Professional vs Basic Bridge: Choosing the Right Bridge for your Instrument
The bridge is a small piece of maple, but it has a big job. It supports the strings, transfers their vibration to the instrument, and along with string choice and soundpost position, it is one of the primary means of affecting the tone, response, and playability of your instrument. Every bridge starts as a "blank," or a generic piece of wood that needs to be custom fit to the curvature of your instrument, such as that shown below:
At Kitsap Violins, we offer two levels of bridge service: Basic and Professional. Both take a bridge blank and properly fit it to the individual instrument, providing a very playable setup. The difference is in the level of customization, materials, and hand finishing. In one sentence, I finish every surface of a Professional bridge with a cutting tool such as knives, scrapers, and planes, while a Basic bridge will often finish a surface with sandpaper. Let's dive into why that matters!
Basic Bridge
A Basic Bridge uses a quality Despiau blank and is fitted specifically to your instrument. The height, string spacing, action, and curvature are set to standard dimensions that work well for most players.
The bridge receives the necessary shaping and fitting, but with less decorative carving and hand finishing than a Professional Bridge. The feet are fitted using a precision sanding method that produces an excellent fit.
This is a good choice for:
Students and beginners
Fractional-size instruments
Instruments that don't need extensive tonal customization
Players looking for a well-made, economical bridge
With reasonable care, a Basic Bridge should typically last around a decade. Here's what one may look like:
Professional Bridge
A Professional Bridge starts with a Despiau 3-Tree blank, selected for its high-quality maple. Material quality is one of the most significant factors in violin making, and so we start off with the best material. Every surface is finished with knives and other cutting tools. That means that the feet are individually chalk fit with knife and scraper work, allowing them to conform precisely to the arching of the instrument. The bridge is also positioned according to the instrument's acoustical center, rather than simply centered on the fingerboard.
More time is spent shaping the bridge's heart, kidneys, wings, and other areas to refine its response and emphasize the tonal characteristics that suit the instrument. I can also adjust the action, curvature, and other dimensions to suit your playing style and preferences.
The finishing touches include decorative carving, a parchment on the highest string, and a light burnishing that gives the new maple a warm, lambent appearance rather than the harsh look of unfinished wood.
The combination of better wood, precise geometry, and careful construction means a Professional Bridge can reasonably last for decades with proper care. Here's a professional bridge that I carved; I love adding the subtle curves that make the bridge look like a flower.
Hardanger and Baroque Bridges
Hardanger fiddle bridges are made differently. Rather than using commercially available blanks—which tend to be poor-quality wood with poorly suited designs—I cut these bridges from carefully selected raw maple. This allows the bridge to be designed specifically for the instrument and its sympathetic strings. Similar techniques are used for custom Baroque-style bridges, which are far less standardized than the modern violin bridge.
Hardanger and Baroque bridges are therefore available only as Professional Bridge services. Here is a beautiful Hardanger fiddle bridge cut for a customer:
When Do You Need a New Bridge?
Bridges gradually wear from string pressure and repeated adjustments. Signs that yours may need attention include:
It has become noticeably warped and no longer stands up straight.
The strings have worn deep grooves into it.
Its shape has changed enough to affect playability or tone.
I can sometimes straighten a warped bridge, but once a bridge has warped, it is often nearing the end of its useful life. I generally recommend planning on a replacement within the following year.
Taking Care of Your Bridge
A little maintenance can add years to a bridge's life.
Most importantly, keep it straight. From the tailpiece side, the back of the bridge should remain approximately 90° to the top of the instrument. Tuning gradually pulls the bridge toward the fingerboard, so check its position periodically.
Also watch the string grooves. Strings should sit in shallow grooves rather than cutting deeply into the maple. If you notice the bridge beginning to warp or the grooves becoming deep, have it checked before the problem becomes more serious.
Whether you choose a Basic or Professional Bridge, the goal is the same: a bridge that fits your instrument properly and allows it to play its best. The Professional service simply gives me considerably more time and material to refine that result for the instrument and player.