Violin Forum/Message Board

Thanks Michael for the quick response. I am not too concerned about texture as I have intentionally raised the front grain and rubbed color across to collect in the reeds. And with the back I have rub ...

I use an efficient UV drying cabinet (12-18hrs dry to touch) for my oil varnish applications on violins. I am on my last few applications now prior to rubbing down with oil and pumice. In the past I t ...

Hi John,

As I'm sure you are aware you can reach desired plate stiffness numbers for both top and back a couple different ways, reaching good relationship numbers top to back regardless of the appr ...

John,

I'll give you two more sets of numbers.

For an early violin (in state of disrepair) with unremarkable tone, mass of back=131g. with a mode 5= 330hz. mass of front = 69g. with a mode 5 = ...

Hi John,

I use a formula attributed to Nigel Harris of the U.K. I won't get into the details here but if you google him you should be able to get his doctoral dissertation which explains it thoro ...

Michael, well said. I know very little about the value of a new violin except for this. As a player and maker of 5 years, and I assume we are selling instruments to good musicians, it is all about how ...

Michael, thanks for the input. I tend to agree with you though the tanners aren't on a bed with a freshly varnished violin. And according to Koen Padding it is the ozone/ nitrous oxygen, by products o ...

After posting the earlier questions about uv drying cabinets I came across a paper I read by the late Koen Padding. The paper was entitled "Use of ultraviolet light sources in lutherie", pub ...

I have a drying cabinet like many other makers that makes use of uvb bulbs to hasten drying time for oil varnish on my new violins. It is located in an outdoor, unheated shed. Normally I varnish in th ...

Again, thanks to all for the tips. One last question. Is this procedure best done with or with out fingerboard attached to neck. If I take it off which is easy to do then I have better access to inser ...

Mat,

I don't have violin experience with clients refusing to pay but a little in the landscape business. I too almost never use written contracts and have had only a few clients refuse to pay in 27 ...

Thanks Michael, your prescription sounds good. I'll make the adjustment and let you know the outcome. I'll be curious to see what tone difference there might be with the 3mm taller bridge.

Michael, thanks for the reply. # 3 was finished and strung up in April 2012. # 1 in April 2010. You say pull the neck back; would you do that by inserting a small wedge where the end of the neck meets ...

I have currently made three violins. On two of the three, the fingerboard projection has dropped from 27mm to about 24mm. Both were made in the winter under drier and cooler temps. (60 degrees max.) I ...