Violin Forum/Message Board

jmck11 · Junior Member Joined: 03 Nov 2008 Posts: 8

Hi, I am working on my first violin and I was wondering what the rib height on a 4/4 violin should be? I heard 30-31.5 mm? Also is the rib height the same at the upper and lower bouts?

Mat Roop · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 12:14 am Post subject:

Try this site... http://www.prierviolins.com/prierviolins/DimensionsForViolins.htm
Try also to get a good book...tough to make your first without a good book...tough even with a book!
This series is inexpensive... http://violins.ca/books/books_strobel.html
And this one is the best... http://www.bestwebbuys.com/The_Art_of_Violin_Making-ISBN_9780709058762.html?isrc=b-search
Cheers, Mat

MANFIO · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 7:10 am Post subject:

Rib heigth can vary according to the model of the violin. A model with high archings may have shallow ribs and vice versa.

High ribs were used by Del Gesù. The Cannon has 33 mm ribs. In general the ribs tappers from the upper blocks to the neck blocks.
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jmck11 · Junior Member Joined: 03 Nov 2008 Posts: 8

Thankyou for your great help. I think I will use the dimensions from the Prier violins on that website.

jmck11 · Junior Member Joined: 03 Nov 2008 Posts: 8

What is the purpose for the tapper in rib heights from the back to the front of the violin?

MANFIO · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 1:38 pm Post subject:

That's a difficult question to answer. But there are strong evidences that Cremonese makers (Strad and Del Gesù) did that, so we do the same thing, since most makers try to emulate the old masters techniques.

One of the possible reasons is that in this way the upper part of the top offers more resistance to the pull exerted by the neck.
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jmck11 · Junior Member Joined: 03 Nov 2008 Posts: 8

Thanks once again for your responses.

If I were to leave the rib height the same all the way around the violin would there be any side effects? I am afraid of taking off to much material when I try to acquire the right taper. What tools are used to take off this material?

MANFIO · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:57 am Post subject:

It's difficult to say if there will be any side effects.... the violin works as whole, everything matters... But there are many good violins with no tapering.

Some use a block plane to do that. I use a granite board with coarse sandpaper (those used for wooden floor) gued to it and I rub the rib cage over it. To make the taper, I put a piece of wood under the lower block so that just te upper bout will be sanded (on the part that will receive the table).
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John Cadd · Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:51 pm Post subject:

The makers may have adjusted the air resonance before closing the box. The top can be temorarily fitted to check the "Blow Note" across one of the sound holes. Aim for Bb like Stradivarius. ( from the Sacconi book). Sacconi also recomended both plates tuned to F and when made into a box they will sound at Bb (what a coincidence).
Bb, Bb, and Bb. Heron - Allen gives different tunings and separates the plate notes. Addition----Remember the plates examined by Sacconi were varnished.That would change the plate note(s) compared to a new plate in the white.

DonLeister · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 10:30 am Post subject:

Hi Jmck11,

Your rib heights are in a good range.

I don't know any makers that tune the air resonance like Amezcua is describing, and it is not taught at any violinmaking workshops or schools that I know of. It seems to be something that experimenters and tinkerers suggest is important but never show any real science or experience to prove the point.

Changing the rib height would affect other things than just the air resonance.

I would like to know what changing the rib height would do in a general sense, but my experience is that violins are all different and what is good for one would not be so good for another.

Heron-Allen was a writer and his total output was two violins I think. His book is amusing but not so good for learning about making.

Ken Pollard · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 3:50 pm Post subject:

First violin, you might want to keep the ribs the same height all the way around. It makes figuring out the neck-set easier.

I made my first violin with 32-mm ribs. With the plates glued on, it looked wide to me, but it played ok. 30-mm seems to me about the lowest I'd want, visually, but I have seen violins with thinner ribs.

John Cadd · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 8:47 pm Post subject:

Don I mentioned Sacconi first and the many Strad instruments he examined first hand. That shows at least one maker who must have seen a point in setting the Air Resonance------Stradivarius. Most good makers use him as an example even if they don`t understand the exact reasons for everything he did. So why do you think it`s better not to bother what Stradivarius did all of a sudden? Obviously almost the only thing the side heights will affect is the internal air volume. That seems a good reason to mention it here.
I checked to see what a 2,5 cubic inch change of volume would amount to in practice. If that was spread across the vibrating area it would be 3/100s of an inch thick. About as thick as your fingernail. How many makers would check the height to that accuracy? What does it mean? Don`t ask me. It`s true tho. Easier to check the sound of the air note.

Chet Bishop · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 9:38 pm Post subject:

.03" = .762mm

I don't know many violin makers who fail to achieve that sort of accuracy. Most of them are working in tolerances of +/- .2mm or less. If a maker is following a specific pattern, he knows the height of the ribs.
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Ken Pollard · Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 12:59 am Post subject:

Don's only made about 50 violins. He's one of the fastest woodcarvers I've ever seen, and is the usual winner in the woodchip pile competition at the So. California workshop. I guess he's doing other things besides blowing through the f-holes.

I've blown through the end-pin on a couple of violins, and it was always a 440 A. Close to a Bb. But they weren't great instruments.

John Cadd · Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:09 pm Post subject:

Why the abusive edge to all the comments? Strad did things. Sacconi wrote it in a book .A newbie asked a question and I told him what was written there.I compared it to Heron Allen`s book just for a comparison.What`s all the fuss about? If you want to deny it get down to Cremona .They need to know.