Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'grain'.
Found 4 results
-
Hi! I am new to this site. I’ve been trying to find out what the line on my viola top plate is called. You can see it in the picture attached under the left f hole. My teacher couldn’t recall what it is called, but he says that good instruments have unique things like this that reinforces certain frequencies and provides better resonance. I don’t know how true that is, but I’d still like to find out what this line is called.
-
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
-
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
-
So this morning I planed a blank for the nut entirely without problems with beautiful perfectly smooth faces. I then decided to plane a blank also for the saddle (with the same plane but a different piece of ebony) and just could not do it at all. Whichever direction I planed there seemed to be a bit which was against the grain. Eventually I resorted to sanding the surfaces smooth. What is the reason for this and is there a solution?
