Repairs

Last update 1st April 2023

It is an unfortunate fact of life that violins and bows are quite fragile and often require repairs. In addition, some parts (bridges, fingerboards, bow hair, etc.) wear out and need replacing. This can be expensive, particularly if you go to the wrong person. I've lost count of the times I have had work brought to me after another repairer (usually a shop) has declared it 'not worth the trouble'. In most cases I am able to carry out repairs at a price that makes it well worth doing (though I can't promise that it will always be the case).

I deal in sensible cost-effective repair work on all violin family instruments, and I have more than 25 years experience in this field. I do all the work myself and so can keep the costs to a reasonable level. Whatever the damage to your instrument I am happy to advise on repairs, give an estimate of cost and to undertake work as discussed. Where required I am happy to give a written quotation.

Bow repairs are a speciality of mine. Not only the routine work of re-hairing, replacing tip faces or lapping (the photo shows some tinsel lapping I have done), but also more serious work such as bushing, frog repairs and even pinning heads, splicing or repairing broken sticks. I aim to make effective repairs that keep the bow useable - I do not claim to be an expert restorer though I will undertake such work when required. I am used to handling bows by top makers, including W.E. Hill and Sons, Tubbs, Morizot, Sartory, etc. but most of my work is on bows of less exalted status: players' bows that need to be kept in playing condition, not collectors bows whose value needs to be kept up.

I charge £40.00 / hour (inclusive of VAT) for my labour. Any parts required are priced as shown elsewhere on the website.

Bow re-hairing: £38.00 for violin / viola bows and £40.00 for 'cello bows . For double bass bow rehairs please contact me as price varies according to the type of hair required

Typical charges are £25.00 - £35.00 for fitting a violin bridge, depending on the quality of bridge chosen, and £40.00 - £55.00 for fitting a set of new violin pegs, again depending on the chosen pegs.

These photos are of a 'cello bow that came in for repair. As you can see, the head and the frog were damaged, the stick was worn at the handle, and the mortice was badly cut about. The remit was to make it solid and useable, but to leave it in a condition matching the age of the bow, so not to remove all signs of wear.

The frog was repaired with new wood. The mortice has been blocked to the correct length and the stick has been bushed, leaving a good nipple for the adjuster to register on. The wear in the stick was filled with a clear filler. The point of the head has been repaired with wood to give a better line, and a new tip face has been fitted

Photos: left, before repair, : right, after repair