Restoration
The violin family of instruments are famously long lived, yet are also fragile and inherently susceptible to accidents and ongoing stresses from constant use, travel and climactic conditions, causing wear and material fatigue.
Therefore regular check-ups are extremely prudent, to identify and rectify any emerging issues in a timely manner.
Most repairs are usually quick turn-around jobs, such as regluing an open seam, adjusting a sound post or retouching some chipped varnish etc.
Restoration work is more involved and can sometimes necessitate the instrument being carefully opened to enable repairs to be carried out internally if required.
Consultation with the owner, and careful consideration to identify the relevant issues, decides the most appropriate course of action.
Conserving the maker’s sensibility and intention along with preserving the original material of the instrument, is paramount in retaining or enhancing the integrity and value of a fine instrument.
With any restoration, my goal is always for my own work to be essentially indiscernible, serving only to support and enhance the work of the maker, whilst retaining the tone of the instrument for it’s player.