Violin Forum/Message Board

mikebee · Junior Member Joined: 03 Mar 2011 Posts: 13 Location: UK

I am making my first viola, a copy of the Amati 1592 from John Pringle's drawing. The drawing clearly shows perfectly straight lines for the sides and top surface of the fingerboard. I know these lines are 'dished' as far as modern instruments are concerned, but does one have to do this even on a very short and low angle neck Baroque viola?
Presumably 'dishing' was a later refinement, added perhaps as an aid to the more demanding technical requirements of later repertoire?
A complication is that the fingerboard is not, in any case, the original Amati one but a later replacement. According to John Pringle anyway.
In an unthinking moment I have already made the beautifully decorated fingerboard as per the drawing - now I am starting to worry about it.
I don't want to have to throw it away unless I have to!
Equally,I don't want to end up with an instrument that no one can play properly!

Can anyone advise?

L P Reedy · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 3:46 pm Post subject:

Don't worry. At worst you would need a SLIGHTLY higher bridge but probably not even that.

Michael Darnton · Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 5:35 pm Post subject:

The scoop is there more for tonal clarity from a lack of contact directly ahead of your finger than for buzzing. Is there any possibility that you could put in just a little without cutting through anything you've laminated on top?
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mikebee · Junior Member Joined: 03 Mar 2011 Posts: 13 Location: UK

Thank you folks for your views. The decoration is formed from standard purfling into a figured maple top. I set it down 1mm. so I suppose I could try to get a scoop of half a mm. Seems a bit risky though! But how far back from the nut should a scoop start? Is there a standard position or is it entirely variable depending on other (but what?) conditions?

Please excuse my ignorance - I'm new to this!

Michael Darnton · Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:59 am Post subject:

Make the scoop the full length of the board. Just a little will help.
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Chad48309 · Member Joined: 26 Sep 2010 Posts: 110 Location: Michigan

mikebee · Junior Member Joined: 03 Mar 2011 Posts: 13 Location: UK

Thank you Mr. Darnton

Sorry if anyone thinks I'm labouring the point unecessarily, but just to be entirely clear:
is the deepest point of the scoop exactly half way along the length of the board, is that what you mean?
Only I think I have a very vague memory of seeing a reference (relating to modern instruments, I mean) to this low point being two thirds of the way down. Whether this is relevant or not in my case I don't know!

Michael Darnton · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 12:31 pm Post subject:

If the scoop is circular, it will be, de facto, the deepest halfway down, yes. A couple of decades ago, someone ran some numbers based on string envelopes and came to the conclusion that there should be more scoop up near the nut to achieve the same envelope all the way down, and that would also make sense to maximize string lift-off, since near the nut is where it's naturally at the lowest angle. There isn't any rationale I can imagine for putting more scoop at the bridge end, though.
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