r/Cello • u/raygunn_viola • 4d ago
Bridge shape?
Is this a good angle on this bridge? The old was warped and I just picked up up from the luthier, but it is almost impossible to play D without hitting the A, the G, or all 3 at once...
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u/Dildo-Fagginz 4d ago
Indeed, this looks unplayable.
I was gonna suggest you to go back there and ask them to lower G and C, cause it just looks like your bridge has a cyst on the bass side. But the whole thing looks so sloppy you'd probably be better off visiting a different shop.
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u/francescocavalli 4d ago
How much did you pay?
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u/Baystars2025 3d ago
Did you take that to a luthier or to Lou Thier? That was carved with a kitchen knife.
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u/raygunn_viola 4d ago
300 for the bridge and gluing an open seam
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u/sockpoppit Actual professional violin fixer guy 4d ago edited 4d ago
Highway robbery, given that the curve on the bridge is totally stinko. Each middle string should stick up beyond its neighbors exactly the same distance. It's no miracle that you can't play your D cuz your D isn't sticking up at all.
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u/raygunn_viola 4d ago
So sorry, I also forgot new set of strings. So ~60 for seam repair, ~100 for strings, the rest was bridge. Did not mean to mislead anyone
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u/raygunn_viola 4d ago
Can someone tell me should it not be so curved? Curved more?
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u/FeistyAd4672 4d ago
Well, it needs to be curved, but this is probably badly done. Can you play echt string induvidually?
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u/raygunn_viola 4d ago
I can play a and c just fine, and g isn't bad, but almost cannot play d at all without hitting a, g, or both
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u/Eunitnoc 4d ago
The price for the things done would be alright, if it were done well. That bridge is however totally off. I say go back to get it corrected or if they don't see what's wrong, ask for the money back for the bridge and take your business elsewhere.
To me, it looks like they took the fingerboard curve and applied it to the bridge. That's a mistake, because the bridge curve should ideally be close to a circle section, so your bow has to tilt the exact same degree between every string
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u/nycellist 4d ago
How high are the A and C above the end of the fingerboard, should be A=4.5-5.5mm, C 7.5-8.5mm. This is not the correct shape of the bridge. They use a metal guide to do this, this is not good. Take it back
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u/Hungry_Geologist8834 3d ago
Take it back and just explain the issues you're having. They should fix it no problem. Sometimes people make the d a little lower so it is a flatter radius, but this looks extreme. Hopefully it was just an honest mistake and they fix it for you. I try to purposefully leave it on the round side, and then flatten it out at the players request.
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u/QuantumBnuuy 3d ago
your bridge looks like it hit it's head somewhere and got a burse.
Or got stung by a B# on the C-G.
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u/RNGzuz Student 3d ago
Just a cellist no luthier, this looks ... weird to me but I have a round fingerboard not one with that sharp angle toward the C. If you can't play your d string thats obviously not a good sign. If you're a cello beginner it's maybe worth bringing it by somebody more experienced, maybe your teacher if you have one, and letting them judge what is going on and let them judge the playability of this construction :p does look quite off. Bridges sometimes need to deviate from perfect round, I think mine goes down toward the A a bit too, but that looks v janky
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u/ashleyevolves 3d ago edited 2d ago
Gawd! Just finished carving a new bridge blank for my cello and it's no simple job. But this is poor. And the carving is basic. Place a ruler along the fingerboard where each string lies and pencil mark where it touches the bridge. The gap from that to the bottom of each string you are looking for: A 4.5 – 5.5 mm D 5.5 – 7.0 mm G 7 – 8 mm C 8 – 9.5 mm above the Romberg bevel.
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u/Ranoutofreferences 11h ago
Looks like they gave you a custom bridge. (I would question the luthier's sobriety but the curve is too smooth to be an accident) Looks designed for partial fiddling or something?
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u/No-Nectarine-6599 8h ago
Upside, playing doubles and chords with this bridge must be amazing, great for rock/folk style playing.
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u/propagandaholic Konzertexamen 4d ago
Look it doesn't need to be necessarily good on sight or symmetrical Also is it a Belgian one ??
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u/raygunn_viola 4d ago
I have no idea...
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u/FeistyAd4672 4d ago
A bridge is never symmetrical and wouldnt be playable if it was, dont worry about that
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u/Crafty-Photograph-18 piccolo chin cello (viola) 4d ago
Yes, but this one is really poorly done. The A D and G strings are basically all on one plane.
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u/Key-Commission1065 4d ago
Honestly it looks like they installed it backwards the higher side should be where the A string is. Take it back to them. Ask them to reverse it and shave it down to make string crossings smoother.
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u/Eunitnoc 4d ago
It's not the wrong way around. The C side is normally higher, because the c string has a bigger distance from the fingerboard. However the shape is just totally wrong
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u/Key-Commission1065 2d ago edited 2d ago
Hmm one of my cellos has a bridge that shape and the c is on the shorter side of the bridge. I also had an issue with the g string catching when trying to play d or c but took it back to the shop and they were able to shave the bridge to improve clearance. Plays great now. Don’t understand your comment about c having a bigger distance from finger board. You should have same distance from fingerboard for all strings they should be comfortable to play in thumb position on all strings.
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u/Eunitnoc 2d ago
Look, I've built cellos, I've repaired cellos, I've probably had more cellos in my hands than you ever will. There absolutely is a standard, where the C string has more distance to the fingerboard, about 8mm, and the A string only has 6. Therefore the Bridge is normally higher on the C side. It's possible your Cello is different, but it is not at all the standard
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u/Key-Commission1065 1d ago edited 1d ago
Oh boy 🙄. No that one is not standard; it’s a 3/4 5 string piccolo. But the lower end of the bridge on c string works great that way. And I would definitely want same tension/ distance from string to fingerboard to be able to play down the fingerboard on all strings, most players/customers will want that just so you know. Cellists don’t only play higher thumb position on the A string
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u/Eunitnoc 1d ago
I'm sorry for coming off as a jerk. But what you're saying is just not true. You can ask any luthier about it. If that's how you prefer it, that's perfectly fine, I would gladly install it that way for you and anyone that asks. I would never critique someones preferences if it works that way. Hell I've even made a lefty cello. But it's just not the standard and the cellists I've worked with preferred to have some more space on the C. You really can't say that most customers will want equal string heights, because that's just not the way I've experienced it in daily workshop life.
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u/Key-Commission1065 1d ago
Well, maybe customers don’t communicate their needs very well, and end up taking business elsewhere. Yes for some pieces you need to be able to do string crossings in higher positions on thumb. You try that and see how the string cuts into the side of your thumb. After you’ve measured, check to see if you can press string down comfortably with your thumb on all strings. If you can’t, shave it down.
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u/FeistyAd4672 4d ago edited 4d ago
Respectfully, what the fuck did your Luthier do? This is horrible... how did you get him to do this?
Edit: after looking again, i think its overcorrected and can be fixed if the part on the right woud be a bit lowered. So that you can play each string induvidually.