In a series of sound clips, heres an experiment in repairing a cracked violin eventually replacing a relief carved bass bar with a seperate fitted one.
To start with this was a student 3/4 violin (see inside it here ) that was sat on, the top cracked open quite badly – from the fingerboard through to the bottom in two places, also splitting the bass bar underneath and the back plate separated as well. This is right in the middle of where the violin develops much of its timber and tone on the spruce top tone-woods. After repair, cleating etc.. I put it back together…it sounded surprisingly good…dare I say better. This might be because I touched up a few other areas on the inside as as well…and that the repair to the bass bar stiffened it slightly. Have a listen as I compare it to an identical model violin…not bad hey?
Next up I replaced the bass bar with a fitted one, as the original bass bar was a relief carved one. Relief carved bass bars are a faster way to manufacture a violin as you simply leave the timber behind when making the violin, rtaher than having to fitt a seperate piece – which takes time. It tends to be done on cheaper violins..but you also see it on some old European factory/farmhouse violins as well.
The bass bar sits under the bridge of the violin on the lower strings and carries the vibrations to the top plate (lower notes need bigger vibrations a the wavelength is longer) as well as strengthening the violin.
A relief carved bass bar is made from the same timber as the top plate so the grains aren’t optimally aligned – neither can the bass bar go slightly cross grain. Whereas a fitted bar bar can travel slightly cross grain, has the grain lines in a different direction and when mounted adds a slight tension to the top plate – all of these factors allow it to improve the sound.
Here are the various sound files so you can see…err… hear for yourself the difference in sound between it as it undergoes the various transformations when compared to an unaltered violin of the same make.
I think it sounds better, though maybe after all the repairs doesn’t look quite as pretty
Of course this is a cheapish student violin so repairing a crack commercially costs more than the violin is worth…but its good to know that the sound quality hasn’t diminished from repair..what do you think?
