violin string height

[Ryan Mazzocco]

I'm restoring a violin for my step-mom. It had belonged to her mother and they found it while going through her things after she died. I'm getting close to having it done. I started shaping the bridge last night. The information I found on the web said the high E should be 3mm above the fretboard and the G should be 5mm. This just seems a bit high to me. But, admittedly, the only things I know about the violin is what I've learned from working on this one. it's a 4/4 violin. where should the string height be?
Thanks

[Chet Bishop]

Those are good numbers. I use those myself, and go a little higher on the D and A: 5.5 mm.

Orchestral set-up is a little different than fiddling set-up. What you have there is typical for orchestral.

[Clay Schaeffer]

As with guitar set up, the fingerboard is (ideally) set to the bridge. Sometimes the neck angle may be off so lower or higher bridges are used. As with the guitar there is a workable range of heights, but there may be an optimum height above the soundboard (down bearing, tension) that will make the instrument sound the best. I'm certainly no expert on violin family instruments, but i'm sure others can can give you the range of workable parameters.