This violin came in because the bridge had snapped during tuning. From examining the old bridge, it was clear that it had warped over time, and this was unfortunately an accident waiting to happen. One a bridge begins to lean over, it’s in danger of warping as this one had, so it’s always worth getting familiar with how your bridge looks when standing properly (a straight face towards the tailpiece and a slight “belly” on the fingerboard side). With a bit of practise, it’s possible to get into the habit of straightening your own bridge every so often, which helps keep it going a lot longer!

I also gave this violin a comprehensive clean and polish, and there was a serious buildup of rosin on the top.