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Those bridges installed on various stringed instruments from expensive ones costing millions of dollars to cheap ones worth hundreds of dollars look more or less the same. Most of them are made of the same type of wood and carved into similar shapes. One can¡¯t easily tell the difference among them other than their brand names. That is why instrument makers¡¯ or players¡¯ attention is usually focused on the height and thickness of the bridge, rather than on its functions or effect on the sound quality of the instrument. |
The development of bridges, therefore, has been centered on the choice of suitable wood and the ideal shape of the bridge. After it reached the current shape and material, further development has been in relative doldrums. But as the bridge is the first channel that transmits the sound (vibration) generated from the strings to the main body of the instrument, its role in the sound generation is very important. |
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Maestro Andrea Bang, who successfully revived the Renaissance varnish developed by Stradivari or Guarneri, discovered that the bridges installed on the 4 famous old violins (Stradivari 1702, Guarneri del Gesu 1711, Amati 1659, Ruggeri 1732) he dismantled for vanish study were just ordinary ones, not belonging to the Renaissance era. Being aware of the fact that natural varnish was the secret of the majestic sound of the masterpiece old instruments, he began to work on the development of varnish for bridges. After conducting thousands of experiments of ¡®clinical science,¡¯ he finally perfected his own natural varnish for bridges for violin, viola and cello. According to him, his varnish-treated bridges work best with high-quality strings such as Evah Pirazzi by Pirastro.
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As Andrea Bridge is treated with natural varnish, a mixture of 4 natural ingredients, it has yellowish brown color, unlike other bridges. But the real difference is not in its appearance, but in its role to induce superb sound which is immediately noticeable as soon as it is installed. Moreover, the hardness of the wood increases significantly by the treatment, making it completely free from worries of bending or deformation. Andrea Bridge has the following effects:
- Increases sonic resilience
- Enhances sound-wave generating ability
- Achieves well-balanced sound from 4 strings
- Increases sound projection
- Helps apply difficult playing techniques easily
- More durable than ordinary bridges
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Maestro Andrea Bang asserts that the bridge should not be treated as an ¡®accessory,¡¯ but it is the one playing a pivotal role in the pursuit of great sound. He advises instrument players to pay more attention to getting better sound with a good bridge, not just content with any bridge installed by instrument makers or repair shops. He also recommends players to have at least two bridges of different heights to accommodate the changes in humidity and temperature in the regions where there are different seasons. As the preparation and installation of Andrea Soundpost requires high degree of skill, it is recommended to consult with a repair shop with sound experience and good skill.
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Andrea Bridge is expected to play a role as a reliable partner in the ¡®quest for great sound¡¯ by many string players. Therefore, it won¡¯t be hard to see players asking for an instrument with Andrea Bridge installed, or requesting his repair shop to replace his or her bridge with Andrea Bridge.
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