Violin Forum/Message Board

mdavis121212

I was wondering if there was a tool available to help with projecting the fingerboard onto the bridge. Im having a problem trying to do this reliably by just sighting down the fingerboard.

Thanks
Mike[/list]

DonLeister · Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 10:58 pm Post subject:

I use a sharp pencil, the e falls about right and for the g string I add 2 mils then trace my template to those marks.

mdavis121212 · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:04 am Post subject:

OK I just want to make sure I understand. Do you place the pencil on the fingerboard and then mark the bridge from the pencil projection? Great idea!!!!!!!!!!!! It never even dawned on me to do that.

Thanks
Mike

DonLeister · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:54 am Post subject:

Yes, a long pencil rather than short. Some pencils can be not so straight so to test how straight it is just roll it over to the flip side and see if the marks coincide.
This works best under the assumption that the fingerboard is right, which I'm sure you already know.

mdavis121212 · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 9:04 am Post subject: Thanks

I've just started doing this. More as a hobby. Although I'm thrilled with the results that I've had on the 2 Violins I've worked on (mine). Its amazing to me the condition those were in from the shop. After radiusing the fingerboards and giving the proper relief and string height they became soooo much more playable.

I want to start making instruments and I figured learning setup was a good way to start.

Thanks again!!

Cliff Green · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 7:26 pm Post subject:

Michael Darnton has a great "how to" on set ups at www.violinmag.com

bata · Member Joined: 12 Jan 2011 Posts: 30 Location: Ontario

This is a quick explanation of how I do it for a 4/4 violin:-
1. Trim both feet to required length (11.5mm), thickness (4.5mm) and overall width (41.5mm)
2. Fit the bridge feet to the belly of the instrument and mark the location of the strings vertically on the face of the bridge facing the fingerboard (34mm out to out, 11.3mm between strings.
3. Install one string to hold bridge in vertical position.
4. Using a steel rule notched to the exact string length (328mm) minus half the bridge top thickness ( 1mm) = 327mm, I lay this along the finger board and move the bridge till it is just touching the rule.
5. I then move the rule to the location of each string and raise it the required amount at the end of the fingerboard. For steel strings I use the following, these heights would be higher for gut strings, G & D - 4.5mm, A & E - 3.5mm. With a pencil I then mark the underside of the rule where it touches the bridge at each string location.
6. I then us a flexy curve to get the required profile for the bridge top. This representss the bottom of the strings, so I add half the diameter of the strings to this profile at the sting locations.
7. The bridge top is then carved to this profile and the string locations notched and the bridge shaped and finished in the normal manner.

Hope this helps......Tony