Cardiff Violins started life as a workshop, originally servicing musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Welsh National Opera, local amateur players, teachers and music students. Today, the workshop is still very much at the heart of our activity, with all our customers’ instruments dealt with in-house. When you bring an instrument to us for advice on set-up, repair and restoration, you will be met by a member of our workshop team, who will give your instrument a full assessment. But please call for an appointment with a luthier as they can organise their work around the time of your arrival (some jobs cannot be interrupted). We offer the following services:
This includes all the work needed to bring an instrument back to playing condition after deterioration due to age, lack of care, playing, storage in damp places, worm damage, etc. This may involve any or all of the following:
Making and fitting new top block Resetting proper neck elevation
Crack repairs
Retouching varnish
New blocs
Rib shortening
New bass-bar
Tonal adjustment
Recovering shape and alignment
Rib shortening
Resetting-up
Repairs
This includes all the work needed when an instrument has been broken in an accident.
Making neck graft
Neck graft
Scroll repairs
Sound-post patches (belly and back)
Peg box repairs
Resetting proper neck elevation
Crack repairs anywhere on the instrument
Retouching the varnish
Resetting up
New bass-bar
Tonal adjustment
If your instrument has been damaged in an accident, please contact your insurance company immediately to proceed with a claim. You will then need to bring your instrument to us for an estimate. The quicker you act the quicker you can get your instrument back. However, repairs can sometimes take a long time. If you are insured with one of our partner insurance companies, we will lend you an instrument whilst we repair yours. If you are not insured yet for your instruments, do not wait for an accident to happen.
Set Ups
Our set-ups can include any or all of the work below:
Carving a violin bridge
New set of pegs fitted, either wooden or Wittner Finetune-Pegs, or existing pegs repaired
Nut corrected or replaced to achieve correct string height at the nut end, proper spacing between the strings, and comfort when playing
Fingerboard shot or dressed in order to achieve correct string clearance, stop buzzes, and remove any grooves in the ebony
Bridge fitted to achieve the correct string height, comfort when playing, and a balanced sound
Sound-post adjusted or replaced
Tailpiece fitted with correct measurements
New strings fitted
Instrument played and tonally adjusted in-house prior to being picked up by the customer
Over the years Chris and Cecile have always made time to remedy any problems I might have, and we are very lucky in Cardiff to have such a wonderful, friendly service close at hand.
1st Violinist in the BBC National Orchestra of Wales
I can't thank you enough for the considerable time and trouble spent on restoring and voicing my violin and viola. Your quest in satisfying my demands for workmanship and tone production with these instruments is very much appreciated.
Prof. Viola & Violin, RWCMD Cardff & Trinity College London
Stunning!! I have been playing some of the Bach Cello Suites this week; the tone and resonance are outstanding. Not sure what you did with the new bridge, and sound post placement, but it has made a good instrument exceptional.
I just wanted to say a very big "thank you" to all of you for your hard work on my violin. It arrived safely this morning, and is barely recognisable! You take so much pride in your work and it shines through in all you do.
The new cello is superbly set up and I am delighted with it. I had a relaxed and pleasant buying experience, Chris and Cecile are very laid back and clearly know their stuff.
The violin now sounds the best it ever has and the set up from Cardiff Violins was far superior to the original set up from the maker. Thank you so much Joe!
