Repairing and Restoration

Repairing and Restoration

Our main aim when repairing or restoring instruments is to bring them as close as possible to their original state. Many repairs, even those commonly carried out in Europe, damage the original performance of the instrument. At CHACONNE, restoration is carried out in a way that is the least stressful on the instrument and does not damage its original rich sound.
Bodies of old Italian violins that have been brought close to their original condition are regularly balanced in strength (pitch) when tapped to check the pitch. We have discovered over many years of repairing and restoring old Italian instruments that the makers had created instruments with an ideal structure that transmitted vibrations efficiently by balancing the strength (pitch) of the instrument as a whole. In restoration and sound adjustment, we use a unique technique that applies the theory of balancing the strength obtained from them.
This allows us to make adjustments that bring out the fullest potential of the instrument, not only in the treble, but also in the mid and bass tones.

To restore cracked instruments, we use Washi, Japanese paper, instead of a wooden patch. In the case of post-patching or half-edging, we check the strength by pitch and the instruments are repaired without harming its original performance.
As the strength of the wood itself changes with age, we select materials from our stock of old wood that are close to the original.
The bass bars are also made in the same method.
In some cases, where a later hard varnish has been applied for repairs, the excess varnish is removed and the original condition restored.