A Colorado-based violinist is set to start manufacturing his own chin rest design after raising nearly $25,000 on crowdfunding site Kickstarter.

While studying at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, Jordan Hayes won the school's New Venture Challenge in 2010 for making a multi-adjustable chin rest for violin and viola. He was motivated to design it after struggling for many years with pain while playing.

Hayes worked with engineers, craftsmen and an industrial designer to refine the initial model, and produced three prototypes before arriving at the final version of the chin rest, which is called the Kréddle.

Hayes had set out to raise $18,000 on Kickstarter, primarily to pay for manufacturing moulds and for the composite material that the chin rest will be made from. By the time the funding deadline closed earlier this week, 288 backers had pledged $24,500 to the project.

The chin rests will be made in Boulder, Colorado, and the first shipment of the finished product is scheduled for this March.

Topics