Nicolas Temino Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Surfing eBay looking for a violin in the white to get into pieces and start my adventure of understanding violin making I have found a wood I have never seen before. What kind of maple is this? Is it the cut or what? I think it is really beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratcliffiddles Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Quilted maple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvin Goldsmith Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Reminds me of a fine Les Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas Temino Posted September 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 Quilted maple Thank you, I thought quilted maple was the same as birdseye maple (the disadvatages English not being your mother tongue). This is not like the birdseye maple I am used to. Anyway, I think it is very beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfjk Posted September 20, 2009 Report Share Posted September 20, 2009 Surfing eBay looking for a violin in the white to get into pieces and start my adventure of understanding violin making I have found a wood I have never seen before. What kind of maple is this? Is it the cut or what? I think it is really beautiful. Hi, The "bottom bout" is showing too much cleavage! Regarding the wood, it is quilted maple cut on the slab. Cheers Wolfjk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiddleDoug Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Here's one of mine with a quilted Maple back. This dates from about 1900. Note that there is no purfling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas Temino Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Here's one of mine with a quilted Maple back. This dates from about 1900. Note that there is no purfling Nice one. I thought that birdseye maple was never cut on the slab for violins. But I see I was wrong (as in many things related to violin making!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimRobinson Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Nice one.I thought that birdseye maple was never cut on the slab for violins. But I see I was wrong (as in many things related to violin making!) Nicolas, I know about 3/5 of 5/8 of SFA (sorry, about the slang, just think "not very much") about violin making, but what I have learnt over the last 5 years or so is that less is more. Yes, the timber is extraordinary in that instrument, if you like being yelled at. It isn't the wood that should speak (yell) to you. By all means use beautiful timber - if you have the skill to carry it off - but it is not essential and can distract, possibly deliberately, from the other features of the violin. I am particularly mindful of Martina Hawe's work (one of which ended up with the name of "The Peach" was the subject of discussion here The Peach) Regards, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas Temino Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 When I decide to make my #1 for sure I won't spend tons of money on delightful timber. That is for sure. Whe I decided to cut my first bridges I bought a bunch of blanks and practiced with my tools until I got satisfied with my skills. It was not until the 20th bridge that I bought a good blank. And from now and then I screw up a blank! There will be the time to make a beautiful one. For now my goal is to make soemthing that looks like a violin :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiddleDoug Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Always keep in mind that highly figured wood is harder to work with than plain wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzupe Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Doug, not only no purfling, but no lip?...This one you do not use a chin rest?...it does not seem like there is enough edge to catch the chin rest clamps...Either way, it sure is neat....Who made it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiddleDoug Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 The violin does have a lip, and works fine with a chinrest You can see the chinrest clamp down by the tailpin. This violin is by an unknown maker, and has no label. It doesn't have a separate neck block, but rather neck extends into the body and has the ribs set into the side of the neck/block. The back is quilted, and the ribs are birdseye Maple. This is a very pretty instrument, and also sounds good and plays very nicely. I'm sure that I could easily sell it for quite a bit, but I like it enough to keep it in my personal collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas Temino Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 So, Is the quilted maple the name of the wood cut on the slab and birdseye maple if you have it quarter sawn? Sorry, but for a non english speaking person sometimes I fin it hard to understand some concepts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wm. Johnston Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 So, Is the quilted maple the name of the wood cut on the slab and birdseye maple if you have it quarter sawn? No. Quilted maple and birdeye maple are both slab sawn. The different names refer to the different figures. I guess part of the confusion is that birdeye maple also has a bit of quilted figure around the 'eyes'. Quilted maple doesn't have the little eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wm. Johnston Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Surfing eBay looking for a violin in the white to get into pieces and start my adventure of understanding violin making I have found a wood I have never seen before. What kind of maple is this? Is it the cut or what? I think it is really beautiful. Part of the reason this wood looks the way that it does is that it has been very heavily stained. This has the effect of making the figure look very pronounced in photographs. In person this heavy staining just ruins the beauty of figured wood because it keeps the figure from moving as you change the angle that you view the wood at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhny Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 No. Quilted maple and birdeye maple are both slab sawn. The different names refer to the different figures. I guess part of the confusion is that birdeye maple also has a bit of quilted figure around the 'eyes'. Quilted maple doesn't have the little eyes. Would this be considered a form of quilted maple? Or just slightly unusual standard figure. Thanks Leon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oded Kishony Posted November 16, 2009 Report Share Posted November 16, 2009 Not quilted. Nice wood ~OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean_Lapinel Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Part of the reason this wood looks the way that it does is that it has been very heavily stained. This has the effect of making the figure look very pronounced in photographs. In person this heavy staining just ruins the beauty of figured wood because it keeps the figure from moving as you change the angle that you view the wood at. Great point from Wm. Johnston. This is the type of stain/finish that would be done on furniture by most furniture makers. This approach is considered the standard for this type of wood. I think that this is the problem with crossover of crafts. What is acceptable in one field is not acceptable in another. Honestly, There are a small group of people that wouldn't kill furniture with this staining approach and I wonder if it's due to influence of other professions such as luthiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Tucker Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Great point from Wm. Johnston. This is the type of stain/finish that would be done on furniture by most furniture makers. This approach is considered the standard for this type of wood. I think that this is the problem with crossover of crafts. What is acceptable in one field is not acceptable in another. Honestly, There are a small group of people that wouldn't kill furniture with this staining approach and I wonder if it's due to influence of other professions such as luthiers. Most furniture makers, and many instrument makers. Subtle points like this, are often not a point of consideration by the general public, as, staining the figure or the wood itself is quite acceptible to most of them. Thus adding much drama to the wood, without a particular regard for the movement of the flame, which is a nuance of violin making. Too, this violin is finished much like a standard F5 mandolin, with the sunburst figure stained right into the wood itself... I have to assume that it all depends on what particular emphasis you are looking for, or, what you're looking to accomplish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintjohnbarleycorn Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 I don't get the no purfurling comment, I think i see it am I missing something? thanks kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertdo Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 I don't get the no purfurling comment, I think i see it am I missing something? thanks kevin The "no purfling" was refering to Fiddledoug violin (the inlet picture). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean_Lapinel Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Most furniture makers, and many instrument makers.Subtle points like this, are often not a point of consideration by the general public, as, staining the figure or the wood itself is quite acceptible to most of them. Thus adding much drama to the wood, without a particular regard for the movement of the flame, which is a nuance of violin making. Too, this violin is finished much like a standard F5 mandolin, with the sunburst figure stained right into the wood itself... I have to assume that it all depends on what particular emphasis you are looking for, or, what you're looking to accomplish. True. But look at the custom guitar world. My impression is that there is a strong attempt to avoid stains and let the Natural colors shines through. I've seen some incredible craftmanship with regards to wood selection and finish on some guitars. The spruce bearclaw streaks dance like the flames in maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wm. Johnston Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Too, this violin is finished much like a standard F5 mandolin, with the sunburst figure stained right into the wood itself...I have to assume that it all depends on what particular emphasis you are looking for, or, what you're looking to accomplish. I haven't spent much time around mandolins but I do intend to start building them some day. One thing that needs to be kept in mind about bluegrass mandolins is that to a large extent they are copying old instruments rather than working on fresh designs. In a lot of ways the archtop mandolin world is like the violin world. If a maker stains the flame on a mandolin that they built it could just be because they are copying a 100 year old factory mandolin. This is similar to modern violin makers antiquing their work, they're just trying to make something that looks like the 300 year old violins that people really want. The guitar world on the other hand is a totally different thing, and in a lot of ways a lot more exciting. Unfortunately for reasons I don't fully understand I enjoy violinmaking more so that's what I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Tucker Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 I haven't spent much time around mandolins but I do intend to start building them some day.One thing that needs to be kept in mind about bluegrass mandolins is that to a large extent they are copying old instruments rather than working on fresh designs. In a lot of ways the archtop mandolin world is like the violin world. If a maker stains the flame on a mandolin that they built it could just be because they are copying a 100 year old factory mandolin. This is similar to modern violin makers antiquing their work, they're just trying to make something that looks like the 300 year old violins that people really want. The guitar world on the other hand is a totally different thing, and in a lot of ways a lot more exciting. Unfortunately for reasons I don't fully understand I enjoy violinmaking more so that's what I do. I don't disagree with any of this - with you or Dean. My point in this is that there is more to woodworking than copying old Italian violin finishes. Copying them isn't wrong in any way - in particular, for violins - but it isn't the only thing woodworkers or even luthiers can do - it's a nice look, but it is not the only finish available or even desired for everything. Particularly with regard to furniture, but also instruments. I've got an F5 almost finished, and I will go with the Siminoff type of sunburst - stained directly into the wood. Much like the look of the quilted maple violin that started off this thread. It's an entirely different look, and there is nothing subtle about it. It will be entirely intentional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean_Lapinel Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 I don't disagree with any of this - with you or Dean.My point in this is that there is more to woodworking than copying old Italian violin finishes. Copying them isn't wrong in any way - in particular, for violins - but it isn't the only thing woodworkers or even luthiers can do - it's a nice look, but it is not the only finish available or even desired for everything. Particularly with regard to furniture, but also instruments. I've got an F5 almost finished, and I will go with the Siminoff type of sunburst - stained directly into the wood. Much like the look of the quilted maple violin that started off this thread. It's an entirely different look, and there is nothing subtle about it. It will be entirely intentional. Can't agree with you more. I'm making a copy of an old Gibson from the GAL diagrams and that one will be painted black on most of the surface. No finesse with that! Craig can you send me a pic of your F5 when your done. I might make one in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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