What makes a great violin?

I believe we've all experienced it. People write articles and essays about it. It fills vast orchestras and intimate chamber music. From klezmir to heavy metal, rock to commercials, TV shows, radio programs, improv groups, solo and harmony, it's everywhere, but what is it?

I recently found this article summarizing a study conducted by MIT in partnership with the North Bennett Street School violin making program in Boston, MA. (Here is the article: http://phys.org/news/2015-02-key-features-boost-violins-acoustic.html)

One thing is certain. The Sound of the violin-family is fascinating. If you have any experience playing, making, or listening to the violin or any of its relatives, what's your experience, and what makes it so special? All comments welcome!

Resources

Here are some resources I've found very helpful! If you would like to add, please contact me or post in the comments!

Here are some super-helpful links:

https://tinwoodviolin.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/free-violin-plans/

http://platetuning.org/

http://makingtheviolin.com/ 

Here are a couple violin makers I've been in touch with who are very helpful in alphabetical order:

Colin Gallihue
2014 VSA Gold medal winner, I rode to the event with him and he helped me get started by sharing his knowledge about tools and his process. New York, NY, US
http://www.reedyeboahviolins.com/maker2012/collin-gallahue/ 

David Hawthorne 
Bow maker with many insights and high standards. I really like what he says about doing it again until it is "perfect," and knowing what a great violin sounds like. Boston, MA, US
http://www.violinbows.net/

Harold Golden
Knowledgeable about the Italian sound, experiments with the sound of his instruments. Philadelphia, PA, US
http://goldenviolins.com/ 

Helmut Ulrich 
Blind & self taught violin maker I met at the VSA, recently featured on German TV. Mittenwald, Germany
http://helmut-ulrich.de/ 

John Schmidt 
Makes amazing knives (I use his 1/4" and 3/4"), offers free violin classes, excellent website, very helpful! Laurinburg, NC, US
http://jpschmidtviolins.com/

Kevin Kelly 
Soft spoken maker and player with videos about drawing violin-family instruments, let me borrow some tools. Boston, MA, US  
http://kellyviolins.com/
 
Otis Thomas
Commissioned violin maker with a spiritual outlook on violin making as a craft, science, and art. Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada
http://www.fiddletree.com/

Shooting Board

Shooting Board
Some of the wood I'm using is thin, and requires jointing at an angle. For accurate angled center jointing, I created this shooting board. 



Top View  27.Jan.2015
I flattened and squared a board (baseboard) and thinner plank (runway), then rub-joint glued two seperate kleats and the fence. I positioned the plane and maple billet for reference. (The block plane is 9.75" long, I hope to have a jointer plane soon).

Side View  27.Jan.2015
The angle is adjustable, (a reverse donkey ear) I have two separate cleats and a rounded baseboard edge. I clamped a wood strip to the far edge of the baseboard. When moved, it changes the angle.

Recap of Violin #1

Violin #1  A quick review of progress so far, check back at the beginning of March for new progress. 

Half Template:  6.Jan.2015

   

I taped my plan to plywood, and scribed holes for the outline. I then fret sawed the shape proud, and draw filed (file clamped to a square block) to the line.

Mould:  7.Jan.2015

I drilled two holes through the half template & plywood. After inserting drill bits, I traced both sides of the template and cut out like the half template. The bottom & top block recess were too large so I added plywood. I glued sand paper to a broomstick handle with a squared base and used on a flat surface to finish the C-bout area.

Blocks:  8.Jan.2015

Using an apron plane and resting the blocks on the bench, I squared all the bases, then one reference surface for the other surface(s), frequently checking against the mould. I finalized the block heights using flat surface mounted oversize sand paper.

Counter Blocks:  13.Jan.2015

I cut the block shapes using a fret saw (instead of a gouge), planning to use the off cut for clamping blocks. For this piece, I'm clamping with new wood. I then used my sanding stick and block to finish the block edges vertically.

Ribs:  18.Jan.2015





I scraped the rib stalk, then shooting board flattened one edge. I used a marking gauge on the ribs and used a knife and steel rule to cut the line clean. Excess used for purfling. .9mm C-bout, 1mm upper, 1.1mm lower bout. I bent the ribs with a straitening iron and animal glued with a milk-like consistency.

Joining the Front:  21.Jan.2015

 

First I cut the bass bar from the inside of the thicker spruce, then shooting board flattened the split halves, experimenting with riding the glue surface on flat surface mounted sandpaper. I sawed the linings from the outside edge of the wood at an angle which I use here for even clamping.

Welcome to my Studio!

I am currently creating two violins in Philadelphia, PA. I will be posting with my progress and would greatly appreciate feedback from anyone who sees this blog. Also, I'm happy to offer any advice, links, or contacts I have to anyone interested. I believe the creation of great instruments requires the free sharing of ideas and information. All the world is my classroom, and all the people in it my teachers.

In the following posts, I include a Photo-Diary on my progress so far with Violin #1 and Violin #2. Please check back at the end of February for continued progress.