morgana

The Messiah left F hole has been repaired. Now everyone can see the fluting on that violin, and it's called congruent angles, and very fine edging to make it stand out. It's called obtuse angle and also corresponding with the opposite, so the inside corresponds in angle measurements with and to the outside, at a a constant, within to without, in incremental angles along its edges.Both inside and out. An oblique angle is more than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. Yes? If a sound post is made 360 degrees in circumference of 6.2 mms and is straight edged to 90 degrees, the congruently oblique angles would have to allow for 6.2mms at the Apex. And also to insert with depth of belly length including the height at say two thirds of the length of sound post, so that works out at 3mms less circumference of soundpost to the ratio of widths inside and outside of the congruent oblique angle of the F hole. Meaning if the diameter of the sound post at it's point 2 thirds up of insertion is the same as the congruent oblique angle of 8.4mms apex insertion will not allow for it's ease, it will take a mms wood away, at insertion at least. So that's why, basically. It's more complex obviously but I need a calculator and a rest, Jeffrey. And if the Messiah F holes are bigger than 8mms topside at Apex then give me a strip of pine and some super glue lol! I am confused now....I think a sound post should be put in by elves, in the night, very small elves or trained ants. Medication time. And I don't understand what I have written either. I just know that I am still in love with you....x

It can't be the same width as the F hole, unless you enjoy spoiling F holes, as they taper at an angle inwards, if not already marred. So how does one fit a sound post which is as wide as an obtuse angled cut F hole, without forcing it in?

I agree Michael luv, about the thicker posts being detrimental to the sound, dulling, in my experience of the D and A strings more so, in a set up on both violins of full size and violas too, which is close string to bridge height settings within correct parameters of width arch of bridge, even string width, for classic set up, more so with so called flatter arching pf bridge, nut for fiddle players who like ability to double stop, I find intonation problems in 3rd position even though scoop is correct on fingerboard and feet fit correctly etc. Steel strings, can compensate for lack of brilliance, but not in the region, of 3, 4, 5, 6, and the E string suffers from lack of resonance too much. 6.2 mm girth on newly made still sappy sound post is as useless as it gets for dynamics, resonance and projection and basically everything, especially when the fit is not cohesive to top and back plates.

Righto Jeffrey. On a lighter note, has anyone else had a catalogue of disasters retrieving a fallen sound post from the violin? I have. In front of a customer. I was sitting on my swivel chair, my neck against the back, as I have displaced neck vertebrae due to playing violin, I forgot to put my glasses on, it was a narrow F hole, so it was called by me a little illegitimate, and I got some crud in my eye, sharp, crud, which I also used choice language about as it really hurt, then, it suddenly showed it's ugly head and I pulled it out with pincers, which the little b.....d managed to escape from swiftly onto the hard floor, then, disappeared Houdini like, which I found with my foot, as I stood up and on it. Snap,...err, oh dear, sorry about that, to customer, I will just make you another one, smilingly. And, apologised to her about the number of swear words, as she didn't seem to have much sense of humour. The child learned somethings, though. Oops! Now I know what the back room is for.

Yes, I have in the past, but nothing insulting others about their privates. There is innuendos, but I think Martin crossed the borders with that one.

Jeffrey here is the post.

I'd like to ask a question about sound post dowels. I have used different grained woods, some are hard, with thick and dark lines in the spruce or pine, and others I have used from fir tree off cuts pale, fine lined, and almost 2 mms radius thicker over the years. Both have different qualities. The dark, pine looking ones are very hard, and are thinner, and if my memory is correct, have been useful for thinner topped, older violins, but seem to be not so good in newer violins or violas. Also, should sound posts be made of aged wood, or doesn't it matter?

Sorry, I insulted Violin beautiful. I am glad you removed my comments, Jeffrey luv. But why not remove the penis jibe? That was disgusting.

If the soundpost falls down, when the strings are being changed, Sospiri, luv, and you have carefully taken down the strings, one by one, cleaned up the fingerboard, checked for any problems, like open seams, etc. Cos opening seams do happen, which causes the sound post to shift, rarely, in my experience it would fall down, unless it was too loosely fitted, you should check the sound post anyway, for such things, then no, you should explain that the sound post fell down because of looseness, and it needs either a better fitting sound post, so charge after explaining succinctly why, as you should know if the problem was a too fat too loose or badly placed, drifting sound post due to loose seam, whatever, then, if with the agreement of cost, accepted by customer, either reset the sound post correctly, or make another one, which fits well. Nothing worse than the customer who thinks you are incompetent, or a rip off merchant, so be aware of what outcome can and will happen with customers who don't think they should pay more than is quoted prior to involving any outcome, not within their capacity of knowledge imparted by yourself at time of having hold of their instrument.

Please Martin, there is no need for that. Duke was just saying about how to make a decent sound post by explaining about making with a nice story from his youth, for goodness sake, pack it in, please!!!

Sorry Jeffrey, sorry violin beautiful luv, however, why say a bigoted pointless comment? Oh I only work on high end instruments, then don't impart any useful input apart from saying they don't really do anything much, as these high end instruments are coming in with a high end set up!!! Agghhh! Come off it. If the person who owns it or borrows it, they aren't able to alter the set up, even when it may be necessary to work on it. How does that work then?!

So, my luv, you deal with high end fiddles? Only high end bits of old wood? Give it a rest, we scum don't need to listen to your waffling. Okay? I'm bored with this topic and you dear.

Hiya Duke, yes, graduating inside on the C bout area, dependant of the form, mould, as in, if you are going with a Guarnari, Strad, or any of the lads from the big robust era, keeping that area inside more flatter around the middle C bout inside and doing the graduations, edge flutings on the outside I feel is dependant on having been around alot of diverse violins, because a problem I found, whilst starting off with my restorations on violins was that the long Strad shape was easier to fit a sound post to it's interior because it, or those ones, was just simpler, than some German narrow bellied thick on the outside and the inside was very arched obviously. So, keeping the table bridge area thicker width wise inside by at least 2 mms across and not go too rounded inside, but the outside is where the fluting edges seem much better for a better sounding instrument. And fitting the sound post an easier exercise, although the vital area on the back plate usually is slightly more at a deeper angle up to the edge bout so, that needs more of an angled cut than the top of the sound post dowel. The back plate always is more rounded but not so obvious in a bigger bellied width wise violin.

Yah, it wore me down going through the work but, Nah, the viola sounds very good. Then again I would like one of those tools even though you sound terrible it's less wear and tear on the arthritis but Iwould need a prop to take the weight of that vibration tool, David luv XXX

Martin, that IS the CORRECT answer, not only your opinion. I stand by you. Mikey hun, I'm in love with you and want a warm milky bedtime story, instead of ego induced endorphine leaden misery about silly sound posts to mask the utterly wonderful nature, cruel, callousness we need to really be at one with each other. Give me a cyber hug you gorgeous man!!! Now damn it!!! Lol! Aww no lets talk nicely and remember the oldies who helped you and me in our entre innocently going into the world of lonely COD obsession with the devils' plaything. We all need a break, and as a message from old Abraham who was a lovely old lad, prophet of pearls worth more than even a broken heart couldn't mend. He said, to cut the shape of the sound post, offer up the back of the violin to an uncut round of spruce, aged and flat, then place it on that back, where the sound post position will be, then draw a line across it's girth after tilting flattened end, with pencil crossed at base of back end. Making sure that the grain of the spruce is at at less than 45 degrees., then turn the post on opposite end and offer it up to the front at that same append in conjunction to that back plate. Then mark the spot in the same way with pencil, draw a line on tilted end, then cut through sharp tool need you. Beforehand also measures made of said post from gauge inserted into right handed F hole to make the size completely correct and mark with a circle a cross inside said instrument, at the only place a pencil will go at the back, you know. Remember to mark the top and bottom as well or only something forgot, ten will be a gravely waster of your time, and put you out of your sure sense of mind. Then cut with a sharp knife across the pencilled marks, be true be bold and make it not blather the edges, a crisp snap is better in long rounds, than miserly short edges. Remember always to work upside down but the cut is sharper than Georgies tongue, and then use a sharpened tongue, with a careful eye as you place it's spiritual gift inside. God Be With You xxx