First Violin: 3rd Installment

Gluing the top and back went smoothly.  I approached this with some trepidation given my inexperience using hot hide glue, but it went smoothly.

The next challenge was carving the scroll and making the neck

Producing the neck proved challenging, but enjoyable. Setting the neck into the body  was also a challenge, but went smoothly.

The fingerboard is often removed prior to finishing the instrument to allow better access to the top.  Here, a dummy has taken its place to protect the delicate edges of the neck.

There is tremendous mystique surrounding the varnishing of violins, from the sealing and choice of a “ground”, to staining, and formulating and applying the varnish. I sealed with very diluted oil/varnish mix, stained with a combination of various water-based aniline dyes applied in layers, and then French polished using a garnet shellac. I think the results were very pleasing and it should age nicely as well.

Then it was on to fitting the pegs, sound-post, bridge, end-pin and tail-piece.

I got motivated to dive into this project when I knew that my eldest daughter would be needing a new violin.  Was I naive, foolish, stupid?  Probably all three and more besides. Ledah has been playing for about 14 years, she’s a freshman music major and an outstanding violinist.  The violin she’s been playing for almost two years is a prize, (on loan) for winning the University of Delaware National String Competition in 2011. The instrument is a very costly one made by a prominent luthier, but it is due to be returned this Spring.

Well, here’s a clip of Ledah bringing out some of the first notes to come from my completed violin.

This experience has reminded me that it is often a good thing to dream, and even try to make those dreams a reality. Ledah was so pleased with my effort that she has chosen to play it over the other violin.  Listening to both played side by side in a large room it was clearly the more resonant and powerful violin. I was absolutely floored and completely gratified.  It felt like hitting a homerun on my first at bat in the Majors! Earlier that same day Ledah competed in and won the Durham Symphony (NC) Concerto Competition.  She’ll be debuting as a soloist with the symphony in April 2013 and giving the violin its first public airing as well. I couldn’t be prouder of her. You know, I’m pretty pleased with my own effort this time too.