well, i did something stupid...

i put my fiddle in the case with the practice mute on, and the lid of the case promptly closed and whacked the mute down into the bridge. (oops.) as far as i can tell, it still sounds fine, but the bridge now looks like this: http://www.flyingparchment.org.uk/dump/bridge.jpg

you can't see it very well from that photo, but the strings are also bent out of shape around the bridge.

i'm not worried about the strings, as i was planning on replacing them anyway, but i'm wondering if i should have the bridge replaced?

(as far as i can tell, i managed to avoid cracking the sound post or anything major like that.)

I'd get it changed, the strings appear to be digging in to it, which will cause problems and it will do the violin good to have a proper bridge fitted (that's the stentor factory one by the looks of it and if you look at the feet, you'll see that it doesn't fit properly).

Take it to a luthier and have a proper bridge made, it will improve the sound and you won't have the strings eating away at it!

The feet on the existing bridge don't fit the profile of the belly, so, as already suggested, take the instrument to a luthier and have a new bridge fitted.

The fact the strings have also cut right into the bridge, suggests the wood it is made of is rather too soft. Bridges made of soft wood eventually warp considerably under the tension - bending the bridge horizontally, in the middle.

thanks, both of you. i shall take a trip to the luthier in town and see what they say.

hmm.. Amanda, what you said got me thinking: i often play with a practice mute (as i live in a flat with thin walls), and i've noticed that frequently removing/replacing the mute has made a kind of 'dent' in the top of the bridge. is this likely to be caused by it being made from soft wood -- or am i using the mute wrongly, and damaging the bridge?

another thing, id wipe that rosin off before it sticks..