a little TLC, no job is too big or small, bring it inn for a check up!

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Whatever the issue Ben takes great pleasure in assisting and solving the above and many other problems, offering a friendly, personal and informative service. With Ben being a proficient and experienced musician himself, this can only serve to objectively enhance any results and gives him an often deeper and sympathetic understanding of what's needed.

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Below is a short list of common checks to be considered in the search for a more harmonious and well adjusted musical Instrument.

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• Tonal adjustments:   Bridge and Sound post position/fit and correct sizing

• Playability:                String height/spacing, saddle and nut adjustments

• Neck:                         Correct overstand/elevation, ratios and string length

• Tailpiece:                   Material/weight, tailcord, after-length, harmonics

• Pegs:                          Fit and ease of use, quality of wood, placement in pegbox

• Fingerboard:             Correct curvature/relief, wood quality and thickness of board

• Endpin:                     Fit, construction and material of spike (Cello and Bass)

• Pickups:                    Suitability and fit/correct installation 

                                         

                                                          Double Bass

 

In some cases there may be a desire to fit Bridge height adjusters to a Double Bass to allow for seasonal changes or to facilitate different styles of playing. These can sometimes be fitted to an old bridge if there is sufficient wood above the Heart or fitted in the process of cutting a new Bridge.

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Jazz players may want a little more growl in their sound which sometimes requires an adjustment to the relief in the fingerboard, and vice versa for Classical players wanting a rounder darker sound.

 

Please turn to Repair and restoration page for solutions to more serious problems.