The human body works best when it can move. Sadly, over time the neck and shoulders of upper string players have become less mobile during play. The aim of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® is to offer musicians an alternative to the traditional, rigid chin rest, allowing them to discover what benefit they may gain from its qualities.
The spring’s level of flexibility provides both pressure-feedback and security on stage.

With traditional, rigid chinrests there is no limit to the amount of pressure which can be put on the chin plate. All pressure arrives directly onto the instrument and, through the effect of leverage, may even be multiplied. When using the KorfkerSpring, the pressure put on the instrument is limited by the spring’s resistance.

Also, by feeling the chin plate move under pressure, the user learns to adjust the pressure to what is needed to play comfortably, further reducing the overall pressure on the instrument.

Every chin rest available uses a clamping mechanism to attach onto the instrument and can therefore cause damage when used incorrectly. The clamping system of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® however, incorporates several important improvements. The barrels of the clamps use a fine thread which allows the clamping force to be adjusted very precisely.

Additionally, the cork pads – which protect the instrument – are coated with an anti-slip film, so less clamping force is needed for the clamps to hold the instrument securely.

The PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® is designed in such a way that it helps the violin to sound very close to how it sounds without a chin rest. It does this by being very light (only 15 grams), by being made from materials specifically chosen or developed for their positive acoustical properties and by its design, which leaves the violin free to vibrate thanks to its flexible spring.

The highest spring, is no. 6 and the lowest no. 1.

The exact height of the ridge of the chin plate can be 2 - 3 mm higher or lower than these values, depending on how its tilt and roll has been adjusted.

While the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® may look geared towards players with a long neck, when used with the lowest springs it accommodates those with shorter necks as well. The lowest position achievable with the KorfkerSpring is around 25 mm, only about 3-4 mm higher than the ridge of a low Guarneri model chin rest.

By tilting and rolling the chin plate of the KorfkerSpring, a precise fit can be found. Some players have found that through the release of tension in the neck, they needed a slightly higher set-up than expected.

When using the highest four springs, the assembly of chin plate and spring can be easily removed from the clamps – it literally takes only seconds – for when the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® is too high for the instrument’s case. It is then placed in it’s high end protective case.

The PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® will definitely fit. It comes standard with two long barrels to fit violas as well.

The springs of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® were developed to be very resilient against breaking and have been extensively stress-tested. When over-loaded the spring will not suddenly fail, but start to deform.

This deformation is a visual warning to change the spring. More information can be found in the manual.

While the springs of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring®, by means of their flexibility, give instantaneous feedback regarding the pressure put on the chin plate, they also provide long term feedback through potential deformation over time. This helps with developing a better awareness of one’s habits.

Users who put little pressure on the chin plate may not experience any deformation. For the average user there can be a slight deformation (0 - 4 mm) during break-in, when the spring adjusts to their playing style. Medium-intensive playing can, over time, lead to deformation (0 - 10 mm) due to ageing of the spring. Fast and significant deformation is caused either by continuous high pressure on the chin plate or by using a spring which is too high.

In that case, using a lower spring is recommended. In any of these cases the spring should be replaced when it starts to »bottom out« (see picture). Failing to do so may lead to breaking of the spring. Please see »Spring service life« for more information. Replacement springs can be ordered.

Deformed spring

When the chin plate is depressed by up to 10 mm this corresponds to up to 3.5 kg. If is depressed by more than 15 mm, this corresponds to more than 4.5 kg of pressure, a level at which injuries can start to occur.

The PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® works very well both with and without a shoulder rest. Both ergonomically and acoustically it works particularly well with our KorfkerRest® Model 2 and KorfkerRest® LUNA®.

The chin plate of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® is made from hardened Swiss maple.

The heads of the clamps of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® are made from a synthetic compound and are hypoallergenic. The metal parts of the clamps – also hypoallergenic – are made from an nickel-free aluminium alloy and anodised with a hard, black coating which prevents contact with the skin.

When the wood from chinrests causes skin irritation, this is most often due to the oils present in tropical hardwoods or by the surface not being clean. The hardened Swiss maple of the chin plate of the PIRASTRO KorfkerSpring® does not contain any irritating oils. It can also be easily cleaned.