Featured Shop Procedure
 

Over the years even great instruments experience routine treatment that results in conditions that must be corrected through careful restoration. Such was the case with a 1734 Guarneri del Gesu that was brought to Gregg Alf. The belly of this instrument had suffered considerable wear from periodic sound post adjustments. The following images display the process that Gregg Alf undertook to correct this problem.

     You may click on any of the images to see a larger version but note that to preserve quality, images have not been compressed and may take longer to load.

 
 
dg01.jpg (66053 bytes)
1. Top of a 1734 Del Gesu		 dg02.jpg (81220 bytes)
2. Inside of belly showing soundpost wear. Note that there was also a previous patch.		 dg03.jpg (86966 bytes)
3. This close-up shows why string players should not attempt to adjust their own sound posts.
dg04.jpg (65376 bytes)
4. Gregg has made a cast (seen through the f-hole) to support the work. He has also made a paper mask that will be used to align the patch.		 dg05.jpg (41441 bytes)
5. This image displays a close-up of the worn wood being removed with a chisel. Next the same area will be carefully scraped.		 dg06.jpg (109879 bytes)
6. With the patch, mask and surface prepared, Gregg is ready to fit the patch.
 

dg07.jpg (81915 bytes)
7. With the patch, mask and surface prepared, Gregg is ready to fit the patch.

 dg08.jpg (86530 bytes)
8. The mask is removed.		  

dg09.jpg (43168 bytes)
9. Cleats are prepared.
dg10.jpg (74395 bytes)
10. Chalk is used to achieve
a perfect fit.		 dg11.jpg (74207 bytes)
11. Glueing		  

dg12.jpg (49125 bytes)
12. With the cast supporting the work, the patch is glued.
dg13.jpg (41308 bytes)
13. Clamping the patch in place		  

dg14.jpg (49933 bytes)
14. Once in place the cleats will allow the patch to be removed and replaced in the same position during fitting.

  

dg15.jpg (72173 bytes)
15. The cleats have now been removed.
 

 

dg16.jpg (63603 bytes)
16. After the glue is dry, the excess wood is removed.

  

 

dg17.jpg (63114 bytes)
17. A paper separator helps to remove the working stock from the base of the patch.

 dg18.jpg (61133 bytes)
18. Here we have the base of the patch prior to final trimming with gouge, plane, then scraper. Note that the one-grain clockwise rotatation is no longer in fashion in many restoration shops.
  dg19.jpg (68394 bytes)
19. The job is done!		  
 
     

 
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email: violins@alfstudios.com