bryan Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 I am wanting to change the bridge on my Gliga violin because the one's that come from the factory are said to be not too high in quality and many have changed the factory bridge with much improvement to the tone. I am looking on-line but I don't know how I can tell the quality of the bridges and how one differs from the other. I could just purchase the most expensive one but I would rather have a bit more knowledge as to "why" I am purchasing the expensive one. Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nertz Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Raw bridges or bridge blanks that are available to buy will need fitting and finishing to the particular instrument that you want to use it on, and although this can be done by most people, to get a noticeable improvement on your instrument you may want to consider having it done by a professional violin maker. If you go down this route then he/she will have their own materials for the job that they know better and may not be interested in you providing a bridge for them to fit. If you decide to have a go fitting a bridge yourself you will find there is such a diversity of ideas about what works best and what doesn’t, in the end only your own experience will let you know what type of bridge blank works best for you. As far as the quality of blank is concerned, I’d recommend not going for the most expensive, these are not going to give noticeable advantages when used by someone that is not very experienced and even the most experienced makers/repairers often go for a lower quality then the most expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Darnton Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 If you don't want to fit your own bridge, a cheap thing to try is one of the bridges with socket-fit floating feet that adjust to any violin. Makers don't like them (philosophical issues, mostly, I think), but I use one as a test bridge, and I've never found it as horrible as its reputed to be. It's certainly the best approach for someone who wants to experiment without either a lot of money or bridge-fitting experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryan Posted March 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Thanks all, I plan on having it done professionally as I haven't fitted a bridge before and I want it to be it's best. I have heard good things about Aubert Mirecourt bridges. I see some with an ebony insert for the E string. Is this for wear purposes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolo Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Even if having a luthier do it, you may want to select or specify a good blank. Among the available violin bridges in various price ranges that I have used, my overall favorite is the Aubert bridge (model #7?) that usually sells for somewhere between $6 and $8, depending on who you buy it from. You can distinguish this one from other Aubert models by the stamp. http://www.internationalviolin.com/itemd...=21&item=59 http://www.violins.on.ca/bridges.html The ebony inserts are intended to protect the top edge of the bridge from the E string, but they are not necessary, nor are they a good idea because they can come loose and at least in theory, can alter the tone of the E string. For extra protection of the bridge you can have a little piece of animal parchment glued on under the E string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellow Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 You find the bridge you need, ie. softer or harder, higher or lower, thicker or thiner, more weight or less, big feet or small feet, symmetrical or not, more cut-out or less etc. If you want more expensive bridge, send the extra money to me. (Thank you in advance.) /yuen/ (Love kidding) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_Rocca Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Hi Bryan, what I would suggest is that since you are going to have the bridge made professionally, you might as well let the violin luthier make the choice of picking the right bridge for your violin. If you insist in buying your own bridge just for experience, I would reccomend you to buy the Aubert Deluxe bridge and buy like 10 of them, let your luthier pick the right one and ask him why he chose the particular one and learn from it. I would still go for the first one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackc Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 10 Aubert De Luxe bridges will cost you about $125 + shipping, and will probably be a lifetime supply, unless you are going to make violins or do setups. Your Gliga violin won't know the De Luxe from the #7, and almost certainly won't know one from the next. Just get a #7 or two. The luthier's fitting of the bridge will be much more important than the blank bridge, as long as you get a decent one. And the luthier will be able to advise you, so just use what s/he offers you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_Rocca Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Thats why Im suggesting him just to let the luthier pick the bridge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regis Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Quote: "just to let the luthier pick the bridge! " Agree. If you won't trust your luthier to pick the best blank, then you sure don't want to let him/her cut the bridge for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ispirati Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Since we are on the topic of Bridge quality... Does anyone have any experience with Despiau's bridges? To me, they seem much harder than Aubert's bridges. How does the "hardness" effect the tone and response in general? But, the Despiau wood seems to be less figured than the Aubert... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nertz Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 I quite like the Despiau bridges; they have more wood to cut away then the Aubert ones which for me is an advantage as it gives me more choice where to remove wood and where to leave it. The thing I don’t like so much about them is that they seem to blunt me knives quicker then Aubert or Stamm blanks, I’m not sure if this is because the shape is cut with a laser (I think) and leaves the area around the cuts very hard. They may feel harder then the Aubert ones but from the ones I have here in my workshop I find the Aubert ones crisper which I like. The other supplier who makes very nice blanks is Milo Stamm at http://www.geigenstege.de/catalog/index2.htm At the moment they are my first choice……. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turquoise Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 "QUOTE :" 10 Aubert De Luxe bridges will cost you about $125 + shipping Where?? Could you post a link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryan Posted March 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Thanks to all of you for your help. I will let the luthier make his/her own choice for my violin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ispirati Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Nertz... I think the Despiau bridge uses harder wood in general. It is not just the edge is harder, it is the entire bridge blank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nertz Posted March 21, 2005 Report Share Posted March 21, 2005 Possibly….maybe I just have a particularly soft batch of Despiau and at particularly nice batch of Aubert blanks….. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackc Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Quote: "QUOTE :" 10 Aubert De Luxe bridges will cost you about $125 + shipping Where?? Could you post a link? They are listed in the International Violin print catalog, but the last time I asked, a few weeks ago, they were not in stock, and they aren't in the web catalog at all. But the price in the catalog is 12.75 each. OK, so that's $127.50. I was never good at math... So there is no link to the De Luxe, only to the #7, and that link is posted above. You can call 800-542-3538 and ask. Stock number 61, number 59 for the Aubert #7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMORI Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 I have had very differing results from my "adjustable" bridge. On some violins it sounds better than any bridge I can make/shape but on others it sounds diabolical. I can't figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomroth Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Despiau are the best ones I've ever seen and Jean-louis (Despiau) is a guy who REALLY loves his job. He will help you for the right choice http://www.chevalets-despiau.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlecollector Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Just having a quick look around at US suppiers, most seem to be in the 30$ region (which is about the same as over in the U.K around 15 GBP),are you sure it was the `deluxe` version or the newer `Luxe` version? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryan Posted March 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Are the self fitting violin bridges worth a try? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Darnton Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Not if you have a violin maker who'll do the job for you. And if you do, the blank he uses isn't nearly as important as what he does with it, so choose him carefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turquoise Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Thanks jackc, De luxe (treated) is ussually out stock, that is wahy I asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fellow Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Hi All, Here is a question to show how experienced your are? "When you cut a bridge, which part you cut first? Top or feet? " (My answer feet). Any experienced luthier will tell you why? Please figure it out, and post. /yuen/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddycreek Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 You need to fit the feet so thet you can get the correct string height. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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