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Hi all. I am a long-time woodworker and amateur-musician working on building my first violin. I've obtained some spruce for the top but unfortunately, the blank was apparently cut near a branch because the grain curves out and back in along the length, not unlike a violin bow. So it is impossible to get a straight-grained joint. This is my first build and I expect it to be a learning experience (mistakes included), so while I'm disappointed in the quality of the wood, I'm prepared to move forward for the experience. See the attached images (note this is in early stages of planing). My questions are: 1) Would any professional luthier ever use wood with diverging grain like this? I've personally never seen an such an instrument. 2) Other than aesthetics, would this wood present any structural or sound quality issues? 3) The change of grain occurs near the end of the board so that it would impact about 70mm of the top. Would there be a preference in having this divergence of grain at the upper or lower bout? Thanks for your thoughts and comments, Terry
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All the posts on spruce have really got my pea brain going. I have a couple of projects that are in process that relate to some of my violin and viola posts I have made lately. When those guys are ready I am sure they will share with everyone. I think the projects will be fun for everyone and I know I will enjoy the results. My question for the assembled congress of luthiery is this: Does the grain width of the spruce for the top of an instrument matter? I have always been fond of medium to wide grain for a top. I know that many makers, especially earlier ones?, liked very fine grain spruce. Is this anything that matters or is it just visual? I have found the playing properties of fine grained spruce to be stiffer and less responsive, this without any real basis at all. I have a feeling it is all in my head. Dwight
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A local luthier is closing down, and has offered me an instrument with a very decent discount. It is a brand new cello built by the Hungarian master builder Péteri Károly in 2014. The instrument sounds really nice, but it has this "artifact" on the top: https://i.imgur.com/OgdMddD.jpg On the instrument, it is located here: https://i.imgur.com/Qj94RsY.jpg?1 Does anyone have an opinion on wether or not this is, or can become, a problem? Thank you in advance for your opinion in this matter!
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I'm Working on restoring an old bass, top has serious arching deformation, do to poorly repaired cracks in the past. Working on filing one spot where the original wood is missing in the lower bought and wondering if anyone had any thoughts, thinking of just doing a belly patch which feathers down to the edge. Link to a couple of pictures. http://s1060.photobucket.com/user/Mr-bubbles/media/IMAG0158_zpse4083104.jpg.html?filters[user]=143348490&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0
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From the album: Parrot 1977
Before setup - top -
Hi guys! So, I'm about to re-glue a top plate to a clunker violin I opened up recently. I noticed that there's lining/ chamfering that helps support the glue joint where the ribs meet the back plate. I also noticed that I might have cut through some kind of lining between the ribs and the top plate when I removed the top plate. My questions are 1. Am I correct in thinking that when a violin box is initially closed up construction, there is lining/chamfering (of willow or spruce) installed to re-enforce the connection of the top plate to the ribs? 2. If so, any tips for installing that lining? 3. When re-gluing the top plate, must I first do something to prepare the lining/ chamfering? Is is acceptable to not pay attention to the lining when re-gluing a top plate? (I'd rather err on the side of caution and *pay attention to it*, that way the repair is done as well as possible ;D ) Thanks for the help, guys! I really appreciate it! - Sarah
