The StringWorks Setup™

Assuring every violin, viola, and cello performs to its full potential

Few realize how significant a professional, high quality setup is when assuring that your violin, viola, or cello plays easily, and to its absolute full potential.  Hundreds of thousands of instruments are currently being played with 'factory setups', discouraging violinists, violists, and cellists from playing because of the struggles inherent with a poor quality setup, such as imprecise carving of the bridge and soundpost.

Proper string height, proper curvature of the bridge, perfectly fitted bridge feet, properly planed and scooped fingerboard, precisely shaped nut, and perfectly fitted pegs and soundpost are all hallmarks of a setup worthy of the greatest professional level instrument, and hallmarks of The StringWorks Setup™.  (Fully custom setups also available, see below)

What is The StringWorks Setup™?

 Note: Nearly ALL music store and violin shop setups - including major brands that are widely distributed among various retailers - spend an average of 1 hour per violin/viola and 1.5 hour per cello on setup.  At StringWorks, we spend 3-5 hours per violin/viola, and 5-7 hours per cello on setup - no matter what.

What distinguishes the StringWorks Setup™ from others is that each instrument, regardless of its price point - from intermediate level to pre-professional - receives the highest level of professional setup, as we feel it is important to allow each instrument to make music at its full potential, rewarding the player when proper technique is used, but assuring that it is never difficult to play.  Each setup is performed by our skilled luthiers, and takes hours of our specialists' time, all to ensure the highest overall quality for you, the performer.

  • Perfectly fitted bridge feet
  • Perfectly fitted soundpost
  • Soundpost adjusted to ideal spot for each instrument
  • Expertly carved bridge curvature
  • Exact measurements for bridge thickness from feet to top
  • Properly trimmed bridge for optimal lightness and strength
  • Properly planed and scooped fingerboard
  • Perfectly fitted nut
  • Proper curvature for nut
  • Smooth grooves for each string on nut
  • Properly fitted endbutton/endpin
  • Perfectly fitted pegs - a must for proper tuning
  • Extensively play tested and adjusted


If your instrument does not have the StringWorks Setup™, you might not be experiencing the best that instrument has to offer.  StringWorks is the only violin shop to offer a full package of quality assurance and value, combining the best trade-in policy in the industry, 14-day in-home trial, lifetime support and advice, a limited lifetime warranty on every instrument, and the StringWorks Setup™.

Be Informed: Some well known violin shops (and shops that specialize in cello) have been known to pass 'factory setup' off as in-house setup.  There's a significant difference, so be careful to know for CERTAIN that your instrument is setup BY the shop you are trusting, as they are with StringWorks!

Expect no less, and demand the best in your instrument.  Demand the StringWorks Setup™

Custom Setups: Have special requests for tone, playability, string height, string length, type of bridge, any/all of these?  Because our luthiers setup EACH instrument to the highest standards outlined above, we can, at your request, do a fully custom setup.  You order the instrument, and give us all your setup requirements.  Pricing can vary, and sometimes there will be NO difference in price, depending on what is requested.  When you order, talk to our specialists and we'll be happy to arrange it for you!  

Interested in finding out more about our Head Luthier, Mark Benischek?  See his personal website here.