Tulsa Violin Repair- The String Doctor

Minor Repairs - Restorations

~Strings

I carry many brands of strings prefered by players, and install them at no charge. Strings are made using a variety of materials and design, each with unique qualities of sound. Instrument tone can be changed to a certain degree by the type of string.

~Setup - Professional Bridge $60 Student $40 - Soundpost $20

-Carving a new bride and soundpost

Bridges are cut from maple blanks. Each instrument has a unique shape and the bridge has to be cut to fit the curve of that top. Bridges are tuned by carving out areas that carry the sound from the bridge top through the feet and into the instrument, where the soundpost transmits the vibrations to the back. The bass bar is fit inside the top under the bass side of the bridge foot. It is a long spruce brace that keeps the top stable under pressure and allows the top to resonate properly. When the bridge/soundpost and bass bar placement are aligned, the instrument can resonate to full capacity. Often bridges are poorly cut, too low/high, or not good wood, this can make a violin sound very poor. Warping can also occur when a bridge has been leaning too long. Bridges have to be kept upright, and should be checked often (90 degree angle from the glue line of the top to the face of the bridge facing the bottom). Lasting for decades, a good bridge can provide great tone and comfort for the player and help the instrument sing.

~Soundpost & bridge adjustments (free) Proper adjustments allow the best tone.

I offer sound adjustments for free. By making sure the soundpost is in the proper spot will help your instrument to resonate. The soundpost is key to good tone. A spruce soundpost stands inside the violin under the bridge foot on the treble side, and are custom fit for that violin and will only fit that violin. Only a trained repairman should replace a soundpost. Often bad fitting posts lead to poor sound, and can damage the inside of the violin, and even cause major cracks. Soundpost patches are common on older violins, but can be prevented with proper maintance. If a soundpost falls over, quickly losen all the strings and remove the bridge and tailpiece to prevent damage. A proper fit soundpost will stand upright with no strings on the violin, but should not be forced.

~Check for open seams, cracks (free) -Prevention is key to instrument health.

Often not noticed by, open seams are the most common repair for violins. Running a finger nail in the seam joint of the top - bottom and rib joint will provide clear evidence of an open seam; listen for a change in the sound. It is good to have a skilled repairman check over violins twice a year, usually Spring and Fall. Most damaging to instruments is a drastic change in humidity or temperature. Constant even ranges of 60-70 degrees, and 40-60% humidity are ideal.

~Gluing $40 per hour -It is always better to glue a crack when it first appears.

Hide glue that is used for violin repair , it is the oldest glue known to mankind. It is a natural animal glue that is stronger than most modern chemical glues, but is water soluble. If any other types of glues are used by repair people, it should be done with caution. Many instruments have been destroyed and are now wall art due to the use of improper glues that are not removable, and render the instrument ruined. Be sure to ask new repairman the type of glue, and make sure they use top grade Hide Glue. The glue needs a minimum of 2 hours to dry (small areas) and is best left overnight. If needed, I provide a loaner instrument to use while repairs are being done.

~Dress Fingerboard $40-80 - Often buzzing is heard, but it is not related to setup issues, but the fingerboard.

An instrument used frequently will soon develop small grooves in the fingerboard due to the strings hitting the board and wearing a rut. This leads to small buzzing on certain notes, and false harmonics, but is easily corrected and is often a minor repair. The fingerboard of a violin is scooped with a hollow deepest at the center of the board. Cheap instruments do not always have proper fingerboard scoop and can cause buzzing on a large area of the fingerboard. It is best to make sure your violin is properly setup and adjusted to play easily.

MAJOR REPAIRS:

$50 / hour shop rate.

~Replace Bass Bar $300-500

~Soundpost Patch (top) varies depending on damages $ 300-500

This Collin Mezin Violin was badly damaged and poorly repaired, it required a

soundpost patch and a new bass bar with 60+ cleats.

~Neck Graft $1000-1500

~Reset Violin Neck $300-500

~Crack Repair $40/hr min. 1 Hr

~New Fingerboard $100-200 (depending on board quality)

~ Bush Pegs (all four pegs) $200

Pictured is a finished boxwood bushing on a violin, before the pegs are fit.

-Spiral Bushings $30/peg

Other Repairs Offered:

~Fit Pegs $40 + pegs ($20+)

~Shorten Lower Rib Joint $60-100

~Replace Ebony Saddle $40

~Replace Ebony Nut $20

~I offer repair & restoration estimates upon request.

Loaner Instrument/Bow is provided if necessary.

Bow Rehairs & Repairs

~Rehairs

High Quality Stallion Hair -violin $40 -cello $50 -bass $60

Top Level Grade Stallion Hair -violin $50 -cello $60

~Other Bow Work

~Reptile/Leather Thumb Grip for bows $20
~Nickel Silver Wrap with leather $60

~Sterling Silver Wire Wrap w/ leather or reptile $80-100

~Bone Tip Plate Replacement $60-80

~Ivory/Mastadon Tip Plate Replacement $80-120

~Recambring $20-60

~New Slide, pearl on Ebony $40-80

Identification and Evaluation

I offer free verbal appraisals, and written upon request ($40)

For certificates of authenticity I can arrange for certificates to be written for your instrument.

Sales

My shop usually has a large selection of modern and antique instruments for most every player's budget and taste. We carry instruments by Eastman, Howard Core, and many other companies.

You are welcome to take an instrument on trial for a week.

Trade-in and consignment options available. For any market I can find you a violin to suite your needs. Visit the INSTRUMENTS section to see a few of the violins now available.

Example of a Violin Neck Graft by Jacob Mehlhouse - The String Doctor

Amadee Dieudonne Violin Neck Graft

- fractured pegbox with multiple breaks.

This is a neck graft done on a circa 1920s Amadee Dieudonne violin from a teacher in Tulsa that had an accident. The scroll of her master made violin had been stepped on by foot. Several pieces were all that remained of the damaged scroll and cheeks of the peg box. The owner asked with tears if it could be fixed.

Violins made pre 1820 have scroll grafts due to the invention of steel strings and changes in standard pitch (moving up to A 440 ). This forced violin players to change from the traditional gut strings, used for centuries, and lengthen the necks of the violins to accommodate the higher tension creating the style of violin we have today.

Not an unusual repair for antique instruments, neck grafts are the correct way to repair a damaged neck, or a neck with the wrong measurements that cannot be saved. The goal is to keep the original scroll (considered the maker's signature) with the violin.

Recreating a neck using fresh maple and a very tight fit is a very labor-intensive job (often the fitting for a graft constitutes the majority of the time and cost, but otherwise the whole repair is in vain).

This is a delicate repair requiring a consideration for many things during the process. Below is a list of the few key elements to a professional grade neck graft for a fine violin.

Graft Fit
To ensure a long life for the repair the fit between the new wood and old must be seamless, and as unobtrusive as possible.

Fingerboard Angle
The angle of the fingerboard determines where your bow hand will be to comfortably bow across all the strings.

Neck Projection
Proper proportions of the neck angle create the tension needed to make your instrument sound to its fullest potential.

The new neck is then fit into the neck mortise and glued. The final step is to touch-up the new neck joint and grafts to make it as invisible as possible.

Appearance
For fine instruments made by respected makers, and Dieudonne is one of the finest 20th century French makers, this repair was done with the utmost care and consideration for the original makers concept and workmanship. As little original wood should be removed as possible, and the graft should be invisible once the varnish is applied with touch-up to make it appear as close to original as possible.