Why Plane the Fingerboard?

If you look closely at this ebony Fingerboard, you will easily notice that the wood has been worn into ripples and divots over years of practice. This inconsistency of shape in the Fingerboard makes it very difficult to play in tune, and it inhibits the violin strings from transmitting full resonance to the body of the instrument.

A simple planing, or dressing, of the Fingerboard is the solution.

Here is a short video I made to explain why we need to plane the fingerboard. On average, a player who practices every day might need to plane the fingerboard every few years.