Light weight fiddle

[Peter K-G]

One strategy could be to put the sound post 3 mm behind the bridge South, and in the center of bridge foot east/west, and never ever move it unless it falls!

[Roger Frankland]

..

[Roger Frankland]

One strategy could be to put the sound post 3 mm behind the bridge South, and in the center of bridge foot east/west, and never ever move it unless it falls!

I like that. And also carve the bridge as thin as possible and leave it alone unless it warps. And leave the strings alone until they break. And focus on playing scales.

The more I learn about fiddle making, the more I realize there can be many, many beautiful sounding fiddles, but all a little different. Er, that is as long as some attention is paid to thinning the plates until they resonate nicely.

[Roger Frankland]

my Granddaughter playing no 8 much better than I.

 

ashokan+.mp3

[Don Noon]

Nice.  I hear some characteristics that I connect with lightweight, low-density tops:  very snappy sound, tending toward the sound of an electric fiddle.  

[Roger Frankland]

Well, I have started number 9. Thanks to many helpful suggestions, cogitation, and testing, have decided to change at least four things in an effort to create a beautiful sounding folk fiddle. It may be lightish but definitely not as light as some of my others! Hopefully it will sound purer in the high register and darker in the low ....I am changing to denser belly wood, with some really nice .38 SG billets. I found the graduation and arching maps in the Luthiers Library for a 1668 Stainer violin and plan to use them for a guide. There are a few places I can take off some weight and I will do that as much as possible, and I have more hand tools coming! Just bent and glued up the lower bout ribs this morning, looking good. I just hope I can remember all the "tricks" I have learned so far. That is the hardest part for me as the years roll along. Thanks again, everyone, for your help. This is just a hobby for me, and I really appreciate the suggestions.

[Roger Frankland]

golly zooks.. that is all I can say. I finally strung this fiddle up (in the white) and it is talking to me. Tonewise, it is the best I have done by far. Sounds great, harshness is gone .. the harmonic pattern is different in a surprising way ... but this is just one data point so i can be excited but not certain. Next step, get someone else to play it. Then finish it up.

[Rue]

Congrats! Post pics and a sound clip!

[Frank Nichols]

Wow, just wow! Someplace around page 8 my head exploded! Thank you so much for sharing your journey!