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Articles

Repairs and Adjustments for your Violin, Viola, Cello or Bass

by Peter Zaret

Below are some details of typical repair work and some hints as to how you can solve at least some frustrating problems yourself.

Soundpost Setting and Fitting

The soundpost is one of the most important elements in the sound and playability of a string instrument. Mechanically, it supports the top against the pressure of the strings. Acoustically, the sound post transfers vibrations from the top plate to the back plate. It also alters the vibration of the top plate and coordinates the vibration of the top and back plates. Its placement, length, thickness, grain orientation, and wood selection all influence the tone of an instrument. An instrument without a sound post will sound weak, thin and hollow. An instrument with the soundpost set incorrectly will sound weak and fuzzy.

Bridge Fitting

The bridge is very important to the sound and playability of an instrument. It is wise to use only the finest German and French bridges. We fit the feet exactly to the curvature of the belly of the instrument. We match the height of the arch to the fingerboard to provide the correct string clearance. Then we shape and thin the bridge selectively to enhance the sound quality of the instrument.

Replacing broken or false strings

When you snap a string, don't worry! The construction used on stringed instruments is very simple, so these instruments are surprisingly simple to maintain. No matter what anyone tells you, you can do it yourself with ease! Just follow our instructions (further down).

Fixing a stuck or slipping peg

Pegs sticking or slipping are very frustrating. Usually they tend to stick in the summer due to high humidity and slip in the winter due to low humidity. We will tell you how to solve this problem.

Violin buzzes

Even the finest instrument becomes unplayable if it develops a buzz. Almost every instrument eventually does for some reason or another. Later is this article we will discuss the most common "culprits," and their solutions, from the simplest things you can fix yourself to those that will require an experienced repair shop.

Restorations

A restoration can be as simple as gluing an open seam or as complex as removing the top and back of an instrument or replacing ruined wood. The goal of every restoration is to return the instrument to top playing condition with the least amount of alteration to the original structure of the instrument. Great care is taken to preserve the original varnish and wood.

Setting a Sound Post

The Basic Idea of the Sound Post

Below is a cross section diagram of a violin that illustrates the position of the sound post in a completed violin.

The sound post is a small dowel of spruce that is held by friction between the top and back plates of a violin (viola, cello, or string bass), situated under the treble foot of the bridge.

The sound post supports the top plate, acting like a pillar under the bridge. Without it, a violin might "cave in" on the treble side. A strong violin may not be harmed if it is without a sound post for a short time, but an instrument should not be left without a sound post in place for long. If the sound post falls down, the strings should be loosened immediately.

The sound post carries vibrations from the top plate to the back plate of the instrument. It also alters the vibration of the top plate. Its placement, length, thickness, grain orientation, and wood selection influence the tone of the instrument. Without a sound post, an instrument will sound weak, thin and hollow.

On the bass side of an instrument is a "bass bar".
View of the sound post through the end pin hole of the violin. Also shows some cleats reinforcing the back seam.

The Sound Post Setter, and the Sound Post

The sound post setter is a small metal tool about 23cm or 9" long. The sharp point at one end is stuck into the post to hold it as it is inserted into the instrument. The other end, which looks like a hand, is used to move the post once it is stood up in the instrument. The post is a dowel of spruce, usually about 5.5-6mm in diameter for a full size violin. The post must be small enough to fit through the f-hole. The grain should be fine, straight and even, preferably matching the wood that was used in the making the top of the instrument.

Making a Sound Post

You will need a sound post setter and an appropriate piece of sound post material, supplied in dowel form, from which to cut and fit the sound post. A sound post gauge helps, but you can do it without one. Here's how to determine the approximate height for the post using a small file or a small stick:

Fitting And Setting Up the Post

To place the post inside the instrument, insert the sharp end of the setter into the post 1/3 of the way down and gently lower the sound post into the instrument through the f-hole.

Once inside the instrument, place the bottom of the soundpost onto the back in the approximate place it will be. Start by placing the soundpost closer to the center of the instrument, and then pull it toward the f-hole keeping it straight up.

Positioning and Adjusting the Post

The correct position of the sound post is behind the bridge foot (toward the tailpiece), as seen in the above diagram. Generally, if the sound post is too short, the upper wing of the f hole will sink with the strings tensioned and the post in the above position. If it is too tall, the wing will protrude. Adjust as necessary. Moving the post toward the bas bar will emphasize the lower strings. Moving it the other way will emphasize the upper strings.

How to Fit a Bridge

courtesy of Lars Kirmser, Violin Maker

Tool and Materials Requirements:

Bridges on instruments of the Violin Family are made of a unique grade of maple. This select maple is precisely cut on the quarter, revealing a distinctive pattern known as "flake". Bridges on the violin family are free standing, never being affixed or glued to the instrument's top, but rather being held in place by the tension of the strings passing over them.

The bridge is the only link in the transmission of vibrations directly from the strings to the hollow enclosure of the instrument. The precision with which the bridge is cut and fitted to the instrument will largely contribute to the character and quality of that instrument's tone. Each of the processes will be very specific where a number of important criteria must be carefully attended to, however, there will be elements within the process that are considered to be arbitrary, and offers the luthier an opportunity to assign his own "signature" to each bridge he installs. As a repair technician, the installation of a bridge is one of the rare occasions where you will be allowed to project your own signature to your work, as long as it is consistent with good taste, and only after all technical criteria are successfully met.

Selecting the Bridge

The first step is to select a bridge blank which will be appropriate for a given instrument. In making this decision you will want to consider both the specific dimensional requirements of the blank as well as the unique physical qualities of the wood from which the blank was made (relative hardness, figure, "cut", etc.). 4/4 Violin bridge blanks are fairly standard at approximately 41.5 mm from the outside of one foot to the outside of the other, so there is little choice to be made here. Viola bridges, on the other hand, will have a range of from 46mm up to 52m. The smaller size bridge blank would be appropriate for a (small) 16" (407mm) viola, while the larger size blank would be used for the larger model violas (i.e. Tertis model). In the final analysis, the actual process of selecting the bridge blank will be determined by the specific dimensions and model of the instrument.

Selecting a Bridge Blank for Cellos and Double Basses

Before you begin fitting any bridge, make sure that the soundpost is set in its correct position as this will change the overall height and shape of the top plate ever so slightly. Once you are sure the soundpost is correctly placed and in good adjustment, you will begin by measuring the distance to the bass bar from the edge of the left f-hole. Mark this distance off on the top of the instrument with a china marker (don't damage the finish!). Perform this same procedure on the soundpost side (both measurements should be identical). After these two measurements have been marked on the top, measure the distance between these two points and add 5 to 6mm for cellos and 8 to 10mm for double basses. The distance between these two marks then represents the outside measurement at the base of the bridge blank that you will work with. On occasion, this number may be absurdly out of the range of normal bridge sizes. For example, a standard cello bridge size is 90mm, but you can purchase them ranging from 87mm all the way up to 94mm. If an instrument is unorthodox in its standard measurements, simply use the closest sized blank that you can get. Do not attempt to make one from scratch.

When you have determined the size bridge blank you require, you must then select a blank with the appropriate physical qualities. Two considerations must be made here, the first being the type of wood, the second being the cut of the blank. Wood, being the natural material that it is, will exhibit a wide range of physical characteristics. For example, it can vary from being tremendously hard to quite soft, flexible to stiff, highly figured to plain.

Finally, in selecting a bridge, you should be aware of the cut of the blank itself. Remember, you can't put wood where no wood exists, so if your blank is too thin or too narrow in an area which we consider to be important, then you will simply be wasting time and money by trying to work with it.

Preparation of the Bridge Blank

First, begin by taking your violin knife and carefully trim off the corners of the protruding ornamental features in the so-called ears and heart of the bridge (see illustration). This will prevent the accidental breaking off these parts by being caught by the plane or sander later.

Next, you must determine which side will be the front of the bridge. The front is the side that will face the fingerboard; the back is the side which will face the tailpiece. The best way to establish this is to look at the edge of the bridge to see which way the white wood rays lean. The rays will be nearly vertical, but they will usually run out toward one face more than the other. Make the side they run out-to be the back of the bridge. When you assign this side as the back, there will be a tendency for the wood to have more resistance to warping forward, which can be a very common problem, especially on the cello and double bass. As it turns out, the surface pattern of the back side will appear as a figure of smaller, more defined round flecks, while the front side will have more elongated ones. Incidently, the backside of the bridge should be the side with the trademark, so this whole decision becomes moot if the manufacturer has already made this decision for you. On the other hand, you can sand off the trademark and reassign the back side if you desire, as long as the trademark is unimportant to you.

The next step will be to plane the feet of the bridge on the front side of the blank to a thickness just a bit thicker than your anticipated finished thickness. The finished thickness for violin is 4.4mm, viola 4.7mm, cello 11.6mm, and double bass 21mm. Plane generally across the feet as indicated by the arrows in the illustration above and check the thickness of the feet from time to time with your dial caliper. Plane as parallel to the opposite surface as you can, thus limiting your planing to the feet portion only, and not the entire front face.

If the instrument is not already marked out for a sample bridge template, do so now. A sample bridge template is made "by the numbers" so to speak and will allow us to get some preliminary indications of how your blank will relate to the unique dimensions of the instrument at hand. You will prepare this template according to the standard measurements of the model being worked on (These dimensions can be found in the book by Henry Strobel (Useful Measurements for Violin Makers). The template usually consists of a full blank with flexible feet (i.e. de Jacques type) that will easily conform to the contour of the top, and have a dark line drawn across its face to indicate the finished profile as determined by the fingerboard to bridge string projections. The sample bridge template will allow you to predict with relative accuracy the compensations that must be made when cutting the bridge blank so that you can adjust for any irregularities unique to the instrument we are working on.

Hold the sample bridge template in place and sight down the fingerboard. You will first note the relative height of the fingerboard with respect to your dark line, secondly, you will note how well it is centered with respect to your sample bridge. Carefully noting these two factors will allow you to accurately determine exactly how you will need to cut the feet and/or crown of your bridge blank.

Ideally, you will want the heart of the finished bridge to be approximately in the center of the main body of the bridge. So, if the fingerboard is high with respect to the sample bridge, it will be necessary to leave a corresponding amount of meat on the feet of the blank (to raise the body of the bridge higher). On the other hand, if the fingerboard appears low with respect to the line on the sample bridge, you will want to take off a corresponding amount of wood from the blank's feet, thus bringing the body of the blank into an acceptable range with respect to the fingerboard.

Sighting down the fingerboard at the sample bridge template. The dotted line represents the standard height. This particulary instrument will therefore require a higher than usual bridge. Example of a bad "cut". Too much wood removed from the feet will, in effect, extend the amount of wood at the top portion of the bridge. This will make the bridge weak and prone to warping. Example of a good "cut". Notice that there is an abundance of wood remaining on the feet (this will be trimmed later) which in effect, reduces the amount of wood above the "heart" of the bridge.

Similarly, if the angle of the neck is off to one side, you will want to bring the body of the bridge into alignment with it as much as is possible by removing more wood off the foot on the side toward which your need to move. The reason here is that the principle of symmetry is very important to the balanced good sound of an instrument. We already know that the bass bar and soundpost are balanced evenly on each side of the center of the instrument, so naturally, we will want to keep the bridge centered as well. In this manner we are able to adjust the crown of the bridge relative to fingerboard and at the same time keep the feet evenly and equally spaced on the top of the instrument.

Fitting the Violin and Viola Bridge

We shall begin by making the initial trim on the feet of the bridge blank. If a substantial amount of wood must be removed from the blank, then it may be advisable for you to use the belt sander. Before sanding the feet, make sure that the belt sander table is exactly perpendicular to the face of the belt. It is important to have the back side (trademark) of the blank facing down when sanding the base of the feet since the back side of the finished bridge should be at an exact 90 degree angle with respect to the belly of the violin. Prior to sanding, make a light pencil line on each foot allowing for 2 or 3mm more wood than you expect your finished thickness will be. If only a small amount of wood is required to be removed then you may want to remove it with your violin knife (12 - 15mm), as the knife offers more precision than the belt sander. Hold the bridge blank such a way that the bottom of the feet are facing upwards, and begin by making a paring cut from outside of the first foot towards the inside. Hold the blank such that you are able to comfortably (and safely!) make the cut towards yourself. Be sure to offset your thumb slightly with reference to you knife blade (when your making a paring cut) so that you won't cut into your thumb if the knife slips. Throughout this whole process we must always keep in mind that our goal is first of all, to trim the feet such that they fit against the top plate precisely where all 4 edges of each foot set firmly and evenly (no gaps!), secondly, we want to end up with the feet at precise thicknesses, and thirdly, we must maintain the 90 degree angle at which the bridge will sit with respect to the tailpiece side of the instrument's top. The importance of this 90 degree angle cannot be underestimated as it will allow for approximately equal angles on each side of the bridge with respect to the strings passing over. And, as a consequence will provide an evenly balanced downward pressure on the instrument's belly, thus avoiding the propensity of warping later on. When correctly placed, the bridge will appear to be leaning slightly backwards toward the tailpiece when sighting from the side, and a perfect right angle will be present with respect to the top on the tailpiece side of the bridge (see illustration>. As we proceed later on, the thinning-out of the bridge will come from its front side, that is, the side with the elongated-shaped flake (lacking the trademark). When the bridge angle is, in fact, correct there will be appear to be a slight backward leaning effect, while the back side of the bridge should remain absolutely perpendicular to the top plate. When trimming the feet, an attempt should be made to maintain these relationships.

As you are making your cuts, it is advisable to position the bridge on the instrument from time to time to monitor and evaluate your progress. This, of course, requires a critical examination of both the front and backside of the bridge noting where gaps exist or adjustments must be made. For example, if the E foot of a violin bridge looks like this:

This indicates that material needs to be removed from the outside of the foot; both front and back, but more on the front side. Your next cut should remove material like this:

In the beginning, aim towards getting both feet to fit roughly, then start making more precise finish cuts. A little bit of water to moisten the bottom of the foot will allow you to remove paper-thin slices of wood. Since the grain runs straight across the bridge, and the feet will angle upwards and inwards for the arching, you are unable to cut from inside to outside, since this would be going against the grain and may very well cause you to tear out small chunks:

However, at the very outside of the bridge feet, where it is difficult to make fine cuts towards the center, you can cut against the grain by taking a VERY thin cut with a lot of slicing movement. DO NOT wet the wood for this kind of cut as this would only further the tendency to split along the grain. Needless to say, you will have to maintain the edge of your knife.

Continue cutting until both feet exhibit a perfectly flush fit. Make sure that your alignment of the bridge crown is not "wandering" as you make slight adjustments on the feet. This is often easier said than done, since it is entirely impossible to fit each foot individually without affecting the other, and consequently the final alignment with respect to the fingerboard/neck alignment. When complete, there should be an absence of "rocking" on the free standing bridge, and, with a very light downward pressure you should be able to cause each foot to become perfectly flush with respect to the top; a fairly large order for the neophyte!

Fitting the Cello and Double Bass Bridge

Once you have determined which side of your Cello or Bass bridge blank will be the front and that which will assigned as the back, you will begin by spreading the feet of the new blank slightly by inserting a precisely measured piece of wood dowel between the legs. A 4/4 cello will require an approximate 1.5 - 2mm flex, and a 3/4 (standard) double bass will require approximately 3 to 4mm. This, of course, is necessary because with the longer, more flexible legs of these larger bridges we experience a certain amount of outward flexing of the bridge feet when the strings are brought up to pitch causing the feet to spread out a bit. If you fail to include this step, you will not be able to achieve a precision fit. This spread will usually be relatively slight and will be determined for the most part by the relative curvature of the bridge arching (the higher the arch, the more spread).

Having done this, take the old bridge (if one exists) and place it on top of the front side of the new blank in such a way that you can scribe the feet curvatures on it, allowing for the desired foot thickness. If an old bridge is not available, you may place the new bridge in position and draw a pencil line along the bottom of each foot using the adjacent curvature of the top to guide your pencil.

Once these reference lines have been established, you may use a bandsaw or jig saw to remove the excess wood allowing a little extra material to remain for adjustment purposes. Again, be sure to place the bridge with its backside down to establish the 90 angle that must exist with respect to the instrument's belly.

You may now proceed as described earlier with respect to the violin and viola bridge. After getting the feet to fit closely, and having removed all the saw marks, you may now isolate any "high spots" present on the bottom of the feet by drawing a small rectangular piece of carbon paper beneath each foot (carbon side up of course). This will allow you to easily see those spots on the feet which must be carefully pared down with your violin knife to form a precision fit. Continue this technique until the carbon marks pretty much cover the entire base of each foot. You may then further precision adjust the fit with a scraper. Complete this step by removing all traces of carbon paper and carefully check the fit. A feeler gauge, similar to that which is used in woodwind repair may be used to indicate the precision of your fit.

Project the Bridge Height and Establish the Curvature

It is at this point that you will position your newly fitted bridge into position with your bridge-holding tool (see illustration). Next, you will select the appropriate projection stick for the instrument being worked on, and project a treble string reference line and a second bass string reference line directly on the front face of the bridge. Make sure that the reference line is exactly at the point where the string will end up resting. Small errors at this point will be significant later on, so be careful. You may now select the appropriate bridge curvature template and line up the treble side of the template with the projection mark of the treble string. Line the other side of the template with the projection mark of the bass string. Make sure you don't have your template wrong side up! Next, with a very sharp pencil (or razor blade) scribe a light line across the top of the template. This line will indicate the plane upon which the strings will finally reside. Next, you will carefully remove the excess wood with the bandsaw or jigsaw leaving at least 2mm excess for good measure. If only a small amount of wood is to be removed from the blank, you may carefully pare this excess off with your violin knife or you may choose to sand it off (carefully!) with the belt sander. In any case, you should allow for the eventual string slots.

Planing the Bridge to Thickness

You may now begin to plane the front side of the bridge with a block plane. This may be effectively done by placing the blank securely into a holding devise and planing the blank down to the recommended thickness.

Be sure to plane from the bottom to the top as shown below, and set the plane for a very fine cut and a very small throat opening. Test your plane on some scrap maple to establish the adjustment. Be careful that you do not make the center (just below the heart) of the bridge too thin as this will likely lead to poor tone quality and be prone to warping. Since the bridge is tapered, and the sides of the crown (arch) are lower than the middle, it will be necessary for you to plane more material from the outside edges where it is thicker A good method is to plane radially from the center of the bridge outwards.

Trimming the Bridge

It is now time to trim away any excess wood mass from the bridge so that we may satisfy the acoustic requirements first, and secondly install the aesthetic qualities as well. Remembering that a mass such as the bridge will either translate the vibrations of the strings effectively, or, if too massive may reject or subdue the vibrations. Your task will be to determine a precise balance between weight (mass) and necessary strength. And, in doing so, the primary abject will be to reach a delicate balance among three qualities: freeness of vibration, overall strength, and durability. Be sure to adhere to the recommended dimensions as closely as possible, and if necessary, you may want to exceed the dimensions if the wood is inherently weak or if you just want to leave more mass for acoustic reasons. I recommend that you perform this step in the following order: Begin by trimming the ears, then proceed to the inside of the feet, next the outside of the feet, followed by the bottom arch, any special alterations necessary in the upper body, then finally, all the small aesthetic touches that add to the overall finished look. The particular shaping and specific methods of cutting used for each type of bridge will vary from one technician to another, but there are several key points to remember:

FOR VIOLIN AND VIOLA:

FOR CELLOS AND BASSES: Start with the slope of the upper leg, where it comes out of the curve of the ear and proceeds down to the bumps. Within the bounds of the minimum dimensions, take away any hump and make a smooth flowing transition from the ear to the lower leg. Now make the ear itself into a round pointed oval (if it is not already) as shown below:

Next, trim out the feet and lower legs. The inner foot curve should be sharper than the outer one. Start to smooth the inner leg surfaces into a nice bottom as in the following manner:

It is in trimming the foot and leg that you are able to do a little shifting in the total bridge width. If you want a narrower bridge, do most of the leg trimming from the outside. It will then be necessary to trim a little from the outside of the feet. Cut the length of each foot down from the inside to a MINIMUM of: violin - 11.5mm, viola - 12.5mm, cello - 23.5mm, and double bass - 43mm.

Final Finishing

Complete all of the fine details remaining at this point, then check the bridge as a whole, focusing on the lines of your curves. The bridge derives a finished look from all the subtle decorative touches, but derives a much more fundamental elegance from the smoothness and balance of your curves as well as from a general perception of style which is consistently executed throughout the bridge. When the trimming-out is essentially complete, use your sample bridge template or calipers to mark out the string notches, spacing them evenly on the bridge. Install the strings and bring them up to a moderate degree of tension. Verify each string's clearance at the end of the fingerboard, and if any adjustments must be made, insert a bridge jack beneath the strings so that you can remove the bridge and make the required adjustments. Replace the bridge, check again, and continue this process until the strings are at their correct heights with respect to the fingerboard. As a final step, place the bridge jack in position and remove the bridge for the last time so you may put the final finishing touches on it. Begin by sanding the surface with fine #320 sandpaper until all marks and blemishes are gone.

How to change a String

by Peter Zaret

Maybe you've broken a string or your strings are frayed or old and dull. The first step is to remove your old string/s. Some people will tell you to NEVER release the tension on all of the strings at once because doing that could unset your sound post or worse, snap the instrument in half. Actually, this last thing never happens. This simplest and easiest is to change only one string at a time.

A tailpiece with four fine tuners

Many student violins will have four fine tuners on the tailpiece. Many higher-end student and conservatory instruments will have only one fine tuner on the high-E string. A lot of violins will also have no fine tuners whatsoever. Each of these configurations works best with different types of strings.

Next, determine what type of strings you have. It may be better to start with a fresh, complete set to avoid having one or two odd strings that could make your tone unbalanced. If you have all four fine tuning mechanisms, you could use steel strings. If you have one tuning mechanism, you could use synthetic/gut strings with a steel E string. If you're using high-end gut strings, you will only need one fine tuner.

You can buy individual strings or sets of strings, and they range in cost from $5 a set to over $100. Be informed about what strings you're buying.

A Pegbox

The actual re-stringing is not that hard. Just copy the way the old string was put on. Place the ball or loop of the string into its appropriate place and run the other end of the string through the hole in the appropriate tuning peg. If you replace one string at a time, you already know which string goes with which peg, assuming the instrument was strung properly when you got it. Make sure the windings of the string are nice and neat. (Note: while the old string is off the peg, now would be a good time to fix it if it sticks or slips.)

If the peg won't hold tune, just gently push it inward a little. It doesn't take much.

How to fix a slipping peg or a stuck peg

Tune the string to pitch! If you left tension on the other strings, this shouldn't take too long. First tune at the peg, then use the fine tuner (if applicable). You're done! Enjoy your newly strung violin! If your pegs are slipping or are too tight to securely adjust the strings, you may want to purchase peg compound (also called "peg dope"), an inexpensive commercial product.

For a temporary quick fix for slipping or tight pegs, you may want to try this: pull the peg partially out, and rub pencil graphite on the sticking part of the peg. For loose pegs, pull the peg partially out, and rub birthday candle wax on the peg to help it stick (some people recommend chalk to help pegs stick, but it's abrasive).

How to find and fix a Violin Buzz

(This section is adapted with permission from an article by Adele Beardsmore and Alan Coggins, published in Stringendo, Journal of the Australian Strings Association, Vol.20, No.2, 1998.)

If you have a buzz on your violin, viola or cello read on -- but don't expect an easy solution.

One of the most vexing problems for both players and repairers is the buzzing instrument. You have probably discovered that buzzes, like toothaches and car noises, have an annoying habit of disappearing just when you go to have them fixed. And even if you can still hear the noise it may not be immediately apparent to your repairer - a buzz typically doesn't carry very far, and may be more of a change in sound quality (such as a gargling or hissing) which is obvious to the owner but not the casual listener.

When confronted with a buzzing instrument the violin repairer usually acquires a thoughtful look, asks some diplomatic questions and does a considerable amount of close listening just to identify the type of noise, before attempting to find a likely cause.

There are some ways in which the player can assist and hopefully speed up this process (which can be quite helpful as the thoughtful look is tiring and difficult to maintain for any length of time). You should note exactly when the buzz occurs (only on open strings, only in 9th position, only when playing Flight of the Bumble Bee?), and also try to describe the noise as accurately as possible (metallic, wooden, rattling, gargling, howling, fuzzy). It is even more helpful (and very impressive) if you can track down the approximate source of the noise, or even discover how to temporarily stop it. For example it may be possible to pinpoint a problem area by having a friend touch or hold various parts of the instrument while you play. Or if you can make the instrument buzz with a strong pizzicato you can pluck with one hand and explore with the other. You may even be able to fix the problem at home if it is something simple, such as a chinrest touching the tailpiece.

Almost every part of your instrument can be a source of unwanted noise. Listed below is a checklist of some of the possible problems, with an indication of the work that would be required to fix them.

STRINGS: All sorts of strange noises can be caused by faulty strings, loose windings, the brass ends of the strings vibrating against the tailpiece, or the ends of the string in the pegbox. If you suspect a string, change it. Also try rewinding the string on the peg, or putting a small leather "washer" between the string end and the tailpiece.

PEGS: Ornaments, collar rings or decorative balls on pegs can come loose and rattle.

NUT: Strings that do not leave the nut cleanly can give a gargling sound on one or more strings. The top edge of the nut next to the fingerboard should be a clean right angle, and the string should leave it precisely at that point (so that there is no gap left under the string). The solution is to replace the nut, unless it is also too high in which case it can be filed down and new grooves cut.

FINGERBOARD: Worn or wrongly shaped fingerboards can cause a variety of noises. The most common problem is insufficient scoop or a bump in one area of the fingerboard which causes the string to vibrate against the ebony when certain notes are played. The solution is to have the fingerboard replaned. Another possibility is that the whole fingerboard may be starting to come free of the neck - this may be a minor regluing job, or if the surfaces are not flat the fingerboard may need to be completely removed and both faces replaned before regluing.

F-HOLES: The top and bottom bends of the f-holes have a very small clearance and this gap can easily become clogged with dirt, resin, sweat, etc. This can cause a noise, so this area should be regularly checked and kept clear.

BRIDGE: Problems can arise from string notches that are too deep, bridge feet not fitting correctly or with dirt or loose varnish under the feet. Check that the bridge is not pulling forward - there should be no gap visible anywhere around the bridge feet. You may need to have a new bridge fitted.

MUTE: If you suspect it, remove it.

TAILPIECE: The fret on the tailpiece (the small ridge) is usually a thin strip of wood set into a slot - this can work loose and rattle. Also check that the tailpiece is not cracked or touching the belly.

ADJUSTERS: These are one of the most common sources of buzzes. Check that all adjuster locking rings are tightened and the adjusters are mid way in their range. Change any adjusters that are doubtful.

TAILGUT: The excess ends of the tailgut should have been trimmed off when the tailpiece was fitted, otherwise they could touch the belly and buzz.

ENDPIN: A cello endpin can rattle in its housing - check that the locking screw is tight.

CHINREST: Make sure that there is a good clearance between the chinrest and tailpiece. Remember that when the instrument is being played chin pressure forces the chinrest closer to the tailpiece.

SEAMS: This is one of the most common area for problems and can usually be fixed quite easily. The belly is only lightly glued to the ribs to facilitate its inevitable removal, so it is not surprising that any excess in humidity or heat will cause an open seam. The solution is quite simple for a professional violin repairer who has the proper glue, and specially designed clamps. The most difficult part of the job can be finding the open section - sometimes the seam can be free behind an intact covering of varnish (or dirt!), or the opening may be at the inside part of a corner block with the outside section still holding. Loose seams are usually found visually (some gentle upward pressure can be applied to look for any signs of give), or by tapping lightly with the knuckle and listening for a change in response.

PURFLING: One of the more obscure sources of a buzz. If the purfling has not been pushed right down into the purfling channel, or if there is a section that was starved of glue, it may be able to rattle in its slot. Also if too much clamp pressure was applied to the edgework during a previous repair the edge may have cracked along the purfling channel. It may be fixed by working thin glue around the purfling and into any gaps.

CRACKS: Open cracks can cause a range of sounds and may appear intact on the outside under a layer of retouching varnish. The solution is to have the crack opened, cleaned and reglued. For a complete job the belly or back may need to be removed and studs or even a patch used to reinforce the cracked area.

SOUNDPOST: A soundpost which does not fit properly or is in the wrong position rarely causes a definite buzz, but it can be responsible for major changes in the quality of the sound. It is worth having the soundpost checked by your instrument repairer.

INTERIOR: There are a number of internal parts inside an instrument that may come loose - linings, bass bar and any studs or patches from previous repair work - and to fix these the belly or back will almost certainly need to be removed. This is a last-resort option, not only because of the major (and expensive) work involved but also because it is impossible to know whether the problem has actually been corrected until the instrument is reassembled.

BOW: Finally, it is possible that the player is touching the string with the bow stick while playing, either from an insufficiently tightened bow or by tilting the bow sideways. The correction of this problem mostly requires tact.

By now you may be thinking that you would have to be very lucky not to have a buzz somewhere on your instrument. Unfortunately as a general rule it is the older and more valuable instruments that are susceptible to many of these problems - they are usually more fragile, have probably had more repair work and the glue may be starting to age and become brittle. The good news is that the problem is usually external - the notorious "loose bass-bar" is in fact very rare.

Just be aware that finding and correcting buzzes can be a one minute job or a long and expensive process, or anything in between. So if you decide to visit your violin repairer between the morning rehearsal and the evening performance hoping to cure a buzz... GOOD LUCK!

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