Violin Bridge replacement

Violin bridges are essential for a violins function and over time need replacement. Just a few mm wide, a violin bridge holds up strings in tension with significant downward force on the body of the violin itself.  In addition to the mechanical properties the bridge is responsible for the transmission of the strings vibration to the body and the violin bridge replacement needs to be carefully crafted and sculpted.

violin bridge replacement

Bridges fail for all kinds of reasons including misadventure, but also succumb to the ravages of age and twist and warp under the constant tension. An improperly fitted bridge may have a shorter lifetime as well as it may not sit at the correct angle to connect  and  buttress the strings to the body in the correct alignment, or the feet matching to the body of the instrument may not be optimal.

When I fit a bridge I take into account the instrument it’s going on, the strings and the needs of the player.  For beginners and student violins I cut the bridge a bit thicker than otherwise, this prioritises strength as the alignment is not likely to be checked and adjusted as often as it should be. On better instruments, the matching of the bridge to the instruments tonal qualities can help with the bass vs. treble response, bridge thinness and mass removal from the kidneys and bottom arching can really help. Selection of the grade of the bridge is also important especially if you are chasing projection and brilliance. 

A new violin bridge blank looks something like its final fitted form and the replacement process involves matching the feet to the body of the violin to ensure full tonal transmission. The angle of the bridge must be set so that the pulling of the strings from the top and the tailpiece are optimally into the instrument. String height is then matched to the type of strings used to make sure the heights are both playable and also that the strings have enough  room to swing without clipping on the fingerboard and leading to buzzing.

Whats in a Violin bridge? and getting more from a Gliga

violin bridge replacement

Taking a student violin bridge through a bridge replacement and then a string replacement and then hearing how the sound changes. In general a harder ( better quality) bridge brightens an instrument so here is a bridge intervention on my sons violin.

My son has a Gliga I for a while, Gliga’s are his weapon of choice so the upgrade from a III to a I was always going to happen. Probably I would have liked to find him something else, but violins are a very personal thing, and he is a visual creature so I suspect the look and authenticity of a Gliga is a really important factor for him. Gliga’s have a reputation for being almost works of art and his Gliga I is no exception. To my ear it’s always sounded a bit muted, and a woody tone is a comment more than a few make about the Gliga’s (see my Gliga violin review). One of the reasons for this is the bridge it comes with as its thought to be a bit on the soft side. So I lashed out on a more expensive bridge an Aubert Mirecourt Deluxe and also some brighter strings. I think there is a progressive improvement in the sound. 

I’m going to do a bit more on the bridge next to lighten the weight and maybe a sound post replacement as well….  

Have a listen if you like… listen as the changes are introduced and then go back to the original …its about 4mins of your life you might not get back though 😉 (just skip through to the playing bits if you like)

Fiddler Dan