Cello repairs on the numbers outweigh violin repairs, proportionally speaking. This is especially for student instruments. They are small enough they can be carried about by students, but large enough that it’s a bit clumsy to handle. One of the most common causes of injuries is the humble chair, against which a cello leans and inevitably topples when left unattended.
The most common injury from the toppling is the neck break (which I discuss on my Cello repairs page ). The challenge for student cellos is the fingerboard, which is often attached with “white glue” and thus more time consuming to remove and more likely to leave some scaring.
Cello fingerboard removal
Its desirable to remove the fingerboard to pin the neck across the break to give it further strength. However it is often necessary to undertake if there is a screw placed there at the time of manufacture (common among some student brands).
Cello neck break showing recessed hole where a screw was placed when it was made
Where this screw doesn’t exist, pinning through the fingerboard helps substantially reduce the time to repair…and thus the cost. While a ‘no-no’ for traditional instruments, its widely considered acceptable for student grade instruments though.
Whats best for the cello repair is highly variable dependance on factor like
The violin tailpiece in an integral part of the mechanical structure of a violin, a convenient place to tune your string or strings but also plays a big role in the sound production of a violin.
While you bow your violin on the other side of the bridge there are also vibrations happening on the strings and tailpiece on the lower half of your violin, in a sympathetic way.
Understanding this is a key to getting a little extra sparkle out of your instrument. I have seen many a fine instrument miss out on a little extra boost to its sound through poor tail piece setup, choice or a sole focus on aesthetic. All of these are easily rectified and can improve the sound and convenience of your instrument.
Choices in timber or modern materials, sound adjusters and the geometry of setup can all make a difference. So here is 10mins of your life you won’t get back to find out more
Almost gone are the days of using a tuning fork to tune your instrument. Actually I still have one in my case but usually I’m tuning to a piano. Enter the rise of violin tuners….
For the beginner a tuning fork takes some getting used to , its only one note (and its 440Hz but thats another story). There is an abundance of tuners out there today and they are great for young players to tune the violin too. These clip on tuners tune by vibration so you clip them to your violin peg and adjust the screen so you can see them. The violin tuners are more of a general instrument tuner, so if you see it advertised as a guitar tuner …relax it still works on a violin…and pretty cheap on ebay too!.
My favourite of these clip on style is the D’Addario one, its harder to find an a bit more pricey, but worth it because you can leave it on your instrument so really convenient. Clip on violin tuners are also great for a noisey environment, because as it tunes by vibration it doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing, thus especially useful in a contemporary band situation.
Violin tuners, as apps from your favourite smart phone store
At my workshop people ask if I sell tuners, I tell them they have one already in their pocket, which is good for a laugh. Yes take out your favourite smart phone, go to the App/ play store and search for instrument tuner and your goog to go… Your welcome, no need to buy one……unless the convenience of a clip on is desired.
It’s common to have people contact me with a broken violin neck, on closer inspection its not always broken though. The neck joint with the violin body is probably the weakest link in the violin in terms of stress and strain. In essence its a combination of woodworking joints including a thin dovetail joint, butt joint and rabbet joint all in one held together with hide glue. If the joints weren’t well made to start with its a bit weaker again. When an instrument experiences shock, through misadventure or where the violin is in a humid climate like here in Australia the joint is prone to come apart.
The first sign of a slipped violin neck (not a broken violin neck though)
A neck break is where the timber itself breaks along the grain line (see Cello Repairs Brisbane for how a broken neck is repaired) for some detail on that as its very common on cellos and the same technique aplies to violins. Also at the peg box cracks can appear as this is a source of preasure from the pegs (and perhaps poorly fitted pegs that are pushed in to hard ) , I’ll write about this in due course.
So regluing the neck joint is called a neck reset rather than a broken neck repair. In the best of worlds the surfaces are cleaned and reglued. Often however additional repair might need to be made to the neck block and some times the top plate of the violin if there has been tear out/ splitting of the timbers. Oft times a timber wedge needs to be carved and inserted into the neck block.
So a neck reset and glue up in theory is quick and simple, however care must be taken that the angle of the fingerboard is going to be striaght down the instrument and the neck projection (height above the body is correct) . Sometimes the bridge must also be adjusted afterwards to get everything perfect.
In many cases the fingerboard also needs to be removed and reattached, reasonably straightforward…its just time.
You might think student instruments this is easier…however sometimes its not so, student instruments are often not put together with hide glue (or worse someone has attempted repair with hardware store glue) and so dissembly can be a bit tricky leading to some visible evidence of a repair.
Above is an example of a poorly fitted student violin neck, where glue has been used as a filler, resulting in a neck slip over time (this must be cleaned out and a wedge inserted)
Most parts of a violin bow are replaceable and repairable including the bow hair of course, the thumb leather, wire windings, bow frog ( repair or replacement) and the tension adjuster thread and nut. The bow stick itself is probably the most valuable part of a good bow and should it suffer the tragedy of breaking…fear not all is not lost there either.
Bow rehairing
Violin bow rehairing is a complex task and something undertaking for several years. I would call myself a “journey man” bow rehairer and happy to rehair and repair bows for you, though if its a professional bow you may like to take it to a specialist. FWIW in many cases a professional clean can significantly extend the life of a bow hair, and for student bows it more economical to replace them – and probably time to get a better bow as you level of skill improves.
Violin bow construction
Violin and other string instrument bow sticks are made from extremely hard and dense hardwoods like brazil-wood and pernambuco. To withstand the stress of holding horse hair at tension they are designed with the grain running longitudinally along the length of the bow to give them strength in this direction, however in other directions they are less strong, one particular area of weakness is at the tip. Here the grains run horizontally and are subject to shear stress and being a somewhat brittle hardwood, this is their weakest point if dropped, even on their side. Of particular note here, is that although a bow maker might chose to have the grain lines run vertically through the wood, they run horizontally. The decision not to is due to systematic weaknesses in the wood from tree shake in the felling process I am told.
With care it is possible to repair breaks at this point (and sometimes along the stick) by inserting a spline of hardwood vertically into the bow tip to strengthen gluing the 2 pieces back together, done well it is almost invisible to casual inspection. So if you have a nice bow that has suffered a break here is almost certainly well worth rescuing it.
A finished bow tip repair
One caveat: Purists may tell you it can change the feel of a bow as this will affect the dynamic of it (and perhaps even subtly the weight distribution)
The decision whether a violin should be repaired depends on your bow and budget. Student bows are quite inexpensive to replace, and cheaper than most repairs, but for a better bow (see Violin bows and cost ) they are almost certainly worth considering repairing.
Violin Bow repairs in Brisbane
To have a bow repaired it almost certainly won’t be available at a general music store (though they might engage the services of a repairer) and even for some specialty string stores they might do likewise. The skills of a bow maker are a related but seperate discipline to that of the violin maker. Probably Brisbanes most famous bow maker is Trevor Liversidge a well known violin maker in his own right too. Regarding repairs a good store will let you know what they can undertake or refer you on.
Violins intrinsically hold their value, however to do so they must be kept in good condition through regular servicing and replacement of some components. As a repair and often refurbish old instruments for new families I often have to manage the expectations of people looking to sell or trade in an instrument and wondering how much their violin is worth
Student violins
If you are wondering how much you student violin is worth, you can look for how much it costs to buy currently, and then look at around 50% of that if its in good condition. This is what you might be able to sell it on facebook for. While you may think it’s worth more keep in mind the buyer is buying something without warranty and facebook marketplace shoppers are generally looking for a bargain. depending on the time of year (start of the school year) it might sell quickly or take quite a while to sell at other times
If you hope to sell it to a music store (I’m always looking) keep in mind most stores buy wholesale and so what you are hoping to sell-it on facebook is likely close to their buy price for something that is brand new, albeit this doesn’t include setup costs.
Things that devalue a violins sale price include the condition of the case, the bow (how much hair is on it), how long have the strings been on the instrument (quality strings lose their timbre after about a year). Are the pegs sticking (they need to be serviced) and what is the condition of the bridge – many student violins have bent or warped bridges. When I take a trade in instrument or a secondhand instrument I find these things when replaced are close to the value of the instrument.
Grandmas violin (old violins)
A lot of people have a family violin that has been handed down and sat in a cupboard for many years. There is a notion that because it’s old it must be valuable, esp. if it bears the label Stradavarius (or other spelling variant ) and a date from the 1700, 1800’s. Many of these violins were made in factories in the date, the label often being a way to inflate its value or at best is telling the customer that this is the style of instrument it was made in.
Older instruments generally need quite a bit of restoration work to get them playable usually include peg replacement , nut replacement, new bridge, new sound post, new tail piece and of course strings. A bow is a certainty and usually a case replacement (despite the fact the old case could be beautiful it usually requires los of work…and isn’t very protective). Then there is attention to any open seams, cracks and often a neck reset is needed. oft time the cost of repair approaches the value of a new good quality student instrument.
There are telltale signs of quality instruments , but often it’s only after it’s strung up and played that you can really know. Labels by makers can give a good indication (thought there are plenty of fake labels available for the unscrupulous). The carving of the scroll gives a clue to the attention to detail by the make, the grade of the timbers used and the methods of construction are another clue as well as the condition it presents in.
It is not uncommon of the life of a violin for a chip to occur, often mild it might only need sealing up , or some light dressing (scrapping or sanding) to remove splinters than might catch and then seal. Sometimes its large enough that a piece of replacement timber needs to be provided , ranging from a small sliver through to a largish piece. If the original piece is available and in good condition it can often be refitted. Many times though, more timber may need to be removed first to ensure there is a clean surface to attach to, and then a new piece inserted attached. The challenges here are numerous,
– Good attachment is need for structural integrity in relation to the stress this part of the instrument is under.
– Matching of the timber type and grain (this is often particularly challenging with very fine grain lines on the top plate lining up for example) and ensuring strength around critical regions like the neck root
– Finishing to match the existing surface finish, colour matching and depth in particular are challenging on fine instruments; where pigmentation and dyes are as individual as the instruments.
– Budget. The time required even on a small chip can be significant and as a result these repairs can be expensive.
Approaching each repair with an understanding of the value of the instrument, its future needs, importance of preservation and budget available normally present with a range of options. For school instruments and approach of functionality over appearance, but on a budget is acceptable. For fine instruments though, taking into account its value, and doing nothing that can’t be reversed are an important aspect of a repairers obligation to not only the owner but also instrument.
This is a violin that came my way relatively recently, it had been revarnished so heavily with hardware store varnish that the grains of the timbers were no longer visible. However on inspection of the inside of the instrument, it looked to both be a well made violin as well as with a tightly grained spruce top and lightly flamed sides and back, thus a good candidate for restoration and investment of time.
Some test removal using various solvents and finally sandpaper (under the chin rest where it would not be visible) I discovered that the varnish was all but impervious to the human touch and that sanding would need to be on an industrial scale to remove the varnish. However sanding would likely be tricky because of the hardness of the varnish compared to the softness of the spruce on the top.
It was at this stage I decided to look at using a chemical process (paint stripper – opting for the most gentle of them).
The stripping involved some testing (under the fingerboard) before the removal from the top bottom and sides. This was both a chemical and physical process, using a plastic scrappers or various shapes through several coats of stripper. unfortunately the stripper removes both the hardware varnish as well as the traditional varnish.
So once it was back to bare wood, on went the ground coat and then the layers of varnish (I used shellac with some traditional pigments for light colouring) and some french polishing and cutting back as I went. The results visually were lovely, but the most outstanding of all was the change in the sound. It was literally like a heavy blanket was removed and the violin could speak again, and speak she does. The sound is comparable to an advanced student instrument (in the $>2k range ) it both projects wonderfully as well as having that rich tone you get from older instruments. Heres a couple of notes from it , strung up with Violino strings from Pirastro, to take take the edge off its brightness and show off its meaty character
Cellos, are just like big violins and just the same to repair right? …well almost …for a good cello repair. I see a lot of cello repairs come through my workshop in Brisbane There is a lot more wood in cellos and a lot more tension from the strings. Generally speaking cellos need much the same sort of repairs as violins with cracks and chips (just on a bigger scale).
Cello repairs in the workshop
Cello button repairCello body crack repairCellos hanging out together
Cellos, are just like big violins and just the same to repair right? …well almost for a good cello repair. There is a lot more wood in cellos and a lot more tension from the strings. Generally speaking cellos need much the same sort of repairs as violins with cracks and chips (just on a bigger scale). One big exception however are the cello necks, which have more of a tendency to break, particularly in student cellos. Why is that? well they are bigger and so more likely to fall (and have further to fall) and because of their size seem more susceptible to misadventure.
Cello broken neck
Another big factor is the construction of the neck joint itself. The grain goes lengthwise for strength in the direction of the fingerboard, this means though, that the neck root is cross grain and comparatively thin. In particularly for student cellos , where the timbers are less likely to be a higher grade, sometimes the fitting of the neck into the top block isn’t quite tight and there is more chance of misadventure these quite often come to my shop for repair.
cello organ donor
There are many ways to repair a neck depending on the value of the instrument.
For student cello neck repairs (ie that are parent wallet friendly ) and consulate with the value of the cello. I tend to reseat and glue the neck and then go straight through the fingerboard and into the neck with some reenforcing such as hardwood dowel, optionally an almost invisible ebony plug can be put on the top (though this adds to the cost ). This avoids having to remove and refit the fingerboard (which takes time and ads to cost). Another option is to replace the neck or regrafting a neck, but this is quite cost prohibitive for a student instrument. Depending on the cello model sometimes a lamination, screw or dowel was placed into the neck when it was made to help strengthen it. Actually while it makes the neck stronger, it can makes the repair a bit trickier or limit options available. Another factor in the mix is that student cello necks are quite often poorly fitted (which is why they broke in the first place).
After a cello neck has been repaired often the neck projection sets a bit higher (60% of cases), because the dowel is supporting the neck better and so it doesn’t warp under tension anymore, in such a case sometimes the bridge needs to be replaced to recover the string action (height) above the fingerboard.
Cello neck screwed during manufacture (fingerboard has to be removed to fix this broken neck)Cello neck with biscuit laminate placed during manufacture (note the priorly fitted neck – likely contributing to the breakage)
With Cello neck repairs I am sometimes faced with the difficult decision, do I make a less traditional repair, a one time repair, or one that can be reversed out ( this is the usual strategy for traditional instruments). Usually this depends on the value of the cello, the condition it is in and what the owners want to do. Have a look at what is involved in removing the top of a cello to do a repair as an example.
Doing right by the instrument to maximise its life, right by the student by making sure its playable again and right by the parent/school by keeping the costs down so it’s worth doing is a juggling act of sorts. Music has to be the winner though right?
A lot of noise is made about “has your violin been setup” and setup correctly? Why? because its really important! Most factory violins arrive at a music store not ready to play and thus need to be setup. Higher quality instruments the maker will usually setup though.
Setup refers to making sure the violin is ready to play, of which the most important characteristics are the string height above the fingerboard, via the bridge is at the right height and fitted correctly to the body of the instrument and also at the nut. . Checking the pegs fit and can move freely with a dab of peg paste is next. Next is that the finger board has the correct scoop and that inside the violin the sound post is properly fitted and located and the tailpiece is the right length. Its a specialist thing and string stores all have people trained that can do it…but a generic music shop may not…and an internet violin…well you won’t know till it turns up! For a secondhand instrument these might need to be revisited
Violins are unique each and every one, however for sound production and easy of playing they are incredibly standardised. If strings are too high above the fingerboard that can’t be pressed down easily and will frustrate a player and their tone production.
A poorly fitted (and located) bridge will not allow the string to vibrate correctly, nor transmit its vibrations to the body correctly.
Some quick rules of thumb if you are checking out a violin, up near the nut you should only just be able to fit a business card between the strings and fingerboard. Any higher and fingers can’t press the strings down properly, any lower and the string will buzz.
Down at the other end of the fingerboard. The player should be able to fit the tip of their pinky just under the G string, and the gap under the E string is nearly half that. A smaller hand is probably on a smaller instrument where the heights are smaller. Also I didn’t give away the “trade secret” measurements of 5.5mm under the GString on a full size violin…oops
Looking at the bridge the feet should line up with the inside notches of the f holes and if you can see daylight between the feet and body it hasn’t been fitted. Inside there is some stuff with the sound post…a whole topic in itself.
So if your Ok on the fingerboard and the bridge probably the rest is ok..if its not …go to another store.. like Fiddler Dan 😉
Side note on beginner instruments I tend to leave the finger board nut heights a shade higher, as they are fitted with steel strings that tend to wear down a nut over time – as there aren’y too many 7 years old playing Paganini’s Caprices on them they are still quite playable. I also leave the bridges a bit chunkier, it takes out the shrill squeaky tone (admittedly at the expense of some finer aspects of tone production) and the bridge is less likely to warp if left unadjusted for a longer period of time so less likely to need a repair.
