For the last four years I have been playing a 100 year old acoustic violin with a mixture of pick-ups that I had cobbled together myself, this was the fourth violin I had used, the previous instruments having slowly but surely unglued themselves under the strain of rigorous touring under intense conditions (heat, sweat and careless roadies). It seemed unfair that the rest of the band were using good sounding instruments tailor made for the job when I was struggling with something that at best was only making do. I tried every alternative that I could find but was constantly frustrated by the poor sound of any of the electric violins I was given ( the ZETA violin being among the worst) <can I say that? I just did>.

When Bridge Instruments approached me to try one of their new violins, I jumped at the chance. It was an opportunity to work with someone who understood what an electric violin could and should sound like.

Over a period of about nine months Bridge developed and I road tested a number of different pick-up and electronic systems to arrive at the one I use today. From the start I was impressed that we were working with a resonant hollowbody as opposed to the 'planks' that everyone else was using, this seemed to give a more responsive 'acoustic' sound making the instrument sound like a violin and not a synthesiser. We worked a lot on the frequency range and tone to give the 'bite' and 'attack' that I need to be heard above electric guitars and drums, yet retaining the mid-frequency power that can (with a few effects!) make one violin sound like a full string section. The end result is what I would call the first REAL electric violin on the market, professionally tested in recording and live performances and I look forward to seeing what Bridge come up with next!