This poor old violin had seen better days. A past repairman caused many micro cracks when the top was forcefully removed. The repair that had been done, a center seam crack that was shimmed, has now failed...as well as most of the micro cracks have now become full blown cracks.
We began by just taking things a part to see how much damage was really there. The more we dug...the more we found. 14 cracks with a total distance of 39.5 inches!!! Roughly 30 cleats, an eyebrow patch and a sound post plate were needed to get the top back together. Also, the end block was split in two. The break was clean, so we decided to re-glue it rather than to replace it to help keep costs down.
In the end this is a great little violin that will make the owners happy for years to come.
Bass Bar
Bass bar placement is not easy. Careful study of the instrument is needed. We actually start outside the instrument by carefully deciding what size bridge is best suited for the model. Once the bridge width is decided on, we carefully begin the layout process, often times trying to find a compromise between mathematical placement and model nuances.
Chalk fitting ensures a perfect fit with no buzzes and maximum tone. Once fit, it is glued and clamped in place. Finally we are able to profile the bar and carve it's proper shape, a nice gothic arch at the highest point that gracefully blends to a half round. A new bar can breath fresh air into an older instrument and correct problems from ill conceived ones.