Pirastro Introduces Revolutionary New Chin Rest for Violin and Viola: KorfkerSpring
Today Pirastro announced the release of its latest innovation: the KorfkerSpring, a novel new chin rest for violin and viola that features a chin plate suspended atop an adjustable spring system. It is also arguably "the world's lightest" chin rest, weighing in at 15 grams.
Pirastro's KorfkerSpring chin rest, on a violin.
The KorfkerSpring can be mounted center, left or right on the violin or viola. Also, the height, rotation and tilt of the chin plate - which is made of hardened Swiss maple - is fully customizable, allowing comprehensive individual adjustments.
Pirastro's KorfkerSpring chin rest.
The KorfkerSpring's patented spring system comes with six possible spring heights, allowing for a height adjustment from 25 to 50 millimeters, in 5-millimeter increments.
Pirastro's KorfkerSpring chin rest comes with six springs for height adjustment.
"The low springs offer a more conventional chin rest feel, while the higher springs allow players with a longer neck to play more comfortably than ever," according to Pirastro.
Pirastro has been developing the KorfkerSpring over the last 10 years with Berent Korfker, the Dutch violinist who invented Pirastro's popular lightweight shoulder rests, the KorfkerRest and KorfkerRest Luna.
"After years of playing, teaching and designing, I realized that in order to help us develop a more refined and relaxed yet dynamic interaction with our instrument, the chin rest should actually be flexible!" Korfker said. "Unlike traditional concave chin rests, the chin plate of the KorfkerSpring is convex, and features a finely adjustable ridge which invites a lengthening of the spine. The flexibility of the spring at the heart of the Pirastro KorfkerSpring awakens the innate balancing system in our neck and upper body which, while present in everyone, is often dormant or suppressed."
When fitted with the two lowest-height springs, the instrument will fit into a standard violin or viola case without the chin rest being removed. Fitted with one of the four higher springs, the KorfkerSpring is easily removable for when it does not fit in the case. "The spring is easy to remove, it just clicks off. But when it’s attached it is extremely secure," Korfker said. The KorfkerSpring chin rest also comes with a high-end protection case of its own.
The KorfkerSpring chin rest will be available for sale in December 2025, with the retail price yet to be determined.
You might also like:
- Review: The KorfkerRest Violin Shoulder Rest - Is It Worth It?
- Review: The New KorfkerRest Luna Violin Shoulder Rest by Pirastro
- Review of Pirastro KorfkerRest LUNA for Viola
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Replies
Hi Mark, there are six different sizes of springs. The two lowest sizes are designed to fit into a standard case, without needing to be removed, and thus they are not removable. The four higher sizes can be easily removed by clicking them off the clamps. Yes, the clamps would remain on the instrument. (Berent Korfker said that even the higher springs can often fit into the violin or viola case without being removed - but certainly it would depend on the case!)
I am seeing about $600 as the price. A little much for me.
If you're in the market for a fully adjustable and 3D scanned/CNC carved exact impression of your jawline in a chin rest, I'd suggest taking a look at what I'm offering over at https://kreddle.com/. Obviously I have skin the game, but I'm not aware of anyone else capable of taking an exact impression of each player's actual jawline and carving a chin rest with it. Redefines what "custom" means. And for less then half this Pirastro chin rest... ($600, yikes!).
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November 21, 2025 at 07:48 PM · It appears that the spring(s) can be easily detached from the clamps which would remain on the instrument. (Or can it?) If so, this is a good thing because otherwise I would anticipate problems getting this to fit in most cases.