Ed at work at his bench (C) Julian Love
Over the last couple of months we’ve been behind the scenes at Bridgewood and Neitzert to meet the people behind the highly skilled restorations in the workshop. This month we meet luthier Ed Klose and discover his story. His interest, as with his colleagues, started with two parallel interests in music and woodworking ‘I played guitar since I was fourteen and have always been into woodwork. I remember in school in the design and technology class working on a wired plywood box. I wasn’t interested in the electrics but fascinated by the woodworking’. Read more
Andy at his bench (C) Julian Love
‘Here I was, in a top London violin shop….in my wildest dreams I never thought I’d be working in a top violin shop.’ Andy Quelch laughs as he describes his first weeks at Bridgewood and Neitzert some seven years ago, and it is no surprise as I hear the journey of this modest luthier who inhabits the top floor workshop. I met with him to hear his story. Read more
Gary and Tom in the early days of 146 Stoke Newington Church Street
What leads someone to take up such a specialist trade, and how did such a unique shop come to exist on Stoke Newington Church Street? I met up with Gary Bridgewood, Founder and Director of Bridgewood and Neitzert to find out. Read more
Repairing damaged cello
Occasionally a customer comes to us with a well-loved instrument that has suffered terrible damage in an accident. It’s always devastating for any musician wondering if a repair is possible and satisfying for us if we are able to restore the instrument back to full health. In this case a customer came to us with a cello that had suffered extensive damage after an accident. The accident had caused a massive and complete break on the rib, front and back of the top right quarter of the cello and cracks in the body at the front and back. The customer literally brought us the instrument in pieces. Read more
Richard Tunnicliffe with his Yann Besson cello
At Bridgewood and Neitzert we are big supporters of modern makers. Founders and owners Gary Bridgewood and Tom Neitzert have a long history of making and we understand the depth of training and commitment that goes into the process of making a wonderful instrument from scratch. Great players often come to us seeking an outstanding instrument on which to perform and depending on their requirements we will often ‘match-make’ with a modern maker. Read more
Violin fitted with Wilson Pickup system
Over the past few months we’ve focused our blogs on repairs of instruments of particular note. This month, we thought we’d focus in on an in depth look at one of the most advanced pick-up systems on the market for stringed instruments: the Wilson Pickup System. Read more
Venetian instruments are like buses. You wait forever for one to turn up and then two come along at once. Having had a winter where we saw many beautiful old English cellos coming into the workshop for restoration and repair (see our blog from November), January has brought us the rare treat of a beautiful Venetian violin coming right from the heart of the great Degani dynasty of violin makers and a Viola from the more modern maker Carlo De March. Read more
Perry cello repair: repairing the cracks
Last week we posted a blog about the impact of changes in humidity and temperature on stringed instruments; with a focus on identifying and repair of the resulting damage. As it grows ever colder, here’s a look at prevention rather than cure and how to protect your instrument if a frost or drop in humidity is forecast. Read more
Henry Jay cello repair: old and new bridge
With the onset of this cold weather, it’s worth being prepared for the impact of changes in temperature and humidity on stringed instruments. Changes in temperature can cause a range of problems that without proper attention can get worse quickly. Being aware of changes in your instrument and bringing it to our highly dedicated and experienced team of professional luthiers if there is a problem will both ensure your instrument performs at its best and preserve it for many more years. Read more
