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RESTORATION and ACCIDENT REPAIR

Since 2015 I have stopped accepting repair or restoration jobs and am concentrating on making new instruments. This page remains up as part of my resume. 

Providing repair and restoration services to the trade has been one half of my business for 20 years. I trained at Bein and Fushi under Russell Wagner, the country’s foremost cello restoration specialist. Since then the bulk of my restoration work has been contract jobs for other violin shops, preparing instruments for resale. My regular customers include Bein & Fushi, Reuning & Son, and Roland Feller. Because we don’t have the distractions  of a general retail violin shop we can focus on major repairs and restorations and our turn around times tend to be much shorter. Our restoration services include major accident repair. We welcome inquiries from players and dealers.
Players – If the unthinkable has happened and your instrument needs immediate accident repair, all is not lost.  Give us a call.

Dealers – If your repair shop is at capacity and you are having to defer taking new jobs from customers, consider either referral or out-sourcing to us. If you are considering purchasing an instrument or helping a customer sell a fine violin, we can help get it ready to show

Accident repair

David Tecchler, major accident repair

Many years experience rebuilding badly damaged instruments.

We have developed many specialized techniques. You’d be amazed at what we can salvage.

Restoration

Ballestrieri, prepared for sale
20 years working primarily for the trade.

Customers include Bein and Fushi of Chicago, Roland Feller of San Francisco, Reuning and Son of Boston, Machold of New York

Varnish

Heberlein, missing-varnish restoration

Expertise solving tricky violin varnish problems.

We are conservative and have a pretty good understanding of what can and cannot be done.
Before

Odoardi

This Odoardi had been patched previously and only a very thin, damaged skin of original wood remained……

After

Odoardi

We first fitted a small through patch to stabilize the broken area and then fitted a regular soundpost patch.

Before

Heberline

When it came to us more than half of the varnish on this Heberline had been removed….

After

Heberline

Saving the original varnish, we matched in the missing areas.

Before

Mouse-chewed f-hole

While this cello was in storage, a mouse opened up the f-hole and nested inside.
(Don’t let this happen to you, Practice every day!)

After

Mouse-chewed f-hole

 

Before

Francesco Ruggieri

Ruggieri violin with nasty cracks and non-original button.

After

Francesco Ruggieri

I repaired the cracks and replaced the button, but I can’t remember why we opted not to replace the badly worn edge at the same time. It’s good to be conservative, but sometimes a timely repair prevents a more invasive repair later.

Before

Richard Duke rib repair

Rib salvage on this Duke violin

After

Richard Duke rib repair

 

Before

Dall’Aglio

Another replacement of a non-original button.

After

Dall’Aglio

 

Before

Balestrieri

A typical redoux job of the aging repairs on this fine Balestrieri Violin.

After

Balestrieri

 

Before

David Tecchler

Another “Sit on” job. I had to come up with some innovative techniques to salvage this Tecchler.

After

David Tecchler

In the end 98% of the original wood was saved.