Violin Forum/Message Board

[Spokeshave]

Hi,

I am interested in Pochette's or Kits. These are small "travel" or "pocket" violins.

I wondered if anyone might have some suggestions for making one?

Here are some links.

http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/BowedStringsOther/Pochettes/4651Worle/WorlePochette4651.html

http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/BowedStringsOther/Pochettes/PochetteChecklist.html

Thanks From,
Spokeshave.

[John Cadd]

Spokeshave The pochettes shown here remind me of a thing I made to replace a wooden silent practice fiddle.This made a nasty shuddering sound on some notes and I found the neck was badly glued on.I made a replacement in one length without any joins and set in a tiny spruce area about the size of the palm of my hand.This was supported by two ridges about the size of a matchstick.I even fitted a piece of wood poking out below, which held the bottom of a sound post.
This rough and ready instrument was made and working in 3 days I altered the string length to suit my short fingers and even changed the fingerboard to tilt the strings at the "scroll" end.(What scroll?).This skews the line of the strings like a propellor.The bridge then is left in it`s normal shape.Over a few days I drilled and cut to make the centre of gravity match a normal violin.Ever tried a Yamaha electric practice violin?All the weight is at your shoulder but as you take it away the weight is really strange.
I did all that so the Bach Sonatas would become a possibility.It worked too!There is a piece of the Devils`s Trill Sonata that will always be beyond me ,sadly.