polkat Posted September 1, 2009 Report Posted September 1, 2009 I have a nice violin here (not one of mine) with a neck that feels just too thick. It feels like I'm holding a log in my hand, and it's a bit hard to play the G string as a result! The fingerboard has standard sizing with the edges being around 5mm or a tiny bit more. The neck also looks visually too big (slightly). So my question is: can anyone remind me how thick a standard neck (board surface to back sans board) should be? And also, where exactly do you measure since the peg end and the heel end curve upwards and get thicker? I've been using 18.5mm and 19.5mm just at the flat sections on violins I've made, with the board attached. Is that correct? Thanks!
Tim McTigue Posted September 1, 2009 Report Posted September 1, 2009 Can't help you on the standard measurements, however one of the issues my first has, is pretty much exactly that... the neck is a bit too thick. However, I don't think it's actually too thick from back to fb, rather I think it's a bit too fat in profile. IOW, if you're looking at the cross-section, like "D", I've left a bit too much material around the apex of the curve, I think. Just mentioning another possibility that could make it feel too thick, even if you measure it and it seems correct. One of these days I'll get around to fixing it...
Brad Dorsey Posted September 1, 2009 Report Posted September 1, 2009 And also, where exactly do you measure since the peg end and the heel end curve upwards and get thicker? Measure where the straight section meets the curves. It's hard to say exactly where these points are, but your best guess will be close enough. I've been using 18.5mm and 19.5mm just at the flat sections on violins I've made, with the board attached. That sounds about right. I was taught to use 18.5 and 20.5. The exact measurements are not absolutely critical, since they will change every time the fingerboard is planed.
Michael_Molnar Posted September 1, 2009 Report Posted September 1, 2009 The fingerboard sides should have a slight inward taper giving the cross section an oval shape. Use the neck templates too. Check that the nut is 24mm wide. Also check the 26mm heel stop distance Strobel mentions. Mike
skiingfiddler Posted September 1, 2009 Report Posted September 1, 2009 If you're setting up the fiddle for sale and not for yourself, I would caution against thinning down the neck, especially if it is standard, 24mm across the fingerboard at the nut, and not grotesquely thick anywhere else. Neck thickness and shape is a very personal issue with players, and if you take wood out, you can't put it back for the player who likes a substantial neck. If you're selling the fiddle, I'd say let the buyer know that you're willing to adjust the neck to any contour the buyer likes, after the sale.
polkat Posted September 1, 2009 Author Report Posted September 1, 2009 I'll be keeping this one for myself. The measurements seem about right, but the neck still seems thick, so let me put this in another perspective; the cross section of this neck (including the fingerboard) appears to be a true "D" shape as in the attachment I've included. Could this be the reason for the feel? curve.bmp
skiingfiddler Posted September 1, 2009 Report Posted September 1, 2009 I'll be keeping this one for myself. The measurements seem about right, but the neck still seems thick, so let me put this in another perspective; the cross section of this neck (including the fingerboard) appears to be a true "D" shape as in the attachment I've included. Could this be the reason for the feel? Yes, the shape of the neck, in cross section, whether it's more "U" or "V" or an oval on its side with a flat top for the fingerboard will influence how your hand and maybe your eye perceive the neck, whether thick or thin, even if the depth of that cross section is the same in all three patterns. I have 3 fiddles that vary in just that way: one neck is the oval on its side with a flat top, the other a deep U shape and the third a pretty strong V shape, and they do all feel very different, even while the widths of the necks at the nut vary less than a mm and the depths (heights) of the cross sections probably vary a mm or less.
Brad Dorsey Posted September 1, 2009 Report Posted September 1, 2009 I'll be keeping this one for myself. The measurements seem about right, but the neck still seems thick.... Since you're keeping it for yourself, you can shape the neck however you like regardless of its size and shape. You could find a violin you like and copy the neck.
DBurns Posted September 2, 2009 Report Posted September 2, 2009 Since you're keeping it for yourself, you can shape the neck however you like regardless of its size and shape. You could find a violin you like and copy the neck. Found this trick. Making a neck template
Bill Yacey Posted September 2, 2009 Report Posted September 2, 2009 How about one of these? http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=...t=1,42936,42958
polkat Posted September 2, 2009 Author Report Posted September 2, 2009 DBurns, neat idea and I saved that one. Well, eventually I compaired it to my better violins and found it to be roughly 3mm too thick up the full length of the neck. I re-profiled it today and gave it a kind of "V" shape (French?). Played it tonight and it's much nicer to play! Thanks all for the tips!
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