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Soundpost If you look through the f-holes of a violin, you will see the soundpost, a slender dowel of wood, positioned just under the treble foot of the bridge. It is held in position only by friction and string tension. Often referred to as the soul of the instrument, the fitting and placement of this innocuous-looking piece of spruce is critical to an instrument's performance. The soundpost for each Knilling instrument is individually cut, then custom fitted and positioned for proper voicing. Synthetic tailpiece loop More durable than gut, we only use proven quality synthetic tailpiece loops which are individually adjusted to the correct length, trimmed and then secured. Chinrest An ebonite Dresden model chinrest comes standard with most violins and violas. The smooth, shallow cup provides a comfortable contact surface. Finally... Before any Knilling instrument is shipped, it goes through a final inspection at a separate station outside the violin shop, where it is examined and polished before being outfitted with case and bow.   "Bach gave us God's World; Mozart gave us God's laughter; Beethoven gave us God's Fire; God gave us music that we may pray without words" From the facade of a German opera house. MASTER ADJUSTMENT A step-up or master instrumentwill show a much higher degree of refinement in construction and selection of woods than a student instrument. However, even the best instrument will not play well unless it is set up well. Whether adjusting an instrument that costs $500, $5,000, or $50,000, certain basic requirements remain the same: pegs must be properly fitted and finished; the fingerboard and nut correctly planed and dressed; the bridge must fit precisely, with correct height and string spacing; the soundpost accurately cut and positioned. Many of the steps that are required to adjust a student instrument are shared by step-up or master instruments. However, here are a few aspects of a step-up adjustment which differentiates a Knilling Master Adjustment from a basic adjustment. Bridge One of the first things you are likely to notice, when you look at a master level Knilling instrument, is the bridge. The Knilling Custom Shop uses only genuine French Jeandel Aubert bridge blanks on our step-up and master instruments. Their Aubert à Mirecourt Deluxe model bridge, which we use on our fine master violins, is the same model that can be found on many of the rare instruments played by soloists and symphony musicians around the world. Continue