Gow Can One Make A Violin Out Of a 14" Viola ?

[Fellow]

Hi Luthier friends ,

How can one make a violin out of a viola ? I don't know if it is possible.

Next question, easy? (Not a joke)

It is desirable not to change the sound box but only neck length and fingerbroad

Silly question of mine. Please help answer. Thanks.

[Berl Mendenhall]

You can make a quick 5 string by adding a E string, nut, bridge, and tail piece.

[Brad Dorsey]

How can one make a violin out of a viola ?

Put violin strings on it.

[Craig Tucker]

Put violin strings on it.

To reiterate;

Put violin strings on it.

Nothing else is required.

[Craig Tucker]

You can make a quick 5 string by adding a E string, nut, bridge, and tail piece.

Adding a fifth peg, though, can be quite a job.

[hollenbach]

Adding a fifth peg, though, can be quite a job.

"Consider it done"

[Fellow]

"Consider it done"

++++++++++

Adding a fifth peg is a different issue. I have done a job that filling all peg (4) holes with bushing sticks

and re-drill peg (4) holes that are nice and straight. Then put in "perfection pegs" all by myself.

PS. Be aware of the possibility of surface damage on a violin if you are not a luthier in doing such a task.

[Berl Mendenhall]

Adding a fifth peg, though, can be quite a job.

Opps I forgot to mention the fifth peg. Job just got bigger. Still not that big a deal.

[gowan]

So how would a 14" viola be different from a violin (except for the strings)? The body length is just right. Probably the neck width is fine for a violin, too. What about the bout widths? For a viola I'd expect them to be wider than for a violin. And what about the rib height? I'd expect that to be higher on a viola than a violin. If you just strung it up with violin strings the G, D, and A should sound all right. I don't know what to expect from the E, though. It wouldn't cost much to try putting violin strings on it and see what happens. It might be OK. You might need a heavy guage E.

[David Burgess]

Adding a fifth peg, though, can be quite a job.

No need. Wrap two strings on one peg, then make final adjustments with fine tuners.

[Janito]

In a world of uncertaintly, it could have been a violin all along.

[Johnmasters]

Fellow,

This would be an interesting experiment for me. Likely the ribs are higher than for a violin. Also, it may be wider than a violin. If so, it will have more surface area and also more volume.

It will sound a little more like a viola perhaps, but it would be interesting to hear your views.

the C string will have low tension, but perhaps put a heavier one on, a Stark Dominant or orchestral grade string of another brand. Use violin strings for G,D,A.

[Bruce Carlson]

To reiterate;

Put violin strings on it.

Nothing else is required.

Brad and CT,

Excellent answer! You beat me to it!

Bruce

P.S. I suspect "Fellow" owns a large number of shares in the company that manufactures Perfection pegs!

[Brad Dorsey]

So how would a 14" viola be different from a violin (except for the strings)?

In the mass-produced student-grade 14 inch violas that I've seen, the only other difference is wider ribs.

[Bruce Carlson]

In the mass-produced student-grade 14 inch violas that I've seen, the only other difference is wider ribs.

Yes indeed.

Bruce

[Bruce Carlson]

It is desirable not to change the sound box but only neck length and fingerbroad

Silly question of mine. Please help answer. Thanks.

How can anyone answer that question without knowing what the actual measurements are?

Bruce

What is the difference between a tree?

[Johnmasters]

In the mass-produced student-grade 14 inch violas that I've seen, the only other difference is wider ribs.

The old Pfeschner brand had 3/4 violin bodies, 13" long.

[cjstuff]

I own a 14" viola that's been strung and played as a violin for many years. Setup-wise, the only difference is that the instrument has a true violin bridge that is arguably a bit narrower than a viola bridge. I don't think the previous owners changed anything else.

In playing it, I'm aware of the higher rib height and also, to a lesser extent, the angled slope on the lowest string (it's a German student viola, so its fingerboard isn't evenly rounded like violin fingerboards, instead having a sharper slope to make room for the wider vibration of the C string. I suppose I could change the fingerboard if I really felt like it.

The sound is surprisingly good, given the inherent limitations of the instrument. This is an early 1970s student viola, so I was expecting a typical plywood sound (it's carved, but you know what I mean). Instead, it has very strong low-end response due to the larger resonating chamber, and it's pretty smooth though not as powerful on the high end. I put Helicore strings on it to give the instrument a fast response to compensate for its inherent viola-ness.

[TimRobinson]

What is the difference between a tree?

Sorry, but this has bugged me for days now. Is this like asking what is the sound of a violin without strings, or a bow without hair?

I was never very good at this zen stuff.

Tim

[Fellow]

Sorry, but this has bugged me for days now. Is this like asking what is the sound of a violin without strings, or a bow without hair?

I was never very good at this zen stuff.

Tim

+++++++++++++

Once I went to visit a violin shop. I reached out my hands to get a violin to try which was hung on

a hanger in the shop. The saleslady yelled at me " don't touch. It is a viola"

I made a mistake. I would not know the difference.

[COB3]

Sorry, but this has bugged me for days now. Is this like asking what is the sound of a violin without strings, or a bow without hair?

I was never very good at this zen stuff.

Tim

Tim, I believe this is parallel to a form of humor that pervaded the US for a while about 30 years ago, consisting of a ridiculous question (unanswerable, usually) and an even more ridiculous answer which usually had nothing to do with the question.

Example: "What's the difference between a duck?"-- "It's that one of its feet are both flat!"

Once a person accepts (even appreciates) the absurdity of the joke-form, it is actually pretty funny. There were dozens of that sort floating around-- some better, some much worse. :-)

Chet

[Fellow]

Tim, I believe this is parallel to a form of humor that pervaded the US for a while about 30 years ago, consisting of a ridiculous question (unanswerable, usually) and an even more ridiculous answer which usually had nothing to do with the question.

Example: "What's the difference between a duck?"-- "It's that one of its feet are both flat!"

Once a person accepts (even appreciates) the absurdity of the joke-form, it is actually pretty funny. There were dozens of that sort floating around-- some better, some much worse. :-)

Chet

++++++++++++

Once I said to my local luthier " Is this violin made by Stradivari?" He did not answer my question but

I could see his face with great joy. I don't think I did any harm. (Who knows not Stradivari's grandson? specific is a problem

for anyone)

[Bill Yacey]

Tim, I believe this is parallel to a form of humor that pervaded the US for a while about 30 years ago, consisting of a ridiculous question (unanswerable, usually) and an even more ridiculous answer which usually had nothing to do with the question.

Example: "What's the difference between a duck?"-- "It's that one of its feet are both flat!"

Once a person accepts (even appreciates) the absurdity of the joke-form, it is actually pretty funny. There were dozens of that sort floating around-- some better, some much worse. :-)

Chet

Is it closer to travel to Toronto, or by plane?

[Nicolas Temino]

To reiterate;

Put violin strings on it.

Nothing else is required.

Shouldn't the ribs be lowered?

[Brad Dorsey]

Shouldn't the ribs be lowered?

Normally the ribs of a violin are lower than the ribs of a viola. But lowering the ribs of a viola would also require lowering the blocks. This isn't too hard except for the upper block where the neck is in the way. Since lowering the ribs could result in the fingerboard projection and the overstand being too high anyway, let's take out the neck. Resetting the neck is easier with a nice fresh upper block, so let's replace that too. And while the top is off, we might as well regraduate the plates and replace the bass bar before regluing the top and resetting the neck.

It sounds like a good project for Yuen.