How we prepare new instruments for their players

When an instrument joins the Young Strings Foundation collection, we do not assume that it is ready to be played.

It may have been purchased from a dealer, donated by a family, or spent many years carefully stored in a case. It might already be a very good instrument. But that is different from being an instrument we are prepared to place in the hands of a developing young musician.

Before any violin, viola or cello leaves YSF on loan, it goes through a process of assessment, preparation and documentation.

Some instruments need very little. Others require considerably more.

The objective is always the same: to understand the instrument, address anything that needs attention and allow it to perform as well as it reasonably can.

First, we establish what we have

The process begins with the instrument itself. We record its dimensions, condition, identifying marks, labels, brands and any known history or provenance. Where attribution is uncertain, we are careful not to turn possibility into fact. An old label inside a violin is interesting, but it does not necessarily tell us who made it.

The condition of the instrument is then assessed. With older string instruments, previous repair is perfectly normal. A well repaired crack, for example, need not prevent an instrument from having a long and productive musical life. What matters is that repairs are stable and that there are no structural issues which could deteriorate during use.

Seams, cracks, neck alignment, fingerboard, pegs, bridge and fittings all need consideration. This assessment also establishes a baseline. When an instrument eventually returns from loan, we know the condition in which it originally left us.

Then comes the setup

A good instrument with a poor setup can be a frustrating instrument to play.

The bridge is particularly important. Its feet need to fit the front of the instrument properly, its position and curvature must be correct and the string heights need to be appropriate. An old or distorted bridge may need replacing rather than adjusting.

Inside the instrument sits the soundpost. Its fit, position and tension influence the way vibration is transferred between the front and back of the instrument and can have a considerable effect on response, balance and tonal character.

These are not adjustments we make casually.

Where specialist work is required, the instrument goes to an experienced luthier. The purpose is not to impose a particular sound on every YSF instrument. Quite the opposite. We want to understand the individual characteristics of the instrument and establish a setup that allows those characteristics to emerge.

The parts the musician touches matter too

Preparation is not only about sound. Pegs should turn smoothly and hold reliably. The nut and string heights need to allow comfortable stopping. The fingerboard should be in suitable condition. Chin and shoulder rest arrangements on violins and violas, or the endpin on a cello, need to be safe and practical.

Small problems become surprisingly significant when somebody is practising for an hour or two every day. A sticking peg might be a minor irritation during a ten minute trial. Over a year of rehearsals, lessons, practice and performances it becomes something quite different.

Our expectation is simple: a young musician should not have to compensate for avoidable problems with the instrument we have lent them.

Choosing the strings

Strings are consumable, but they are also part of the instrument's setup.

We do not assume that the most expensive strings are automatically the best choice. Different instruments respond differently to string construction and tension, and the objective is to find a sensible combination for the particular instrument.

A naturally dark instrument might benefit from a string that introduces greater brilliance or immediacy. Another may need warmth or greater stability. Occasionally the best result involves mixing strings rather than fitting a matching set.

New strings also need time to settle. This is why the final judgement about an instrument should not necessarily be made five minutes after a new set has been fitted.

The bow is part of the equation

Where YSF provides a bow with an instrument, that receives attention too.

The stick, frog, screw and winding should be checked and the hair assessed. If necessary, the bow is professionally rehaired.

A poor bow can compromise what a musician is able to achieve with a good instrument, so there is little sense in carefully preparing one and ignoring the other.

Protecting the instrument

Every loan also needs an appropriate case. The case does not need to be extravagant, but it does need to protect the instrument properly. Fastenings, handles and straps must be secure and there should be appropriate support inside so that the instrument cannot move unnecessarily.

We also record the instrument photographically before it leaves.

That protects YSF, but it protects the musician and their family as well. Everyone begins the loan with the same clear record of the instrument and its condition.

Then we play it

The final stage cannot be completed with a ruler or an inspection light.

Somebody has to play the instrument.

We want to know how it responds across all of its strings and registers. We listen for balance, response, projection and any obvious wolf notes or inconsistencies. We want to understand whether the setup feels comfortable and whether the instrument behaves as expected under different dynamics and bow pressures.

This is also when an instrument begins to reveal what sort of musician it might suit.

Some are immediate, brilliant and responsive. Others are darker or broader and reward a player prepared to work further into the sound. These characteristics are not necessarily faults or virtues. They are part of the personality of the instrument.

Understanding them helps us with the next stage: matching.

Ready for its next musician

Only when that process is complete do we regard an instrument as ready for loan.

By then, we know what it is, its condition has been documented, necessary work has been completed, the setup and strings have been considered, its accessories are suitable and we have begun to understand how it behaves musically.

It is then entered into the active YSF collection and can be considered for an appropriate young musician.

This process costs money. Strings wear out. Bows need rehairing. Bridges require skilled work. Cases eventually need replacing. Instruments need inspection and maintenance between loans.