09/03/2026
And for those who feel drawn to explore Baroque sound more closely, we’ve gathered a small selection of period instruments in the shop — each with its own voice, history, and quiet sense of possibility. These instruments sit at the heart of the world this blog explores — not museum pieces, but living companions for musicians who want to step into the colours and intimacy of Baroque playing.
21/11/2024
For this month’s blog I got to meet another of our new luthiers, Jacob, in his workshop on the second floor of Bridgewood and Neitzert. Jacob has been with us for five months sharing the workshop with Keisuke and Tung. Jacob played violin from an early age and was aware that there were people who fixed instruments as a career. Like many of the luthiers here, he was drawn to lutherie through a combined love of music and woodwork. In his 20’s Jacob decided that he wanted to make a... Read More
16/08/2024
We’ve been really pleased to welcome two new luthiers into the Bridgewood and Neitzert workshop recently and will be introducing them in the next couple of months. This month’s blog introduces Keisuke Yokoo who joined us a year ago following a significant career back in his home city of Tokyo. I met him at his bench to hear all about his journey. Despite having no formal music education as a child, Keisuke was drawn to classical music and avidly followed great international classical musicians coming to Japan, particularly international orchestras and... Read More
14/08/2023
A few weeks ago we posted a picture of Ed repairing a rib crack in a beautiful bass; the latest repair in Bridgewood and Neitzert’s relationship with the instrument going back some 25 years. I caught up with co-founder Gary Bridgewood to find all about its (recent) history. The bass is attributed to Nicolo Amati 1596 – 1684, widely considered to be the greatest in a long line of Cremonese violin makers. He himself was fourth in the Amati line, and his grandfather Andrea is widely acknowledged as the ‘inventor’... Read More
Why look after an instrument? Does it matter if it’s caked in rosin and dirt, the scuffs, scratches and missing pieces of wood from the edges and corners adds character?
As the holiday break approaches, we take a look back at some of the amazing instruments and quirky repairs that have come through the workshop over the year.
We’ve been pleased to welcome one of our old ‘favourites’ back in the workshop recently. The instrument is an Amati composite violin with original back and ribs and later front and head which is likely to be the work of John Frederick Lott II.
Whilst many musicians own and love their favorite instrument(s), there are times when it might make sense to hire an instrument. At Bridgewood and Neitzert we run a number of hire schemes to support students right at the start of their musical journeys through to professional players needing a high-end instrument for a tour or emergency.
In the latest article focusing on life behind the scenes at Bridgewood and Neitzert, we visit the front of house to meet Colin Parker, who looks after our customers and is responsible for the smooth running of the shop.
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... Read More
