This cello came in after a fall; nothing catastrophic, but enough to break a leg and reopen an old soundpost crack under the bridge area. The crack had been repaired long ago, though the top had lifted slightly higher on one side. To correct it, I made a small mold to match the top’s curvature, attached a clamping board across the back (secured by the ribs), and used a heavy clamp on the high side with a smaller one to draw in the low side. After drying overnight, I was ready to fit a new bridge. When I went to reinstall the soundpost, it was clear the old one was too short and didn’t seat correctly. Rather than charge for a full new post, I decided to experiment -- extending the post slightly, gluing and pinning the joint for strength. That small adjustment gave me a clean fit to both top and bottom. Once strung up, I let the bridge settle and adjusted the string height the next day. The cello responded beautifully, a satisfying reminder that even a small, careful repair can bring an instrument back to life. - Create Top Mold: Make a small mold that matches the top’s curvature.
- Install Back Clamp Board: Attach a clamping board across the back, held in place by the ribs.
- Position Main Clamp: Place the heavy clamp exactly where it needs to be.
- Clamp the High Side: Apply pressure on the higher side of the crack.
- Draw in the Low Side: Use a small clamp to pull the lower side of the crack inward.
- Dry Overnight: Leave the instrument clamped and let the repair set fully.
- Fit New Bridge: The next day, fit the new cello bridge.
- Settle Under Tension: After fitting, tune the cello and let it sit overnight before final height adjustments.
- Reinstall Soundpost: Attempt to put the soundpost back in, but realize it’s too short and the angles no longer match.
- Stand the Post: Get the short post standing and let the cello settle until the next day.
- Try a Post Extension: To avoid charging for a new post, experiment with extending the old one.
- Lengthen the Post: Make it slightly longer, then glue and pin the extension securely.
- Refit Properly: The extension provides enough length to fit both the top and bottom cleanly.
- Sound Test: String it up and see how it responds — surprisingly well for a first-time experiment.
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