Violin sound post cracks

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. When repaired properly with a sound post patch, the instrument. The glue used hide glue is designed to allow crackling, which pretty much means that it cracks easily with sufficient pressure. Dutch violin soundpost patch the violineri melbourne. Its somewhat difficult to give prices without seeing the instrument. Top players regularly return their instruments to violin makers, who move the sound post and adjust the bridge in an effort to optimize the sound. It must have taken quite an impact because the chinrest was cracked in half and the bridge was broken. As well as transmitting sound between the two surfaces of the instruments body hence its name, it is also vital to the structural strength as it. 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. Would anyone else play on an instrument that had a crack like this. Enhances the volume and tone of the violin by transferring the sound vibrations to the back of the instrument after the bow makes a string sound near the bridge. The post causes the instrument to vibrate in asymmetric patterns which project sound very powerfully. 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. Mar 7, 2020 the gemini sound post setter is a simple, easy to use tool for replacing or resetting the sound post in a stringed musical instrument.

Pittsburgh on its way to the grad school cello studio. A traditional method of glueing involves wide stretcher clamps. The violin was sealed but unvarnished, tuned to a440 and fitted with a 42 g chinrest. But heres the thing you do not want that violin sitting around with the strings under tension for very long without the sound post in. There is a triangular relationship between the instrument, the bow, and the player. 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. You can get this kind of repair done cheaper, but this is a serious cello, worth the money to fix. As well as transmitting sound between the two surfaces of the instruments body hence its name, it. 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.

Best value violin repair tools great deals on violin repair. That is why you get no sound if the sound post is directly under the foot the bridge. Essential tools for correctly placing a soundpost into a violin or viola, while you work through the treble fhole. I have a violin with a 1 12 soundpost crack in the back. 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. The fall of the soundpost jim clinton violins greenville, sc. Rib and soundpost patches, and other structural repairs. 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. 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. This is intentional, allowing a luthier to make instrument repairs.

Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The violin i want to buy has a repair is this a problem. How much does it cost to repair a broken soundpost in a violin. In some circumstances we just glue the crack and hope it holds, as would be the procedure on an inexpensive instrument. 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. Sound post cracks or bass bar cracks usually need to have the top removed and patched. In most cases quickly repaired cracks are stable and virtually invisible. Also inscribed with pencil on he inside of the top is this.

Cracks in your violin can be prevented by proper maintenance, including by controlling the humidity with a case humidifier. 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. Feb 10, 2011 page 1 of 4 sound post crack posted in viva strings. Another sound post crack with lots of other cracks on the top. Apart from that there were thousands of other old cracks, so that i couldnt subjectively understand why there should be any increased mistrust. Materials and tools block plane sharp knife wide gouge with tight sweep sharpened pencil. Antique full size violin 357mm, french instrument, no sound post cracks, it seems to be in good shape, sorry no returns, any questions 6 237 2998 p. For a violin, the price penalty for a sound post crack in the front is 20% and in the back, 50%. If sound posts are poorly fit and remain that way too long it can come to the damage seen in the photo above or even lead to socalled sound post cracks. The absolute best, most surefire way to know whether or not your violin is worth repairing involves a trip to a professional dealer or luthier shop. Shop the top 25 most popular violin repair tools at the best prices. 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. Dec 14, 2016 how to set up violin sound post please subscribe at least one new video is posted each and every day. Looking after your violin or cello musical instrument hire co.

The position of the sound post inside a violin is critical, and moving it by very small amounts as little as 0. We have an excellent collection of fine antique violins. Our inhouse workshop is able to provide immediate repair assessment, counsel, and. Roughly 30 cleats, an eyebrow patch and a sound post plate were needed to get the top back together. A sad day for this rather nice french cello, when it was knocked over. Missing piecesparts of the violin can become detached with age. This means restoring the original arching, in other words returning. Every player needs a slightly different adjustment for the instrument to sound best. 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. Despite only falling a very short distance onto a carpeted floor, as you can see, the upper bass rib was quite badly cracked as a. The fit of your soundpost inside your instrument is crucial for good sound production. Dec 24, 2010 but heres the thing you do not want that violin sitting around with the strings under tension for very long without the sound post in. 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.

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. However, too tight of a soundpost will lead to huge structural problems and cracks. It is the string tension that really clamps the sound post into position. Repairing an instrument with a sound post crack triangle. Some musicians fiddle with their bridges and strings almost constantly and some even endeavor to handle their own sound post adjustments. The care and preservation of fine string instruments. Forget everything written here about soundposts, the op is not talking about a broken post, and these comments are not really well informed. Use the same bow each time your instrument is adjusted. The shock is sent through the soundpost, which then splits the back. It involves cutting an oval shaped trench in the sound post area down to where there is 12 mm or less of. Measurements the diameter of the finished soundpost is about 6 mm.

Here is a viola where the top was cracked into two pieces, there was also a small crack from the f hole up near the bass bar. Depends on the sound its producing i guess thatll be the key. The sound post is a cylindrical piece of wood inside the violin, viola or cello body that joins the belly to the underside of the instrument and is located below one foot of the bridge. A back crack is so much more problematic than a top crack which is why it accounts for a much higher rate of depreciation. Using post setter, insert post into treble side fhole with post toward the tailpiece. Check for cracks or openings in the top or back, or anywhere a fallen instrument may have landed. As the parent of a violin student, you may be curious about how much you can expect to pay for a particular repair. Keeping post at a slight angle move toward center widest area of body, then begin standing post upright. They carry a large selection of quality violins, violin parts, bows, construction woods, finishes, accessories, technical books, strings, and much more. If you peek into the fhole near the e string your thinnest string, you see a small round column of unvarnished wood, about the circumference of a pencil, which fits. Since we mainly dealt in decent trade fiddles, with a few better ones, we never repaired any for sale. View of a sound post through the end pin hole at the bottom of the violin. It tends to happen more in basses that have a tight soundpost. In the end this is a great little violin that will make the owners happy for years to come.

Serious cracks may require special attention and techniques that use interior cleats or patches. 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. If a violin has the misfortune to develop a crack in the. Best value violin repair tools great deals on violin. I have purchased sound post blanks from other vendors. If the sound deteriorates then at least you can replace it, knowing that there was a potential fault with the instrument there. Also while i am here is a soundpost crack an actual crack in the piece of wood that is the soundpost or is it a crack that has started where the post bears on the back or soundboard. What does a back sound post crack repair normally cost a crack of about 6 inches in length. The top or back plate can crack, or distort making it crack when you try to stand the sound post back up.

Insert the sharpened beveled end into the soundpost for upright positioning in the violin. What it does is help the vibrations at the top of the instrument transfer around the bod. A soundpost crack is tough to repair and results in. The fingerboard, bridge, chin rest, pegs and other pieces can be replaced. Old violin labelled see the label, no sound post cracks,see pics,sorry no returns,any questions 6 237 2998 p. Looking after your violin or cello musical instrument. I tried about 30 violins in a shop yesterday, and i was reminded that price is no. Join daniel as he travels the world exploring, helping violinists, violin makers and. The gemini sound post setter is a simple, easy to use tool. As the sound post tension is critically important to the. Otherwise, shrinkage cracks, fhole cracks, and other cracks are common on old instruments that have dried out and seen a little bit of weather.

Others rush to the nearest violin repair person for a soundpost adjustment every time the sound or feel of the instrument exhibits the slightest change. Join daniel as he travels the world exploring, helping violinists, violin makers. Repairing a crack over the sound post requires a patch on the inside of the top plate. How to set a sound post, install, installation, soundpost. Sound post cracks in the back are also more timeconsuming and expensive to patch than cracks in the front. Ive also seen the top plate actually pop off glue fail around the edges when the post that has. 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. For this reason, the average price penalty for a sound post crack in a cello is lower than that of a violin.

Each post is custom cut to fit precisely in a specific position. French cello rib cracks by slight violins on 29 jan 2017 0. For the most part, repaired top cracks are not a problem, with the exception being cracks that run over the soundpost. A soundpost crack in the back is usually caused by the bass falling forward onto the bridge. 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. Fix a violin belly crack with help from an experienced musician and educator in this free video clip. Sound post cracks are very common in the long life of a violin family instrument. Cracks of any type in the wood or anywhere on the body of the violin. When doing repair i think its important to try to go back to the original intensions of the maker of the instrument you are working on. Strings have come loose due to humidity, broken or fallen. The basics of sound post setting for most of these string postings i write as an educator, but this time i write as an enthusiast. 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. Miles doubleday, our senior restorer, has over 20 years experience with ealing strings london, uk. Mar 28, 2016 regardless, cracks can be repaired via a special glue or clamps that arch across the top or back of the violin.

Specialized tools for standing up or moving a sound post are commercially available. At all times maintain awareness of post setter and edges of fhole to avoid damaging its edges picture 12. 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. Although you can temporarily reglue a fingerboard or chin rest, its best to have a professional perform these tasks so that it will last. Glueing cracks is one of the most common jobs in violin repair or restoration. If a sound post is too long, we trim down the sound post to prevent the pressure from cracking the top plate. Atlantic violin supplies, located in new brunswick, canada, is a violin supply business providing value and service since 1993.

What is the current thinking on the devaluation of instruments that have been damaged by sound post cracks in the back, replaced heads, etc. 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 into this. My violin has a repaired sound post crack in the back. Seems an odd place for a crack to be fair, cant see the point in repairing a soundpost, though other more experienced players may have an opinion there. A soundpost crack is a crack along the back of the violin caused by an ill fitting soundpost or a rubbish luthier aha, well that makes more sense at least. The top of the cello is in rather poor condition and it bears this handwritten inscription. Herdim deluxe small violin soundpost setter product number. When i started out, a post crack in the back was seen as the death of a violin, devalueing it by 80%. I learned that the repair for this problem is very expensive. When in position and with no string tension, the sound post should stand in position without falling when the violin is gently tipped. The break was clean, so we decided to reglue it rather than to replace it to help keep costs down. 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. The high notes come from the wood between the treble foot of the bridge and the top of the sound post.

Discover over 1642 of our best selection of violin repair tools on with topselling violin repair tools brands. The length depends on the arching, but may be a little above 50 mm in most cases. Jun 14, 2011 however, too tight of a soundpost will lead to huge structural problems and cracks. At least one new video is posted each and every day. Strings violin shop 5842 merriam drive merriam, ks 66203. 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. Sound post cracks in the back are regarded as more serious than cracks in the front as the structural demands on a back sound post repair are more onerous than on a front repair. Repairing an instrument with a sound post crack triangle strings. On the bass side of an instrument is a bass bar, a cross section of which can be seen in the illustration above.

Use the notched end to help align the post into final position. 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. As far as i know, the soundpost is not a structural feature of the instrument, so it doesnt actually keep the violin intact or prevent it from falling apart. Violin top crack repair fixing a short crack on a violin top. This nice older german cello developed a long soundpost crack. Cost to repair a sound post crack in the back of a violin. Fitting a soundpost patch in the back of a fine old english cello. Oct 21, 2012 fixing a violin belly crack doesnt have to be the most difficult thing you try to do all day. An instrument without a sound post will sound weak, thin and hollow. Would a violin without a sound post still make sound. 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 reopen the crack. You could pay by paypal or many other for you convenient ways. This instrument had lots of cracks a couple of them were only a couple millimeters apart.