An Insider’s Guide to Violin Repair
One of the critical functions of a local violin shop, is the provisioning of expert repairs. Whether the instrument needs a tune-up (what we affectionately call the “10,000 Note Check Up”) or a full restoration, entrusting your loved instrument to a repairperson can be a hard thing to do.
If you are in a larger metropolitan area, you can easily find a selection of violin shops near you that offer expert violin repairs. And even if you are in the outlying rural communities or smaller cities, luthiers (violin makers and repairers) are fairly easy to find.
Many trades are regulated in the USA: plumbers, electricians, CPA’s: these are trades that require certification before service can be offered. For example, you may know a lot about electricity, but there are laws restricting your ability to rewire a person’s home. But there is no certification or regulation of violin repair, so it is caveat emptor for violin owners seeking service.
Hopefully, you have a shop you trust that has done excellent work for you in the past…or work for friends or teachers whose opinions and recommendations you trust. But if you are in a new place and need to consult with a shop you are unfamiliar with, there are a few things you can do to gain confidence.
First:
Look at the website and review the resumes of the luthiers. Hopefully, they have graduated from good violin-making schools like the Chicago School of Violinmaking, the Violin Making School of America, or the Bennett Street School. If not, they should have learned at the bench of a very qualified maker. We tend to avoid “self-taught” individuals, as the schools and master-apprenticeships offer better vetting and a stronger training base. Longevity in the field is also important.
Second:
The history of the shop is also a consideration. A new shop will have less experience than an older shop, and their repairs may be excellent or terrible…it’s harder to tell. We want to encourage new people to enter the trade, so don’t dismiss a shop because it is new, but you may want to ask a few more questions.
When you bring your instrument in, be sure to give the shop ample time. We tend to think that offering fast turnaround is not the best way to get the best repairs done. Don’t rush the luthier: the work is painstaking and can take time to execute well. Rushing a shop or haggling for lower prices will not get you the best repairs.
A good shop will also advise you on the totality of the work needed. It’s a bad sign if a shop is willing to put a new bridge on a cracked instrument, and you should be fully advised if the work your instrument needs exceeds the instrument’s value. You may well want to spend more on your violin than it is worth, but you should be made aware if that’s what you’re doing.
When you pick up your instrument, don’t be afraid to ask to play it before taking it home. Many shops factor “post-repair trial and adjustment” into the pricing, so you should have a chance to give your instrument a play before you approve the work. You can do this at home, too, but it’s easiest if you can do it when you pick up the instrument. You may need to make an appointment to pick up for this reason.
And if it comes out well, be sure to thank the luthier for a job well done!
