Improving the tone of a violin

Michele

A customer has brought in a violin with an unusually harsh and hard tone. This is on all strings and in all positions. She has owned the violin for many years and assumed that it was her playing, rather than the violin, that was at fault, but it is definitely the instrument. It was made by an unlisted Scottish maker, James Johnston in  1883. The violin looks to be well-made: scroll okay, good purfling, nice two-piece maple back etc. Not an amateur maker. The soundpost is in a normal position; I wouldn't want to move it any further away from the bridge. The strings are Dominants, quite new I would say. And the violin has a single unimportant repaired crack. I don't want to take the violin apart and the owner would not want me to. Any thoughts as to what might soften the sound? I am going to replace the bridge but that is all I can think of. Can anyone recommend other strings?

Monika

Dominant E's are really nasty. I found the
Pirastro Wondertone Gold Label Violin E String
was soft-sounding.



Why not try moving the soundpost a bit?