Violin Flood Damaged, repairable?

[willcall]

Hi all, I was just talking to a lady who had her violin destroyed in the Brisbane flood. It was a 100+year old violin that her father learnt to play on.

I did not get to see the violin but she said it was all in pieces from the water damage.

I told her about the talented people on this forum.

Does anyone know if it would be repairable?

Cheers, Will

[1st Bass]

Yes, it is repairable...one of the beauties of hide glue and the violin-family instruments. You have many good luthiers there, and virtually any of them should be able to do it. I don't think it would be cost effective to send it here, or I would volunteer.

Chet

[willcall]

Thanks, I'll let her know.

Will

Yes, it is repairable...one of the beauties of hide glue and the violin-family instruments. You have many good luthiers there, and virtually any of them should be able to do it. I don't think it would be cost effective to send it here, or I would volunteer.

Chet

[kiwigeo]

Matthew is the big violin repair guru....best person in here I can think of to do such a repair job.

[J.F. Custom]

Hi Will.

Chances are very much that it's repairable.

It depends to what level they want to restore it though - reassembly and set-up is one thing; complete re-finish another. Obviously it has sentimental value to her at least.

In any case, best to have it assessed by someone that knows. As the instrument is in Bris-vegas, I'd recommend taking it to Ilja Grawert (pronounced - il'ya) in Wooloongabba. DISCLAIMER - He is a personal colleague and friend of mine; but he is also a master craftsman of Violins, traditionally trained in Germany as was his father before him etc. Very capable of the job - he'd be able to assess and carry out any work should she wish to go ahead with it.

Hope it helps.

Jeremy.

[willcall]

Thanks guys.

I'll pass on the information.


Cheers, Will

[matthew]

Matthew is the big violin repair guru....best person in here I can think of to do such a repair job.

Thanks for the lead but I'll stick to basses and cellos. I find violins too fiddly.

[Matt Bach]

[Clancy]

I'd recommend taking it to Ilja Grawert (pronounced - il'ya) in Wooloongabba

There was a piece about him in the Courier Mail a little while back.

[P Bill]

I'd second Ilja Grawert. Fantastic luthier and very enthusiastic about his work. When I started fiddling he worked on my fiddle and took one of my fiddle display cabinets in trade for a viola and bow. He keeps his student grad. violin in it. I'm quite chuffed about that.

I asked him to critique my first elect. D. B. and got a lesson and patterns for the nut, bridge, fingerboard and proper fingerboard relief. So yeah, if anyone can restore that fiddle to the highset level...he da man.