About the service
I start every job with an unhurried inspection of the cello and the bow together. I look at the top and ribs under raking light, check the seams, the neck angle, the fingerboard, the nut and saddle, how the pegs turn and whether the endpin locks firmly. Then I play the instrument and tell you plainly what needs doing now, what can wait for the next season and what the whole job will cost, before I pick up a single tool.
Most of my work is structural and setup work. I close cracks in the top and ribs with hide glue, add cleats where the crack needs support, and retouch the varnish so the repair stays discreet. I fit a new bridge to the feet and arching of your particular top, set string height and spacing, and fit the soundpost, then move it in small steps while we listen together until the instrument speaks evenly across all four strings. I also dress the fingerboard, recut the nut, refit pegs so they hold pitch, replace worn endpins and prepare student cellos for exams with a reliable, playable setup.
A few honest warnings. Please do not move the soundpost or the bridge yourself: if the bridge starts leaning or slipping, loosen the strings a little and bring the cello to me. Keep the instrument at stable humidity and never leave it in a car. Workshop and historically significant instruments I take on only after we agree the scope of work in writing, and I photograph the instrument before, during and after the job.
— inspection of cello and bow with a written list of work
— gluing cracks in the top and ribs, cleats and varnish retouch
— soundpost fitting and adjustment by ear with you present
— new bridge cut to the top, string height and spacing
— fingerboard dressing, new or recut nut
— peg refitting so the strings hold their tuning
— endpin replacement, fresh strings
— exam preparation for student instruments
— seasonal check-ups before the heating season and in spring
— typical turnaround 7 to 14 days depending on the repair
Most of my work is structural and setup work. I close cracks in the top and ribs with hide glue, add cleats where the crack needs support, and retouch the varnish so the repair stays discreet. I fit a new bridge to the feet and arching of your particular top, set string height and spacing, and fit the soundpost, then move it in small steps while we listen together until the instrument speaks evenly across all four strings. I also dress the fingerboard, recut the nut, refit pegs so they hold pitch, replace worn endpins and prepare student cellos for exams with a reliable, playable setup.
A few honest warnings. Please do not move the soundpost or the bridge yourself: if the bridge starts leaning or slipping, loosen the strings a little and bring the cello to me. Keep the instrument at stable humidity and never leave it in a car. Workshop and historically significant instruments I take on only after we agree the scope of work in writing, and I photograph the instrument before, during and after the job.
— inspection of cello and bow with a written list of work
— gluing cracks in the top and ribs, cleats and varnish retouch
— soundpost fitting and adjustment by ear with you present
— new bridge cut to the top, string height and spacing
— fingerboard dressing, new or recut nut
— peg refitting so the strings hold their tuning
— endpin replacement, fresh strings
— exam preparation for student instruments
— seasonal check-ups before the heating season and in spring
— typical turnaround 7 to 14 days depending on the repair
