I would have sworn on my life that my viola had no soundpost in it.

Today, as I was gathering things ahead of time before my lunch meeting, I opened the viola case to clear out anything non-essential before taking it to the luthier.

There is a soundpost in my viola.

I am mystified.

A few years ago I gave the viola to a fellow cellist’s mother to mess about with, as she has an amateur familiarity with lutherie. It was, however, given back to me with the explanation that the soundpost, which had fallen before I got it, didn’t fit properly and would have to be taken to a professional luthier because it wouldn’t stand.

Except here we are, with a functional soundpost.

I have luthier elves, perhaps?

I still need to go to the luthier because I need new strings for the viola, and I want to look for a 1/4 size cello bow for the boy. But evidently I don’t need to bring the viola in with me.

This pleases me because the viola isn’t precious enough for me to entrust it to my regular luthier. I was going to drop it off at the luthier whom I am neutral about, whose shop is three steps away from the metro I take to get home from lunch with the Thursday gang. (I am neutral about the shop because of downright rude and emotionally scarring customer service during a Very Big Step I had worked myself up to taking thirteen years ago, but since then they have been helpful about a harp issue and a bow issue.) A simple purchase of supplies will be quicker and also much less expensive.