Author: g.b. hembree

To finish the neck, we must prepare and attach the fingerboard and nut. The fingerboard blanks as they come from the supplier are too thick and too long. They must be planed down, cut to size and the scoop on the underside must be enlarged. Once that is done, it is lightly glued to the fingerboard (it will be removed for varnishing) and the nut must be attached as well.

Now we can cut away the excess wood on the neck and begin the shaping process.

At his point the scroll is carefully blended into the shape of the neck at the chin. The heel must wait until we have glued the neck into the body.

The neck is now finished. The next step is to tune the plates.

Before we tune the plates, we will make the neck. The first step is to layout the neck outline on the neck block. We use a template that not only defines the outline but also locates the peg holes and the turns of the scroll.

We now use the bandsaw to cut outline and the drill press to drill the peg holes.

The next step is to clean up the outline, form the neck root and cut down the cheeks of the peg box.

We are now ready to carve the scroll. First we cut away the excess wood of the first turn and the clean up the first turn using chisels.

With the first turn complete, we do the same thing for the second turn.

We now under cut the volute all the way around on both sides of the scroll.

The next step is to hollow out the peg box and provisionally fit the pegs.

Finally we flute the scroll all around.

The scroll is largely complete now. The next step is to prepare and attach the finger board and shape the neck.

The piece of top wood selected for “The Rebecca” is a beautiful piece of split Italian spruce that has been dried for more than 10 years. Because it is split, we are sure that the grain is “on the quarter” and the tone will be optimal. This first step is to join the halves.

The next step is to layout the outline using the rib assembly as a template.

As for the back, we establish the purfling platform.

Then we cut the purfling channel and bend and cut the purfling pieces.

Once the purfling is installed, like for the back we form the arching shape and cut the sgusciatura and finish the final outside arching.

Now we flip it over and gouge out the inside.

We are now ready to tune the back and the top. But first, lets make the neck.

With the purfling in, we finish the outside shape of the back. Using gouges and templates, the rough outline is brought to shape. Then using a very sharp gouge, the sgusciatura (or channel) is cut all around the back.

The using finger planes and scrapers, the final shape is formed.

With the outside complete, we flip it over and start gouging out the inside.

Continuing with gouges, planes, and scrapers, the inside is finished.

We will wait to tune this plate until after the top is made.

With the rib assembly done, we turn our attention to the back. The back is made from some very nice Bosnian maple that was cut approximately 15 years ago. The first step is to plane a perfect joint and join the two pieces.

Next we use the rib assembly to trace the outline for the back on the joined maple and then cut it out.

Next, we establish a platform for the installation of the purfling. To do this, we make platform about 5 mm thick and 9 mm wide all around the instrument. At this point we finish the outline to perfectly match the rib assembly with about 2.5 mm overhang all around.

With the platform established, we cut a purfling channel all around the instrument. Pieces of purfling are bent and inlayed into the channel. The picture below shows half of the purfling installed.

To finish this stage, we just need to install the other half of the purfling. Now we move on to completing the arching of the outside of the back.

The first step is to install the blocks and ribs. “The Rebecca” is based on a Strad (the Provigny) pattern. The blocks are willow and glued to the mold. The ribs are planed to a thickness of about 1.2 mm and then bent to shape. Below is a picture of the blocks and the c-ribs installed.

Now the blocks must be trimmed to accept the other ribs. Likewise, those ribs are planed to about 1.2 mm and bent.

The next step is to install the linings.

Today we start “The Rebecca”. Below is a picture of the wood I have selected for this violin. There is a nicely flamed piece of Bosnian maple for the back and sides and a very nice piece of split Italian spruce for the top. The linings and blocks will be made from willow. The neck block is also nicely flamed.

The first step is to install the block and ribs.

With the corpus finished, we are ready to make and install a neck. We start with the raw material, a neck block and finger board.

We first use a template to trace the shape of the neck on the neck block. We cut out the shape and drill the peg holes.

Next we pare away the excess wood around the pegbox cheeks.

Then we carve the first turn of the scroll.

Then we carve the second turn.

Now we undercut the scroll, carve the volute and pegbox. Clean everything up and glue on the fingerboard.

There is a lot of excess wood that needs to be removed and the neck needs to be shaped. It is now ready to install on the corpus.

A mortice is cut in the corpus for the neck. This is the most exacting task in violin making. All dimensions are very critical to the function of the instrument.

We now do the final shaping of the button, heel and chin.

We are now ready to clean everything up and setup the violin for playing!

With all of the pieces done, it is time to put it all together. The first step is to remove the rib assembly from the form and trim the blocks and linings.

Next we glue the back on.

At this point, I like to clean everything up and apply a very thin coat of propolis spirit varnish to the inside. When it is dry I rub it down and put the makers label in.

We are now ready to close the body.

The body is done.

Lets make a neck.

The bass bar is a piece of spruce about 6 mm wide that runs the length of the top underneath the bass foot of the bridge. It provides rigidity for the top and enhances the lower frequencies. Its proper installation is critical to the tone of the instrument.

The first step is to cut a piece of spruce to the proper length, plane it to width and cut the proper shape with a knife.

We then glue some temporary cleats to the top to hold it in place and chalk fit the bassbar to the top. Its location is critical and must fit exactly the entire length.

Once it fits perfectly, we glue it in place.

The bassbar is then shaped using small planes. Thicker in the bridge area and thinner in the lungs.

Like we did for graduating the top, we use resonate frequencies to fine tune the shape of the bassbar.

The top is now complete. We are ready to put the body together.