Restoration

Crack repair

The fragile top of Spruce often needs repair of cracks due to weather conditions or incidents.

Some cracks need special attention for the position (bassbar or soundpost area) or the difficulty in handling the numerous clamps.

Sometimes the new bassbar is fitted over the studs that cover a repaired bassbar crack.

Often a plaster cast is needed to support the fragile top during restoration, or during arching corrections.

Old repairs often need further reinfeocement to ensure stability for future use.

The material for a patch must match the original wood as good as possible to avoid acoustical degradation.

After 2 new inserts this top is ready to receive a new bassbar.

Also the Maple back might need restoration of a soundpost crack.

Here the plaster cast gives support of the soundpost crack patch and for the newly added upper edge.

This old repair needs replacement in order to improve stability and future use.

The carving of the new pegbox in the style of the original volute.

Some pegs need rebushing with identical maple and grain direction to avoid further deterioration of the already heavily damaged scroll.

Special care is given to the retouching of the original varnish.