Violin Forum/Message Board

kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

are the belly and back usually fairly close in arching's ?
I have my belly that is flatter across the bottom than it probably should be, should I follow the same with the back or make the back more curved.

the long arch is ok , but the lower half I feel is flatter across than it should be. .. thanks for any advice on this. keivn

actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

Here's an interesting thread that should get things going...

http://violins.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?t=841&highlight=arch

Michael Darnton · Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 6:11 pm Post subject:

Since that thread, I now use a circle all the way to the ends of the curve, then simply put a recurve on it, which seems more like the original Cremonese violins than what I was doing before, blending the cross curves in at the ends.
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kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

thanks that covers it pretty well.

kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

what about the arching height between the top and back should the back be a equal , to or higher/lower than the belly?

actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

Michael, if I understand your approach to the "flat section" of the top, this should end up about 120mm long?

Is that about right? And also, how "flat" is the flat section? Do you always maintain a slight curve along it?

Best regards,

E

Michael Darnton · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:20 pm Post subject:

I personally believe the top should be the same or lower height than the back. That's personal, and I wouldn't be able to justify it except from my own experience from trying the various possibilities. I suspect the original design, way back at the beginning, was to make the top and back of equal heights.

I like the top to be flattish between the corners, at least, and not flat--put a straightedge on the centerline and it should roll nicely. Some people profess that the arch should be flat, lengthwise, at the bridge feet, and I think this is more of a philosophical conclusion than a practical one. At any rate, I've never been able to make an arch that looked right and did that at the same time.

The way I think of the top long arch is a flat arch between the parts of the upper and lower bout equal distances from the ends more or less at the widest points of the bouts, another curve between the ends and the widest parts, and then a Zone of Sacrifice to blend the two together.
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actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

Thanks for that... would you happen to have a photo of what you would consider a fine example of a long arch shape?

Descriptions, for me, are a hard study compared to a photo...

Best regards,

E

Michael Darnton · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:23 pm Post subject:

I can't say it's perfect, but I don't feel too bad about this one:
http://darntonviolins.com/images/instrument_gallery/Amatibody.jpg
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actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

I'm getting it now... and that's a pretty fiddle!

light colored fingerboards are so "out of the ordinary" but they do look sweet.

And something else. I'm guessing this is one of yours? If so, I've never seen a saddle before that didn't cut through the purfling... this approach makes so much sense from the standpoint of crack propagation protection. Is there any downside?

E

Michael Darnton · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:27 pm Post subject:

That's one of mine, yes.

The downside of that type of saddle is that it can't be made high enough to hang a modern tailpiece over. The rotational forces would probably overcome it pretty quickly. That kind of saddle is basically an extension of the edge, replaced with something harder--it's no higher than the edge, ideally.
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Oded Kishony · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:06 pm Post subject:

Michael Darnton · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:12 pm Post subject:

I try to make the peak, such as it is, in the exact center of the length, front and back, and the arch symmetrical, lengthwise. No bias for anything, not bridge, not f-holes, not post, not assumed influence of different bout widths.
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kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

as far as your cross arches, are they visually explained on you web site with the laser clip?

Oded Kishony · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:27 pm Post subject: