saddle cut out

[catnip]

I have been doing some research into saddle dimensions for the viola and have found very little information on the depth of the cut out.  What is most commonly given is the width and height or (the height above the belly) so I have looked at a lot of classic viola tops and found that there does not seem to be a standard depth.   The depth varies from the purfling line (shown in red) to as much as 3 mm beyond the purfling line (shown in green).  Does the depth matter or is it just style?  It seems to be that the viola would benefit with a deeper more solid saddle.

[jacobsaunders]

Why on earth should a Viola "Saddle cut out" be any larger than a violin "cut out?

[Brad Dorsey]

Maybe because a viola saddle is bigger?  A bigger saddle would require a bigger cut-out.

My guess is that a viola saddle might be bigger to keep it proportional to the size of the body, but it's just a guess.  Similarly, I would guess that a cello saddle would be bigger than a viola saddle and a bass saddle would be bigger than a cello saddle.

[jacobsaunders]

1 hour ago, Brad Dorsey said:

Maybe because a viola saddle is bigger?  A bigger saddle would require a bigger cut-out.

My guess is that a viola saddle might be bigger to keep it proportional to the size of the body, but it's just a guess.  Similarly, I would guess that a cello saddle would be bigger that a viola saddle and a bass saddle would be bigger than a cello saddle.

I remember at my “Meisterprüfung” one of the people said to me “A violin saddle is 42mm long”. I said “why?”, and he answered “because the eyes of the scroll are 42mm wide”. It was an exam, so I had to bite my lip, but I have spent the last 40 years telling anyone who would listen that the bloke is a moronic raving loony nut job, who they should steer well clear of

[David Burgess]

1 hour ago, jacobsaunders said:

I remember at my “Meisterprüfung” one of the people said to me “A violin saddle is 42mm long”. I said “why?”, and he answered “because the eyes of the scroll are 42mm wide”. It was an exam, so I had to bite my lip, but I have spent the last 40 years telling anyone who would listen that the bloke is a moronic raving loony nut job, who they should steer well clear of

Yup, if a saddle doesn't have at least one dimension among all those of a scroll, or an ff hole, or ratio within .0092 of any other body part, it must be considered as a devil-inspired part, which will render either a violin or viola of no value.

[catnip]

After looking at about twenty classic viola tops it seems that the deeper cut out is a more recent phenomena (in general).  Maybe because of the extra height the resultant vector force of the tailgut  and strings is not directed to inside bottom purfling edge and maybe will cause the saddle to rotate (become unglued) over time.

[catnip]

I have decided to go with a Rocca - Hill style saddle similar to this.  I don't have a side view of this saddle to see exactly how the lower piece is contoured.