Corner Violin Shop | The weekly blog of A. Cavallo Violins, LLC

Monday, May 27, 2013

The Chinrest Problem

Violin and Viola chinrests are a common subject of discussion. Since the chinrest was invented in the early 19th century there have been an infinite number of variations on the shape and design. There is an additional consideration, the shoulder pad, as the chinrest and shoulder pad work together to help the player position and support the instrument in the most secure and stress free manner.

Another problem the customer does not always understand is that many chinrests have more than one name. For instance the "Berber" and "Ohrenform" are the same. Many "Dresden" chinrests are actually close in design to the "Berlin," and the Guarneri chinrest has at least 5 different designs including "large cup," small cup," " European," "Rounded end" and "Classic."

Brackets vary from standard to Hill and other custom designs. They all affect the acoustics of the instrument and the comfort of the player. Many brackets of inferior products are not straight, so the chinrest is not properly oriented to the instruments and will apply damaging pressure to the violin and not be comfortable to the player.

Basically, Chinrests fit players dependent on their physique and style of play. Jaw shape, prominence of the collarbone, length of the neck, depth of the sub-clavicular space, the shape of the shoulders, and the overall size and reach of the player are factors that influence comfort and fit. This is a very complex topic that should be addressed to the individual. Unfortunately many teachers find what is comfortable for them and then recommend it to their students, when in reality it may only work for 10% of players.

At A. Cavallo Violins, we try to carry a version of all the major chinrests and will fit them to you at purchase at no charge. Because we are a direct buyer, our prices are the lowest in the industry for the quality of chinrests we carry. All of our chinrests have minimized footprints, high enough arches to avoid buzzes with the tailpiece, and comfortable designs with just the right rounded front edges and properly swooped cups.