MIMF

I was given this broken 1/2 cello. I don't make violins or cellos, but the donor knows my hobby is lutherie. There is a crack on the back under the soundpost and a few on the edges. I could probably fix these up with a little hide glue. I called the shop that sold this. It is a $30 a month student rental instrument from 2004. I thought I could fix it up and give it to the elementary school in town for kids to use at school if they forget their instrument, or a loaner to somebody who may not be able to afford renting one. Just wondering if it worth my time to fix? Thanks. [quote][/quote]

If you repair this and put it in the hands of a student musician that needs it, and the stuff you learn doing it makes it priceless.

Well put!

Christ, go to your local library and request the Weisshaar and Shipman violin repair book, "Violin Restoration, a manual for violin makers" . It's a bit pricy to buy but should be available from your local library via inter library loan.

Thanks for the advice. Somebody told me to just toss it; that it was a goner. I almost did, but then I just couldn't bring myself to throw an instrument into the trash. Especially after seeing a post on one of the forums about a video of some people in a third world country that are making instruments out of trash, just so the kids will have something to play.

It will be a great educational experience and expand your knowledge if you fix this instrument. There are standaard repairs for these issues, so get hold of the Weisshaar book. You will be glad you did.

My own cello was thrown from a bridge (on purpose!) during the making of a movie and came to me in a box of pieces. It is now a respectable instrument, from what was once someone's "trash." If you don't want a cello, fix it and pass it on, as others have suggested. Any local school would probably be happy to have it.

My violin was in a pile of trash on the side of the road waiting to be hauled to the landfill. It was rescued by someone and passed on to me. I am a guitar builder mainly, but the experience of restoring has been valuable and a lot of fun. You can see it in Chet Bishop's thread about an "Old fiddle story(Great-Great Grandfather's Fiddle).

This evening, I went to the library and requested the repair book through inter-library loan.

You will be pleased with the book. It is like a master class education in violin family repair.