Bridge Question

October 23, 2008 at 04:10 AM · Greetings,

you are correct. Buy your instrument from a reputable deale rand you shouldn`t haveto worry about the set up. You can always ask your teacher to take a quick look f something doesn`t seem right to you.

Cheers,

Buri

October 23, 2008 at 12:41 PM · Hi--The E string side of the bridge should always be lower than the G string side. The reason for this is that the G string, being thicker than E strings, needs more clearance to vibrate over the fingerboard. Just for fun, hold the violin in front of you and then pluck these two strings with the same amount of force, and you can observe that the G string vibrated in a larger arc than the E (and the other strings).

Josh Henry, Bow Maker

www.FineViolinBows.com

October 23, 2008 at 11:16 PM · There are all sorts of standards, but if they don't work for you, you don't have to follow them.

If you want the angle of bow change from string to string to remain the same, lowering the G necessitates lowering the D somewhat less, and the A less than that--if you only lower the G, you make the D stick up relative to the A. The standard curvature is about a 42mm circle, with slight compensations for varying string thicknesses, if that's necessary for the strings you customarily use, but you can go rounder or flatter if that works for you.

You can go quite low with the strings before they begin to buzz, and the reason players prefer higher strings is to "put more spring in their step" with their fingers, encouraging snappier playing.

October 23, 2008 at 11:26 PM · Hi Don, The standard curvature of the 4/4 size violin bridge is 42mm. If you take a compass, set it to 42mm, and then scribe this arc on a piece of thin cardboard or plastic, you can easily make an arch template. Make sure that you fit the feet to the top first before attempting to set the string height. Regarding the string heights, To begin with, I generally set the E at 3.5mm and the G height at 5.5mm. These measurements are taken at the end of the fingerboard nearest the bridge. I usually will string the violin up and play it, and then will slightly lower the heights as needed (in reference to the height of the nut and scoop of the board). The notches in the bridge should only be about 1/3 the diameter of the string. By the way, I thin the bridge so that the top is about 1.3mm and the foot thickness is 4.3 on the G foot and 4.5 on the E foot. I mention this because all of your 'off the shelf' ready-to-fit blanks are all too thick. Good luck!

Josh Henry, Bow Maker

www.FineViolinBows.com

October 24, 2008 at 01:25 AM · Using the tubing is OK if you position it so that almost all of it is behind the bridge, and the string is resting on only the last little bit at one end. If the string has sawed down a ways, you can gradually fill the canyon with superglue. Don't spray it on the top, though!

It does sound like either your board is warped sideways, or perhaps your post is short. Take a look at the upper wing of the f-hole on the E side, and see if you think that it has sunk below the surrounding territory--this is a sign of a post that is too short.

October 24, 2008 at 01:36 AM · Don--What kind of music do you play? What kind of strings do you use?

The 2.0mm E height would be considered a bit low by many players, but as long as there are no buzzes (or finger tapes) then you might be OK. Perhaps before lowering the rest of the bridge, you could first try a bridge 'parchment' (a small, thin piece of drumskin or heavy paper) on the E string notch. This will slightly raise the height while helping to prevent the E string cutting into the top of the bridge. I tend not to use the 'string hose' that is included on most E strings because these will often muffle or filter the sound if installed properly (placed forward of the bridge crown).

The string heights that I posted above are starting heights, and I do often vary from them, especially when the set-up of the fingerboard is not ideal. On a perfectly planed fingerboard (with the proper scoop), then I can often lower these heights by as much as .5mm to .75mm. Another variable in string height is the tension of the string.

Last comment here is about the notches. Cut them carefully, with a U-shape to the bottom. If the notches are V-shaped, you will be spending lots more on strings in the future than is necessary.

Josh Henry, Bow Maker

www.FineViolinBows.com