I tried about 30 violins in a shop yesterday, and i was reminded that price is no guide to sound my three favourite instruments in a range from. I placed it roughly in the same area like how it would inside of a violin and it dramatically made a difference between the highs and lows of my instruments tone and volume. Determining the height and fitting the post part 3. It transpired that the instrument had already had a very old sp crack and 2 old sound post patches, one large, covering the whole breast, the other normal sound post patch being let into this. Violin repair and set up optimising sound production when sam asked me to give a talk i was thinking about how, as violin makers, we can get the best sound from any given instrument. Fiddle talk violin discussion forum playing the violin. Repairing a crack over the sound post requires a patch on the inside of the top plate. At all times maintain awareness of post setter and edges of fhole to avoid damaging its edges picture 12. Sound post crack if a violin has the misfortune to develop a crack in the sound post area this will effect the instruments performance dramatically. And a crack like this always leads to a depreciation in instrument value. Depends on the sound its producing i guess thatll be the key. Set of violin sound post tools a product of usa scissor setter, s setter, sound post retriever, and gauge 079966101281 have a question. T he sound post has a repair and restoration team comprised of luthiers with specialized training at european violin making schools and considerable international experience. If it is just the sound post the violin is not damaged.
Repairing an instrument with a sound post crack triangle. View of a sound post through the end pin hole at the bottom of the violin. Jun 14, 2011 when you and your violin maker are making soundpost adjustments, make sure it is tuned exactly as you are going to be playing it. Also inscribed with pencil on he inside of the top is this. Its where the bridge has taken a hard knock and its transferred to the sound post. Join daniel as he travels the world exploring, helping violinists, violin makers and. Keeping post at a slight angle move toward center widest area of body, then begin standing post upright. A soundpost crack in the back is usually caused by the bass falling forward onto the bridge. This is a serious situation for the instrument because it is very expensive to repair. Strings violin shop 5842 merriam drive merriam, ks 66203. This violin did not have a crack so much as it had a concentration of worm runs in the soundpost area. Aside from the fact that the maple is twice as thick in the soundpost area, necessitating that much larger a patch, there is a greater chance of the crack reopening. The sound post is very important maybe all you need is a new sound post.
How much does it cost to fix a sound post in a violin. I learned that the repair for this problem is very expensive. Changing the tuning up or down will change the pressure on the top of the instrument and might necessitate a different adjustment. The best way to prevent sound post cracks in violins and violas is a good suspension case is a great idea. Atlantic violin supplies, located in new brunswick, canada, is a violin supply business providing value and service since 1993. A back crack is so much more problematic than a top crackwhich is why it accounts for a much higher rate of depreciation. It is not as expensive as you might think, unless you did other damage. Instrument repairs t he sound post has a repair and restoration team comprised of luthiers with specialized training at european violin making schools and considerable international experience. A dead giveaway that it was for export was the made in germany label. In other words, how can we change or adjust different parts of the instrument in order to affect the sound quality as we wish. As shown in the photos above, we have an example of a crack that runs about 2 inches above the left fhole of a viola. Diy violin adjustments for better sound connolly music.
Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to. Mar 06, 2020 a back crack is so much more problematic than a top crackwhich is why it accounts for a much higher rate of depreciation. How to set up violin sound post please subscribe at least one new video is posted each and every day. I can take out and put back a soundpost in any desired position in less than a minute and with help from the sound post mate found on uzis link above. A traditional method of glueing involves wide stretcher clamps. A soundpost crack is tough to repair and results in.
When a top crack passes over the sound post area it is the usual procedure to inlay a patch on the inside so that the pressure from the soundpost will not. Violin viola soundpost adjustment pliers product number. As the sound post tension is critically important to the acoustic response of the violin a crack in this. About the soundpost setter, and choosing the wood part 2. Another sound post crack with lots of other cracks on the top. As the parent of a violin student, you may be curious about how much you can expect to pay for a particular repair. That is why you get no sound if the sound post is directly under the foot the bridge. As the sound post tension is critically important to the acoustic response of the violin a crack in this area will result in the instrument becoming unplayable. Repairing an instrument with a sound post crack triangle strings.
Dec 14, 2016 how to set up violin sound post please subscribe at least one new video is posted each and every day. If you make some big repair, for example open violin and glue it again, glue a crack, restore varnish, change angle of the neck, change the bridge or soundpost, change the type of the strings, you put a new tension to the instrument and it affects the sound. For a violin, the price penalty for a sound post crack in the front is 20% and in the back, 50%. The sound post is the piece marked in a string instrument, the sound post or soundpost is a dowel inside the instrument under the treble end of the bridge, spanning the space between the top and back plates and held in place by friction. It transpired that the instrument had already had a very old sp crack and 2 old soundpost patches, one large, covering the whole breast, the other normal soundpost patch being let. It tends to happen more in basses that have a tight soundpost. Dutch violin soundpost patch martin may 18, 2017 this 19th century dutch violin presented an interesting problem, as not only did it have a soundpost crack running down the front plate alongside where the treble bridge foot would sit but it also had a square piece of wood let into the top plate right under the location of the treble bridge. A trade violin is a fiddle made in a factorytype setting in germany for export to the us for sale. In extreme cases of low humidity, the soundpost can exert so much pressure on the top and back that they can crack at the contact point with the post when exposed to additional stress. The sound post can shift in place for a variety of reasonsthe strings contracted from lack of humidity, perhaps overtightening during tuning has stripped the set screw causing a lack of pressure, etc.
Violin with a serious crack that could cause a soundpost to fall. This 19th century dutch violin presented an interesting problem, as not only did it have a soundpost crack running down the front plate alongside where the treble bridge foot would sit but it also had a square piece of wood let into the top plate right under the location of the treble bridge. Cost to repair a sound post crack in the back of a violin. Thankfully, this little worm exercised its voracious appetite mostly below the varnished surface, so a patch was the appropriate remedy. For this reason, the average price penalty for a sound post crack in a cello is lower than that of a violin. To measure the required length of the soundpost, insert a pencil or the soundpost blank in the right upper fhole eye at the right angle to the plane of the violin, until its tip touches the back plate. Yet to glue a crack perfectly remains one of the most difficult tasks, with tension, sinking arching and unevenly swelling wood making things difficult and slightly unpredictable. I just got a sound post set and i didnt even get charged from the luthier. Sound post cracks are very common in the long life of a violin family instrument. We have an excellent collection of fine antique violins.
It is the string tension that really clamps the sound post into position. Many times, string replacements and cleaning, refitting the bridge, soundpost, or other small fixes can make a huge difference in. While the cost of a violin repair may vary depending on the severity of damage, the luthiers particular costs, or the age of the instrument, this list of common price ranges for student and intermediate violin repairs should give you a general idea of a how much you can. The violin i want to buy has a repair is this a problem. The violin was sealed but unvarnished, tuned to a440 and fitted with a 42 g chinrest. One case with my involvement was a ruggeri cello with a sound post crack in the belly. It serves as a structural support for an archtop instrument, transfers sound from the top plate to the. Wood that is compromised by a crack or, as we will see, worm damage, will be vulnerable as its subjected to the downward pressure of the bridge, and the upward pressure of a properly fitted soundpost.
Restored violin with cleats and sound post patch violin. What does a back sound post crack repair normally cost a crack of about 6 inches in length. A patch is a more invasive procedure, but the location of a crack in the soundpost area necessitates its implementation. These are the worst belly cracks in violin building, they run above the sound post itself and can only be repaired in a very laborious manner. Essential tools for correctly placing a soundpost into a violin or viola, while you work through the treble fhole. Using post setter, insert post into treble side fhole with post toward the tailpiece. A cello is devalued if it has a repaired bassbar crack 2040%, a repaired soundpost crack in the top 3050%, a repaired soundpost crack in the back 4075%, although any of the above repairs, or any other repairs, if done properly, will result in the cello not being any weaker in the repaired area than before the damage occurred. For a cello, the price penalty is more like 10% for a sound post crack in the front and 40% for a sound post crack in the back.
The length depends on the arching, but may be a little above 50 mm in most cases. Our inhouse workshop is able to provide immediate repair. Violin top crack repair fixing a short crack on a violin top. Please visit our website and see our other violins for sale. The violin had well developed body modes, as well as a0, at the lower frequencies in the range of the violin as will be seen in the tap responses below. On the bass side of an instrument is a bass bar, a cross section of which can be seen in the illustration above. In resetting the soundpost to temporarily get the instrument up and working again, we are embarking on a complicated procedure. The soundpost introduces an asymmetry to the vibration modes of the body of the violin. Dutch violin soundpost patch the violineri melbourne. A back sound post crack can cause immense depreciation of an instrument,even if repaired. The wood above the soundpost needs to be sturdy to handle the pressure of the soundpost, and a crack prevents it from be strong and conducting sound well.
Join daniel as he travels the world exploring, helping violinists, violin makers. Email me your questions about this topic, and i will answer in the text of the document. Otherwise, shrinkage cracks, fhole cracks, and other cracks are common on old instruments that have dried out and seen a little bit of weather. This instrument had lots of cracks a couple of them were only a couple millimeters apart.
It also provides a measure of support similar to the bassbar, for the top plate at a position that is subject to the downbearing of the strings through the bridge feet. Why does violin sound differently after playing on it for. I have purchased sound post blanks from other vendors. You just need to have the sound post put back up in place. Insert the sharpened beveled end into the soundpost for upright positioning in the violin. Miles doubleday, our senior restorer, has over 20 years experience with ealing strings london, uk. The shock is sent through the soundpost, which then splits the back. If the sound deteriorates then at least you can replace it, knowing that there was a potential fault with the instrument there. This article will explain what is involved in performing a sound post reset. Sound post cracks used to be much more common because case technology was not very good. The fall of the soundpost jim clinton violins greenville, sc. The sound of a bowed instrument violin family is not the sound of the vibrating string but the vibrating wood it activates through the bridge. The high notes come from the wood between the treble foot of the bridge and the top of the sound post. While the cost of a violin repair may vary depending on the severity of damage, the luthiers particular costs, or the age of the instrument, this list of common price ranges for student and intermediate violin repairs should give you a general idea of a.
When you and your violin maker are making soundpost adjustments, make sure it is tuned exactly as you are going to be playing it. Glueing cracks is one of the most common jobs in violin repair or restoration. Otherwise, shrinkage cracks, fhole cracks, and other cracks are common on old instruments that have dried out and seen a. This is time consuming, expensive, and devaluing to the instrument. I should do a new video because ive improved so much since the first video when we had just received them for the first time. As a performer i always found it a little disappointing that most of us dont have any skills in upkeeping our instrument, whether its carving a bridge, rehairing a bow, or setting a sound post. Many times, string replacements and cleaning, refitting the bridge, soundpost, or other small fixes can make a huge difference in the look and sound of an older violin. One case with my involvement was a ruggeri cello with a soundpost crack in the belly. When repaired properly with a sound post patch, the instrument can continue to be a reliable tool beyond your lifetime and perhaps even.
At all times maintain awareness of post setter and edges of f. When repaired properly with a sound post patch, the instrument can continue to be a reliable tool beyond your lifetime and perhaps even improve its tone. The post causes the instrument to vibrate in asymmetric patterns which project sound very powerfully. When in position and with no string tension, the sound post should stand in position without falling when the violin is gently tipped. Herdim deluxe small violin soundpost setter product number. If a sound post is too long, we trim down the sound post to prevent the pressure from cracking the top plate. Such damage also devalues the instrument significantly.
After hearing about this being added to violins i tried it with my guitar. How to set a sound post, install, installation, soundpost. Again, only a dealer, a luthier, or even a trusted violin teacher will be able to tell you if you should invest in repairing your violin. Measurements the diameter of the finished soundpost is about 6 mm. The proper way would be to remove the entire top by separating it from its ribs, apply animal glue to the crack joint, and secure the crack further from opening in the future by means of studs or cleats beneath the crack. When repaired properly with a sound post patch, the instrument.