Violin Forum/Message Board

Devlinski · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:38 am Post subject: Soundpost Quality

Please advise?; what is a so called "Good" sound post? starting from scratch were do I purchase such a thing? or do I just get the normal lenghts of dowel and make do with that?

Michael Darnton · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:15 am Post subject:

Soundposts are spruce, so dowels are out. You can make your own, which isn't difficult, by splitting out a long ( like 18", so you don't have to do it too soon again) length of spruce, squaring it, taking the points of the square for an octagon, and then putting it in a drill and sanding it round. They're easy to buy from any violin supply place, though.

Devlinski · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:53 am Post subject: sound post

Thanx for that. But in addition, apart from buying as you mention a length of this spruce, what would a really good luthier use, what constitutes a top piece of spruce for this purpose? As with top quality bridges , is there an equivalent soundpost?

FiddleDoug · Member Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Posts: 227 Location: Hilton, NY

Some makers use the same material that they use for their tops. Of the soundpost stock that you can buy from different suppliers, there are different grades offered. In any case, the material needs to be reasonably tight grained and well aged.
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