Man !  You'll get used to that ( well, I exaggerate - it shouldn't happen often ) !

All I meant was - it's not really a huge issue - and I KNOW - I KNOW ( he wrote in capitals, shouting ) - it's your beloved instrument - do you REALLY want to work that sound-post setter in through the f-hole for the first time ?   Nooooooo....   it's gonna cause scratches and surface damage !!!!  Yup, been there...   

But really, it is not all that bad.

These bits of support-hardware ( sound-post-setters ) aren't all that expensive and make the task relatively easy - there are even work-arounds if you can't afford wasting a kitchen-fork ( was kidding about the kitchen fork - but there are plenty home-made versions ! ) - here is one of many.... https://maestronet.com/forum/i.....tion-tool/

But - nonetheless - glad you got it fixed - FIDDLE ON my friend !  

@MoonShadows - I think this was in 1985 or so - and I recall seeing Sir Yehudi on TV with some Scottish fiddlers....   At the start, he was struggling (and admitted so) to "synch in" to their way of playing...  by the end, an hour later - he nailed it !  Classical violin meets folk-fiddle...  Exactly, it's really all one and the same, but different... if that makes sense...  Here's a quote he gave as a forward to a book entitled "Fiddle Music of Scotland" - 

This is in the beginning of the book. It's a "Forward" by Yehudi Menuhin.

"I salute in my Scottish fiddler friends that innate urge to be audible, visible and recognisable to our clan for what we are and what we feel. Their music knows no detour--it goes straight to our feet if dance we must, to our eyes if cry we must, and always directly to our hearts evoking every shade of joy, sorrow or contentment.

This music is living proof that the origins of all music are in our pulse and in our voice and that the true and colourful folk heritage and tradition must always remain at the very source of a culture and of an organised, literate musical life, however erudite and complex the structures may become.

The genuine Scottish fiddler has an infallible sense of rhythm, never plays out of tune and is master of his distinctive and inimitable style, which is more than can be said of most 'schooled' musicians. We classical violinists have too obviously paid a heavy price for being able to play with orchestras and follow a conductor.

May this thorough and well-documented collection of a people's music serve to keep it alive in the song and dance and, above all, in the hearts of those who will give our civilisation voice, spirit and shape.

Yehudi Menuhin"

Just though I'd share that experience ( well, I only saw him on TV- I *think* it was recorded in The Usher Hall in Edinburgh, but I'm not sure - I can still picture him playing...

Man @MoonShadows - I hadn't seen that ( and I used to believe I had seen darned near everything the BBC had ever produced since like 1960 or so ! )  

I'm about 10 or so minutes into the video - but it's just turned 6pm here and it is "my turn" to make dinner - trust me on this - I'll be back to watch the whole thing later - it's already referred to his "intentional-down-slide" to an occasional note - interesting!  Although - I'm never gonna play that style of music - it all adds to the experience and technique, and appreciation of "what makes it different from player to player"...  yeah, exactly

Thank you very much for the link MoonShadows !  Nice one...