Jeff White

I'm sure he saw much more, but the main pic he in his file was the end and neck block shape that you can see in the original post pics

Well, for all who remember this Id thread, Rampal christened the violin with a certificate from Francois Caussin, C.1860. Surprised me as the edging is so much flatter than anything I've seen/see from records. Who am I to argue??? He showed me some pretty incontrovertible evidence of inside pics to confirm from his archive. Here is the finished product. A lot of funky retouch on the belly, that I decided would be better to just "clean up" rather than really go after.

Jeez Davide....all the thinks that are going with age.....................The truth hurts

The easiest way to tell the difference is in the way it polished up (or doesn't) Have to agree with BF, that sure looks like Nickel silver to me, but then again, it's a pic.

Nathan, this is an issue I've spent much time working on as my work load increases. I"m usually, at any given time, working on a couple of longer term jobs, while sticking basic work (1-9hrs) inbetween. I've often "lost" saddles and nuts...... I currently use plastick zip lock bags to put all in after disassembly. Sure would be convient to have a big enough shop and a bench for every job going on. I bill by "time", and so many jobs are a few minutes here....wait a day....a few minutes there....wait a few days. I try to keep a clip board with the job sheet and right notes, times on it. Bottom line...I feel Ya!!

Andreas, Chuck at Pegheds has this option.

Something to check when you have a thin fingerboard, is if the neck is warping from tension. Most of your stiffness to keep that neck straight is from the fingerboard. Carefully site the glue line between the two, or, use a straight edge. Many thin boards I have seen have a neck warpage problem. Worth checking.

If a cheaper chinese bow, then I just wind it tight with my fingers rubbing over the outside, hold it, and a drop of super glue. A drop from a pin, not from the bottle(too big). Anything else, I redo the winding with new.

It's hard to tell, not the usual bevels and indications. Only goes on one way at the moment, kind of a slight taper think going on. Frankly, it doesn't fit either way

It's silver, no doubt.

Your right BF( and Dwight, Nate....)about the head. This thread is about my learning. It's been splined, and unfortunately, quite deeply and into the throat. I just figured I could learn something about the slide combo and the forward mortice, thin and short ferrule, spacing width of the parts on the button, etc. BTW, it's sterling. Thanks FC.

This came in for a some work and I'm not sure what it is. Stamped E. Martin, I know there was a german family importing commercial violins under this name (I have one). Maybe this was a "bow line" that they were using?? It has some differing things on it, like the mortice being pretty far forward, the slide and upper silver lining all in one (though, I have seen this before). Slide screws have the slot cut "not in the middle". Hard to believe German maker would do that. I"m thinking cheap french?? Looks like an older bow. No pins in the button, silbver collars are round on the inside diameter.

Scrubbing your search history????????

Looks to me like a botched retouched. Looks like pigment is "IN" in the wood now----problem. As to what originally caused it is anyones guess.

Davide, sorry, I wasn't clear. My confusion, and GeorgeH's question was about the method that Andreas (Maybe the 5th post or so..) had learned in Budapest about making the top and back, and then sandwiching in the blocks, and then making and installing the ribs.....I think. I'm confused on this.