As a Guitar player and general lover of all things music...and musical...i can't tell ya how much pleasure i get out of watching you put some love back into these old battered instruments....ensuring their new custodians enjoy them just like the last ones did....absolute respect and peace to you Mr RSW
I was watching you scrape that exceptionally hard glue and thought of a tool we used to use when we scraped gun stocks to remove old glue and level the wood. We used a piece of glass from a broken wine bottle . It stays sharp for a long time a smooths better than any metal scrapers we used. It just a thought. I use a straight pin to keep my CA glue nipple clear. I really enjoy you videos , I can sit for hours just watching a master craftsman work. Keep up the good work.
Olaf the Violinmaker suggests that cleats grain should be at 45 degrees to the crack being fixed. It makes sense that this will facilitate more expansion than if glued at right angles to the base grain...yet provide less likelihood for the cleats to split. Appears to be a good compromise, especially if the cleat and base woods are identical. Personally, I would use veneer with a good tight straight grain for cleats, so it will hardly need to be planed down. Spruce veneer may not be sold, but maple certainly is.
I never knew your channel was here till I watched Elderly Iron send his guitar to you. Now I watch you all the time. Thank you for sharing your knowledge on how to repair the most amazing instruments ever made guitars fiddles and such. Thank you.
Jerry, you never cease to amaze me! I know now if any one can repair/restore a stringed instrument, it is you! Your videos get better and better. Your new shop was well worth the time and expense. Thankz
+Audio Tech Labs Actually I'm a bit concerned about how to finish it. It will be difficult to make it look as it once did. But I will give it my best shot.
Hide glue was the glue of the time, and wasn't just used in instruments. They used hide glue in furniture making and other textiles as well. It was simply the best adhesive at the time. The properties of the hide glue, once it is dry, do not add anything to the instrument, so using superior modern adhesives only makes sense. It is, indeed, what Stradivarius and other masters would have used if they had had it available to them. At this point, hide glue is a choice born out of nostalgia more than functionality. If I were building a new instrument, I'd be using modern epoxies, wood glues, and finishes. If I were restoring a Stradivarius, I'd use hide glue, simply because it's a classic masterwork that deserves to be maintained the way it was originally made.
@@RosaStringWorks - Yep. I saw the word "copy" on the sticker, plain as day. Which is why I don't think anyone should fault you for your choice of adhesives, stains, finishes, etc. What I meant was, if it was an ACTUAL Stradivarius, I'd feel a little different about the restoration techniques. I think you obtained a fine result with this particular fiddle, given the particularly sad shape in which it originally arrived. Nicely done.
Totally wrong. The issue with modern glues vs. hide glues is not the superiority of the glue as a means of attaching pieces of wood to each other, it's the ability of hide glue joints to be disassembled with relative ease and have all traces of the glue removed without damage to the parts, allowing for clean dissassembly for repairs and uncomplicated reassembly. Would you prefer that all the parts of your car, including its engine, were WELDED together rather than being bolted and screwed together? How is this going to affect repairabilty? That, is why we DO NOT USE MODERN GLUES WHEN REPAIRING STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. STOP IT. It makes future repairs more difficult or virtually impossible.
@@Turboy65 they used hide glue as that was the only glue available at that time. You are so wrong on the car logic as well. In the past they bolted panels but as adhesive became better and stronger, they now glue parts. Even ferraris glue parts now. This just shows that every manufacturer used the best available at the time of construction. Which means that evolving with time to better products which in this case are adhesives is the logical choice. And jerry has shown this multiple times that a joint with modern glues comes apart as easy as with hide glue.
Jerry, I'm a luthier in Australia and I completely agree with you on the glue debate. As a matter of fact I use the same glue you're using. I'm also a believer in different woods as well due to the fact that the old masters only used what was growing in their country. I'm in Tasmania and guitar and other instrument builders all over the world are just realising that woods in our part of the world like Huon Pine, King Billy (William) Pine, Blackwood and Myrtle plus others are in some cases better.
Yes I agree with you on the glue, I had a violin that the neck joint failed using hide glue' I reset the neck and it failed again using hide glue. Then I used a wood glue and it hasn't moved for three years now and it plays beautiful,
The way to stop the glue from clogging the nozzle is to store it upside down so the air is at the the bottom of the bottle which is now at the top. The same works for half empty cans of paint
The machine Heads are basically pegs and fine tuners together. The lack of fine tuners on the tailpiece has an advantage of allowing the top to vibrate more freely.
When you put your CA glue down on the table give it a gentle squeeze which forces air through the tip blowing out whatever glue is in the tip. Should be good to go after that. Been doing it for years.
I'm a woodturner and I use a lot of ca glue. Somehow if you plug the hole it binds up all the time. Ca glue does not like tight surfaces ( pin and hole) so it seizes very fast. So I just leave it open. It lasts quite a long time but it does however have a time limit. Since I use it often, I don't worry about it. I get it 8 to 10 oz. size.
Most German violins were actually made in Bohemia, in home workshops and finished in Germany. Different people made the backs and the tops, which probably accounts for the stamp. The fact that the brace was carved in, suggests it was a low end instrument in spite of the flame maple. The label suggests it was made between the wars. The open corners were originally a French patent, it was supposed to increase resonance, but was only scene on lower end instruments.
I just watched some Italian master builder and you can tell the difference of the internals between the two violins. But as a auto mechanic I do believe that sometimes the repairman is on the same level as the builder. Always enjoy your work And those young ladies singing sounded like angels.
Jerry, I build lots of gliders (soaring) and use the CA's a LOT! What I've found that works for me is to hold the bottle upright after use and squeeze it/massage it a little to get air in the tip then cap it once the glue is out of it. I very seldom have the plugged tip issue any more. Give it a try and see if it works for you!
To keep the superglue from clogging, remove the top seal pin and cut the top off near the outlet with a clean razor. Never touch the outlet with your fingers. Never reinstall the tip pin. Throw it out. "THE SMALLEST amount of contamination from handling the tip pin will set the glue in the nozzle, and start the process thickening the content of bottle. Leave the outlet open and store the glue in a small sealed bottle. It will stay liquid, nozzle will not be clogged, and the glue last for months or longer! I really enjoyed your video keep up the good work
Never seen a tone bar carved in before, learned something new! I'm with you on Titebond, Hyde may be easier to get apart and responds to heat better but Titbone is my fav for most applications. Good video Jerry!
That's an indication of a factory-made violin around the early 20th century. Its label says "Made in Czechoslovakia", so it must be after 1918. I also have one of these factory Stradivarius violin with "Made in Germany" that sounds okay but tends to be rigid. Another confirmation is the fake lower corner block. It's called fake because it's just a flat piece of wood, not the whole body of wood filling the corners like more carefully made violins in the same time period (factory-made violins nowadays tend to have full 4 corner blocks). Also, many factory-made violins back then did not have corner blocks at all, which was a sign of factory-made. So, I think the reason they added the fake lower corner block came later, to allure buyers when they looked into the f hole to see if it was a "good" violin by checking whether or not it had the corner blocks. The upper corner blocks are more difficult to see from the f holes, so the factory did not put any there. You can also observe the graduation work on the top plate (inside). It was done very roughly as you can see. It's not smooth and I'm positive the "maker" at the factory did not check the sound of the plate at all. IMHO, when such a violin is opened, it's a good opportunity to carve out that carved in bass bar, regraduate the top plate, and install a new bass bar. Because of old wood, I bet it would sound a lot better if you had done that.
Mr Rosa and I could not have come from such different work experiences. I started working with computers in 1985 and retired in high end computer networking and management. I learned my luthier talents from my dad back in 1975. Mr Rosa always talks about how PVA (Titebond) holds better. Animal hide resin glue has a very unique type of resonance that can not be duplicated with PVA glues. Mr Rosa is a far better and diversified luthier than I ever will be. I learned how to repair acoustic style instruments, Electric guitars and repairing accordions and God I hate accordions, talk about animal products. The first Gibson Les Paul's were built by hand in early 1950's using Animal hide glue until about 1963 or so. Elmers Glue-all PVA was selling back in 1947. There were many acoustic guitars built after 1963 with animal hide glue. There are three reasons the older Les Paul guitars sell for so much. 1 is: Hand built. 2 is: Animal hide glue. 3 is: Nitrate lacquers.
+carl talbot believe it or not I started working with computers in 85 for AT&T. I designed their biggest systems that they had. I retired in 2001 as a second line manager over the systems. So you see we actually have the same background. Thanks for watching.
Well done on the wood repair at tuners ..3d printer comes in handy , cnc machine for wood too... but the old way works too. Theres also thousands in tools to do this work ,, people dont realize the tools you need to have to fix there instuments./
The reason hide glue is used by violin luthiers, has nothing to do with keeping a tradition alive. It is simple practicality, the only way that a violin can be repaired with a successful outcome is to take it apart (meaning, taking the top off, not the back), and hide glue allows you to do that. Wood working glue is far superior as an adhesive, and as many will point out the joint will be stronger than the materials you are joining, which is the exact opposite of what you want for violins, cellos, etc.
For super glue i suggest to keep it in the refrigerator. Polimerization is affected by temperature and in the fridge is much slower... although it takes a little bit more to act when you use it but it's worthy.
I don't know if it's helpful, but I use artist's palette knives for breaking backs and tops. They are deadly sharp and thin once you put em to the buffing wheel. Good vids!
great video Jerry very informative ..... PS... my wife says thank you also , after purchasing your Mandolin Method CD my playing has improved ... coming from her that's great ......lol... I'll keep practicing
The way I see it you are the master and commander of this ship. After all the videos I’ve watched and after seeing everything that you’ve done I think you can use whatever glue you think is best and don’t have to justify it to anybody. You work on so many things that we don’t even see and you’ve been doing it for as long as most of the people commenting have been alive. You rock and you just keep doing what you’re doing and if people don’t agree with it that’s probably why they don’t do what you do for a living. ;-)
Hide glue is better for one important reason that you did not mention. That would be if a violin put together using hide glue if it is dropped onto a hard surface it will come apart rather than have any of the individual pieces break. That my friend is a huge difference, a violin that has come apart or a violin that has been broken, meaning the individual parts have been broken as a result of a fall. It's a lot easier to simply glue the parts back together than it is to make new parts or to try and repair the broken pieces of wood. So the Hide Glue assembly is part and parcel to the original design.
Oh no not without the hide glue What are we gonna do now that we didn't use hide glue.Well, in the old days that was the best they could get NOT that violins were intentionally designed that way in case they were dropped.Frog poo.
Yes I am very familiar with syringes and unfortunately they seem like they should work but they don't work all that well the glue is pretty thick and they just don't work all that well
Seems a small humidity tent with a warm mist humidifier might have opened this up a lot easier and done some reconditioning to the wood. Just a thought.
Very interesting. In Brazil, old school country musicians that use ´viola paulista´, also put a rattle from a rattle snake inside it. They say the musician plays with a greater skill because of it: Greeting from Brazil.
As an instrument maker in Vienna, I've seen and repaired a lot of violins. But I've never found a rattlesnake rattle in any of them. Bummer. Nice work. Visit my workshop if you're ever around this way.
Once I found three of them in one violin. We put one back in the fiddle, one in the case as a spare and the owner let me keep one. Never understood what they were suppose to do. Bad center seams on the back are a real bummer, very hard to fix well, and have the back fit once it is rejoined. Lucky he got the back off without messing up the button area, have seen some ugly damage by heavy handed efforts.
I like your repair videos better than any other similar videos. They are very professional and just pleasant to watch. Keep um coming please. Thanks for your honest opinion on hide glue vs Titebond glue. I have been using Titebond Hide Glue on my instruments. I, however; am of the opinion that a master craftsman will always use the very best of everything he can get his hands on. I believe they will even go a long way out of their way to get the very best. You are the first one that I have heard say that Titebond wood glue is superior to hide glue for instruments. I, am guessing that you would know. After all you have had many years experience repairing, building and playing string instruments. I do count you a master craftsman after watching your video on the mandolin build. I an only an amature and do the building as a hobby. Thus when I run out of my current bottle of Titebond Hide Glue, I think I will try the Titebond white wood glue for myself. All we need now is a glue as good, that will not damage a finish or prevent penetration of stains. By the way what kind of CA glue (alias "super glue") do you use? I have been using Loctite brand myself. I used to get another brand from a local hobby store, but they went out of business and I haven't found another source. Just a note on the blue stamp on the inside of the back. When I was a kid, they used to use a blue stamp similar to that on apple boxes. These boxes had very nice wood in them. I'm not sure if they were quarter sawn or not though.
I see that you've retired, though I personally don't understand how anyone can stop doing what they love...unless it is physically impossible. Consider that Antonio Stra. was still building violins until 90 or 91. He died at 94 in 1737 and there is at least 1 violin dated to 1734. But, to each his own, I guess. And, your videos, with lots of good info, will continue to be valuable.
CA glue bottle should not clog on you if you squeeze the air out of it after each use. My CA glue bottle is never clogged ... I use it all the time in my wood finishing, trim work. Having worked with acrylic in building huge custom aquariums, i used to use needle point glue (solvent) bottles all the time and very often they would get clogged. It was easy to unclog them by squeezing the glue bottle while holding it under the flame of a cigarette lighter. But then I learned a simple trick - after each use I would the air out of the bottle a couple of time and that would prevent it from clogging.
11:50 ish, your argument for using modern wood glues --- I agree. The Masters would use the best available in their time. That's why I insist on only the best and freshest foods available. When it comes to eating, I too, am a Master!
If you go to the Hobby shop you can buy a Gel that loosens and removes Cyanacrilate glues like Crazy glue or shalac bonds called SUPER SOLVENT it`s not as mean as Acetone on woods or finishes , Comes off your hands or other places awesome stuff leave it on for few minutes it releases then it`s rebondable , I used to build fly remote Planes as hobby .
Patch the pegbox with maple saw dust mixed with wood glue and use a wood form on the inside. I realize this is a couple years ago, but that's what I would have done. Sweet cleat job Jerry.
I agree, the makers back then were using the best materials they could get. They were making the best instrument they could & that means the best materials. Back then they were making the state of the art. They had zero thoughts of "tradition" or the traditional way of building. Stradivarius experimented with new & different colored varnishes for a while. He would have done the same had there been a better glue.
Blaine Hebert Titebond original has very similar properties without the hassle. We will never agree, but I appreciate your position, and thank you for watching.
I use Titebond every day for repairing pianos, wonderful stuff! It makes great cabinets and chairs and is reliable and very strong. But no trained luthier would use Titebond on a violin.
I suspect that glue is araldite. (E)poxy resin glue, beloved by the great british bodgers club. I've ended up sawing through it when it's used on instrument fingerboards.
I really love your videos. It is of my opinion that your works speaks for itself and you should not have to appoligize for your beliefs. You are a true Luthier. If I may say and it is my opinion you are a master in my eyes. Anxiously waits for you videos Steve !
Sir I absolutely agree with, it is very hard to,but you dont need to, person would have to be really shallow minded to think you were anything other than a master at your craft. I am going to be checking in to getting some of your Music cds hopefully I can find them on your main site.
Well, it was quite extensive and poor repair but the instrument was poor as well. I'd definitely add corner blocks. Scraping down all warmish is something not good but it is IMHO acceptable for this particular cheap violin with huge damage already done by epoxy glue. They will be probably in better shape then when it was factory new :p
Have you tried titebond’s hide glue? It adheres to old hide glue and is as easily disassembled for repairs I’m the future. It’s a great alternative to titebond 1 on these old instruments.
@@RosaStringWorks I've taken them both apart. My main point is, when you take Titebond Original off you have to get it back down to bare wood to reglue, which means you have to remove some wood which changes the joint and the instrument. With Titebond premixed shelf stable Hide Glue, it bonds perfectly with old hot hide glue so you only have to clean off excess old glue and don't have to damage the original wood. And in some cases like a loose brace on a guitar or loose tonebar or top on a fiddle, you can just squeeze it into the joint and it will rejuvenate the old glue and reglue the joint in place without removing. It makes working on vintage instruments much easier than having to convert each new glue joint to a different glue. This is why there are 500yo violins, if they had been using a product like titebond original there would be no wood left after centuries of repairs.
I can tell that was modern glue used on the back of that violin copy that you have I am a violin maker there were many made in the east german czech republic I have one in my collection
The big issue is can the glue be undone. If so, then use modern glues. The violin must be repairable and take apartable. This is my opinion. Been making instruments since I was a kid and never used historic adhesives.
Facts. These instruments undergo many different adjustments over hundreds of years, due to climate and everything else. If you do the job right, the violin should not come apart, unless you mean for it to come apart, and if it should need to come apart it needs to come apart easily, otherwise you will damage it trying to repair it. I've worked on a bunch of lower quality instruments glued with glue that is too strong, and the fingerboard, top, neck, nothing comes off clean. That's why I believe hide glue is necessary for a good repair. A good repair can be easily repaired again.
Back in the old days, a lute or archlute (I make these guys) needed a new soundboard every couple of years, because they are so thin. There are even sources that say that a lute needed a winter-and a summer soundboard. Using hide glue removing wasn't much of an issue, it removes very easy, even without warmth, and pops off like nothing (although with a freighteniing cracking sound). Same thing with violins. Handling hide real glue (not the mix that is sold by Stew-Mac) is a bit more difficult. Modern times brought us better and more reliable products. I agree with Jerry, except for historical instruments.
I'll sell you fellas a new method that I think will satisfy everyone's need to undo and redo antiques . I'll sell you fellas an family sized roll of velcro strap . It's modern , so the modern folks will be satisfied. And the hide folks can pull it apart like my 4 year old son with his brothers Legos . See everyone's happy .
Steve Alcott I understand your point. I take instruments apart all the time that are glued with other glues and really don't have too much trouble. Thank you very much for watching.
A luthier told me one time that ALL adhesives were a blessing or a curse depending on what you were trying to do at the moment. Pros and cons associated with each I suppose.
Exactly, maybe that little chip of wood that comes off because of modern glue can be harmless in an ordinary repair but when talking about historical instruments it's a whole other world
The stamp can either be some quality check of the bookmatched flamed maple in the factory, or the ranger's certification of legal harvesting of the logs in the woods, very common in East Europe. If the logs don't have the stamp, that usually means they are illegally harvested and the can put the owner of the logs in jail.
I don't know why TH-cam waited 4 years for me to get to see this. Maybe due to watching TwosetVioln/Ask Olaf the Violimaker. But thank you kind sir, very interesting video.
Have you seen that video: Solving the Stradivarius Secret - William F. "Jack" Fry and Rose Mary Harbison. He is going in the F-hole with a small tool and removing a small amount of wood to change the sound.
Nona'sArk I've had my scrapers so long I don't recall where I got them. I believe you can find them on eBay. They're just cabinet scrapers. They usually come in a pack of three. One of them will be rectangular, one of them has kinda like a French curve to it. That's the one I use. Thanks for the note. Good luck.
Put your super glue in the fridge! you won't have that closing up problem again. been doing it for years. Super glue still as new as the time i bought it.
"Weeeell, the Tennessee Strad was long and lean The color of the sun, and its strings were mean It had the sound and it made folks glad There never was a fiddle like the Tennessee Strad"
at 11:48 you are talking about using regular wood glue instead of hide glue because its a better glue. I agree with you that it is the better glue however my instrument tech told me that they use hide glue because its strong enough to hold but weak enough to let the top or bottom "flex" off if there is a huge humidity change. if you use wood glue and it goes from a dry to a damp environment then the wood can absorb the moisture in the atmosphere and it will swell to the point of cracking. In this case you are fixing an old violin for a family so I don't think that they will be traveling to the beach with it necessarily so it isn't an issue but I wanted to inform you of what my repair guy said so that you could research it and see if there was any truth to it for future repairs. again, I haven't seen the whole video at this point so if you address that later in the video then my post is pointless :)
+Sam Zich thanks for the note. There is a lot of debate about hide glue versus other Blues. I just know that tight Bond works really well I've been using it for 30 or 35 years and I've never had any problems. Thank you very much for watching.
The conventional wisdom is that hide glue does affect the sound and make it better. I challenge anyone to tell the difference between any instrument made with hide glue and any instrument made with regular wood glue. I don't think in a blind test, that anyone could tell the difference. Just my opinion. Thanks for taking a look.
ok, that's what I was just wondering WHY most use hide glue. I don't know much about building a violin or string instrument, and was just thinking why hide glue was mostly used or not. LOL maybe I think too much LOLOL.
Best advice I can give you about the super glue is buy several empty replacement bottles and pour it in to several bottles. At least that way if one bottles dries up I can go to another and not throw out half a bottle.
Very interesting and entertaining video. At about the 39.07 mark you talk about those cleats you use for reinforcement. In other videos here on you-tube they talk about how a violin creates sound, how the top and bottom plate with the off-set post and the bridge vibrate or expand and contract in unison to create their unique sound. Those videos explain how the thickness of the bottom and top plate vary in thickness and how that thickness effects how the sound is created. Even though it is a copy of a real Strad I was wondering how those cleats might have changed the sound after your restoration?
brgilbert2 using cleats is a very common practice on Old violins. In fact I would say a very large percentage of old violins will have some form of cleats. They are very thin material and do not affect the sound very much at all. You for watching.
I recently acquired an old violin that was stored in an attic for years. I removed the top to repair some of its’ cracks and noticed the wood is quite dry and brittle is there anything I can put on the wood to help preserve it that will not total destroy the sound quality of the violin ?
Dry wood in old instruments is quite common. In my opinion it is one of the primary factors why the old instruments sound so good. So, I don't recommend putting anything on the wood (at least on the inside of the instrument). On the outside, you can wipe the entire instrument with linseed oil. Just be sure to wipe it back off at least twice.
Thank you for your advice I generally would never consider putting something on the wood but the top is so dry that I am afraid it will not hold once the string are put on. I will try oiling the violin as you suggested and pray thing holds up. Rosa String Works
VERY HELPFUL VID ! Some comments from someone who picked a smashed violin ( run over by a car ) out of a DUMPSTER which will be his FIRST restoration project. DAP RapidFuse- would you use it ( a CA glue formulated for wood Water-based carpenter's glues wick into wood fibers for a strong bond would you dilute them a little to increase set up time and hence wicking time Some adhesives set up rigid while others bond tightly while staying FLEXIBLE. Would thes flexing adhesives modify the sound coming out of an instrument CHLANDI DISKS- look these up to help you visualize the standing wave patterns made by the ACOUSTIC PHONONS that make an instrument "SING". VARNISHES- do you suck out dist from wood pores while restoring would you use an ULTRASONIC CLEANING BATH along with non-aqueous fluids to clean up wood pores while restoring FLEXIBLE. vs. RIGID final finishes; which is better for a warm Mellow tone to the restored instrument since there are solid and hollow bodied guitars, are there similar approaches to violins, cellos and Stand-up bases are you a LUTHIER have you ever restored a CELTIC HARP or TAISHOGOTO HAMMER DULCIMERS and AUTOHARPS also interest me
Hideglue was used not because it's the strongest they had much better glues back then too but it has excellent resonance that pva glue just cannot replicate that's why the violins of that Era sound Excellent and no machine or new technology will ever be able to match it, I'm sorry the evidence suggests otherwise
As a Guitar player and general lover of all things music...and musical...i can't tell ya how much pleasure i get out of watching you put some love back into these old battered instruments....ensuring their new custodians enjoy them just like the last ones did....absolute respect and peace to you Mr RSW
I was watching you scrape that exceptionally hard glue and thought of a tool we used to use when we scraped gun stocks to remove old glue and level the wood. We used a piece of glass from a broken wine bottle . It stays sharp for a long time a smooths better than any metal scrapers we used. It just a thought. I use a straight pin to keep my CA glue nipple clear. I really enjoy you videos , I can sit for hours just watching a master craftsman work. Keep up the good work.
I have tried glass in the past. So far I like the metal scraper keep in mind I sharpen it by hand and burnish the edge
I find a knapped flint scraper the best for removing araldite from instruments.
mrbassman49 (Flint) Just like our ancestors used to use . 🐵🦥 ; )
Love that Wayfaring Stranger during the finish strip. Very appropriate. The death of the old finish.
Olaf the Violinmaker suggests that cleats grain should be at 45 degrees to the crack being fixed. It makes sense that this will facilitate more expansion than if glued at right angles to the base grain...yet provide less likelihood for the cleats to split. Appears to be a good compromise, especially if the cleat and base woods are identical. Personally, I would use veneer with a good tight straight grain for cleats, so it will hardly need to be planed down. Spruce veneer may not be sold, but maple certainly is.
I never knew your channel was here till I watched Elderly Iron send his guitar to you. Now I watch you all the time. Thank you for sharing your knowledge on how to repair the most amazing instruments ever made guitars fiddles and such. Thank you.
You are very welcome Thomas. Thank you for the kind words.
I can see that ol' violin really appreciates the effort and the love that you are putting into it.
This all looks like training of repair on some garbage violin.
Chinese manufacturers produce such kind of violins like ammunition during a war.
Jerry, you never cease to amaze me! I know now if any one can repair/restore a stringed instrument, it is you! Your videos get better and better. Your new shop was well worth the time and expense. Thankz
Thank you very much. Glad you are watching.
+Rosa String Works It will be great to see how you finish the violin. I know I will learn some valuable info. Thankz
+Audio Tech Labs Actually I'm a bit concerned about how to finish it. It will be difficult to make it look as it once did. But I will give it my best shot.
Your a genius Jerry. The wedge jig to glue the tops and backs together!!! Wow. Love the 1/2 inch strip method
What amazes me is the original pinstripes from a hundred years ago is still there underneath it all.
صباح الخير كان يجب عليك أن نقوم بعملية فتح بخار الماء على الصندوق لتتمكن من فك اللاصق. شكرا لجهودك
Sir, you are truly an amazing craftsman! Incredible job!
Thank you. Very much appreciated.
Hide glue was the glue of the time, and wasn't just used in instruments. They used hide glue in furniture making and other textiles as well. It was simply the best adhesive at the time. The properties of the hide glue, once it is dry, do not add anything to the instrument, so using superior modern adhesives only makes sense. It is, indeed, what Stradivarius and other masters would have used if they had had it available to them. At this point, hide glue is a choice born out of nostalgia more than functionality. If I were building a new instrument, I'd be using modern epoxies, wood glues, and finishes. If I were restoring a Stradivarius, I'd use hide glue, simply because it's a classic masterwork that deserves to be maintained the way it was originally made.
I suppose you do realise that this was just a copy of a stradivarius just like 99.99% of all other violins
@@RosaStringWorks - Yep. I saw the word "copy" on the sticker, plain as day. Which is why I don't think anyone should fault you for your choice of adhesives, stains, finishes, etc. What I meant was, if it was an ACTUAL Stradivarius, I'd feel a little different about the restoration techniques. I think you obtained a fine result with this particular fiddle, given the particularly sad shape in which it originally arrived. Nicely done.
Nope.
Totally wrong. The issue with modern glues vs. hide glues is not the superiority of the glue as a means of attaching pieces of wood to each other, it's the ability of hide glue joints to be disassembled with relative ease and have all traces of the glue removed without damage to the parts, allowing for clean dissassembly for repairs and uncomplicated reassembly. Would you prefer that all the parts of your car, including its engine, were WELDED together rather than being bolted and screwed together? How is this going to affect repairabilty?
That, is why we DO NOT USE MODERN GLUES WHEN REPAIRING STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. STOP IT. It makes future repairs more difficult or virtually impossible.
@@Turboy65 they used hide glue as that was the only glue available at that time. You are so wrong on the car logic as well. In the past they bolted panels but as adhesive became better and stronger, they now glue parts. Even ferraris glue parts now. This just shows that every manufacturer used the best available at the time of construction. Which means that evolving with time to better products which in this case are adhesives is the logical choice. And jerry has shown this multiple times that a joint with modern glues comes apart as easy as with hide glue.
I really like those pony clothes pins
Good lord Jerry , I don't know how you do it . I mean the comment section , not the boat oar . You are a far finer individual than I . Bless you .
Great restoration job! I,ve gone from guitar building/restoring to violins building restoring while on lockdown . Brilliant stuff!
Jerry, I'm a luthier in Australia and I completely agree with you on the glue debate. As a matter of fact I use the same glue you're using. I'm also a believer in different woods as well due to the fact that the old masters only used what was growing in their country. I'm in Tasmania and guitar and other instrument builders all over the world are just realising that woods in our part of the world like Huon Pine, King Billy (William) Pine, Blackwood and Myrtle plus others are in some cases better.
Blackwood?? please tell me more ..anywhere to get chuncks shipped to usa??
I loved the country music!!! Amazing work, sir. Greetings
Yes I agree with you on the glue, I had a violin that the neck joint failed using hide glue' I reset the neck and it failed again using hide glue. Then I used a wood glue and it hasn't moved for three years now and it plays beautiful,
Ben Kelly thanks for taking a look.
loctite precision max ca glue. the cap design is really good and keeps things from drying out.
Do R/C! thanks.
Thanks for filming your work, it's really helpful to me. I aspire to be at least half as good as you down the road. Take care
The way to stop the glue from clogging the nozzle is to store it upside down so the air is at the the bottom of the bottle which is now at the top. The same works for half empty cans of paint
The machine Heads are basically pegs and fine tuners together. The lack of fine tuners on the tailpiece has an advantage of allowing the top to vibrate more freely.
thank you love the step by step will be watching as many of your videos as you make thanks
When you put your CA glue down on the table give it a gentle squeeze which forces air through the tip blowing out whatever glue is in the tip. Should be good to go after that. Been doing it for years.
I'm a woodturner and I use a lot of ca glue. Somehow if you plug the hole it binds up all the time. Ca glue does not like tight surfaces ( pin and hole) so it seizes very fast. So I just leave it open. It lasts quite a long time but it does however have a time limit. Since I use it often, I don't worry about it. I get it 8 to 10 oz. size.
Most German violins were actually made in Bohemia, in home workshops and finished in Germany. Different people made the backs and the tops, which probably accounts for the stamp. The fact that the brace was carved in, suggests it was a low end instrument in spite of the flame maple. The label suggests it was made between the wars. The open corners were originally a French patent, it was supposed to increase resonance, but was only scene on lower end instruments.
You are a very fine craftsman. Greetings from Arkansas.
Great video, good music and truly excellent workmanship, compliments on all.
+Steve Hutchesson thank you very much.
I just watched some Italian master builder and you can tell the difference of the internals between the two violins. But as a auto mechanic I do believe that sometimes the repairman is on the same level as the builder. Always enjoy your work And those young ladies singing sounded like angels.
Jerry, I build lots of gliders (soaring) and use the CA's a LOT! What I've found that works for me is to hold the bottle upright after use and squeeze it/massage it a little to get air in the tip then cap it once the glue is out of it. I very seldom have the plugged tip issue any more. Give it a try and see if it works for you!
wow, lots you had to do and those peg holes plugs, all really nice. I saw finishing video 1st. great save.
Thank you very much.
To keep the superglue from clogging, remove the top seal pin and cut the top off near the outlet with a clean razor. Never touch the outlet with your fingers. Never reinstall the tip pin. Throw it out. "THE SMALLEST amount of contamination from handling the tip pin will set the glue in the nozzle, and start the process thickening the content of bottle.
Leave the outlet open and store the glue in a small sealed bottle.
It will stay liquid, nozzle will not be clogged, and the glue last for months or longer!
I really enjoyed your video keep up the good work
Never seen a tone bar carved in before, learned something new! I'm with you on Titebond, Hyde may be easier to get apart and responds to heat better but Titbone is my fav for most applications. Good video Jerry!
Thanks Randy. I've run across several over the years that were carved in instead of added on.
That's an indication of a factory-made violin around the early 20th century. Its label says "Made in Czechoslovakia", so it must be after 1918. I also have one of these factory Stradivarius violin with "Made in Germany" that sounds okay but tends to be rigid.
Another confirmation is the fake lower corner block. It's called fake because it's just a flat piece of wood, not the whole body of wood filling the corners like more carefully made violins in the same time period (factory-made violins nowadays tend to have full 4 corner blocks). Also, many factory-made violins back then did not have corner blocks at all, which was a sign of factory-made. So, I think the reason they added the fake lower corner block came later, to allure buyers when they looked into the f hole to see if it was a "good" violin by checking whether or not it had the corner blocks. The upper corner blocks are more difficult to see from the f holes, so the factory did not put any there.
You can also observe the graduation work on the top plate (inside). It was done very roughly as you can see. It's not smooth and I'm positive the "maker" at the factory did not check the sound of the plate at all. IMHO, when such a violin is opened, it's a good opportunity to carve out that carved in bass bar, regraduate the top plate, and install a new bass bar. Because of old wood, I bet it would sound a lot better if you had done that.
Mr Rosa and I could not have come from such different work experiences. I started working with computers in 1985 and retired in high end computer networking and management. I learned my luthier talents from my dad back in 1975. Mr Rosa always talks about how PVA (Titebond) holds better. Animal hide resin glue has a very unique type of resonance that can not be duplicated with PVA glues.
Mr Rosa is a far better and diversified luthier than I ever will be. I learned how to repair acoustic style instruments, Electric guitars and repairing accordions and God I hate accordions, talk about animal products.
The first Gibson Les Paul's were built by hand in early 1950's using Animal hide glue until about 1963 or so.
Elmers Glue-all PVA was selling back in 1947. There were many acoustic guitars built after 1963 with animal hide glue. There are three reasons the older Les Paul guitars sell for so much.
1 is: Hand built. 2 is: Animal hide glue. 3 is: Nitrate lacquers.
+carl talbot believe it or not I started working with computers in 85 for AT&T. I designed their biggest systems that they had. I retired in 2001 as a second line manager over the systems. So you see we actually have the same background. Thanks for watching.
Well done on the wood repair at tuners ..3d printer comes in handy , cnc machine for wood too... but the old way works too. Theres also thousands in tools to do this work ,, people dont realize the tools you need to have to fix there instuments./
The reason hide glue is used by violin luthiers, has nothing to do with keeping a tradition alive. It is simple practicality, the only way that a violin can be repaired with a successful outcome is to take it apart (meaning, taking the top off, not the back), and hide glue allows you to do that. Wood working glue is far superior as an adhesive, and as many will point out the joint will be stronger than the materials you are joining, which is the exact opposite of what you want for violins, cellos, etc.
Good work, 1rst time I see a copy of StativaviUS with machine head keys... 🌹, You may call it a fiddle.🤷♀️🌹🌹🌹⛄✨
CA stays better in the freezer. Will still clog...but much slower and the glue lasts longer. Learned the trick from good hobby supply houses.
Yeah but that's too much trouble when you need it constantly.
Hickory Grove - very nice.
For super glue i suggest to keep it in the refrigerator. Polimerization is affected by temperature and in the fridge is much slower... although it takes a little bit more to act when you use it but it's worthy.
I don't know if it's helpful, but I use artist's palette knives for breaking backs and tops. They are deadly sharp and thin once you put em to the buffing wheel. Good vids!
+guy saunders actually that's what I use most of the time myself. Thank you for watching.
great video Jerry very informative ..... PS... my wife says thank you also , after purchasing your Mandolin Method CD my playing has improved ... coming from her that's great ......lol... I'll keep practicing
Thanks for the note Chip. Glad to hear there is improvement. Keep up the good work.
The way I see it you are the master and commander of this ship. After all the videos I’ve watched and after seeing everything that you’ve done I think you can use whatever glue you think is best and don’t have to justify it to anybody. You work on so many things that we don’t even see and you’ve been doing it for as long as most of the people commenting have been alive. You rock and you just keep doing what you’re doing and if people don’t agree with it that’s probably why they don’t do what you do for a living. ;-)
You hit the nail on the head about your choice of glue. Hide glue is reversible.
Hide glue is better for one important reason that you did not mention. That would be if a violin put together using hide glue if it is dropped onto a hard surface it will come apart rather than have any of the individual pieces break.
That my friend is a huge difference, a violin that has come apart or a violin that has been broken, meaning the individual parts have been broken as a result of a fall. It's a lot easier to simply glue the parts back together than it is to make new parts or to try and repair the broken pieces of wood.
So the Hide Glue assembly is part and parcel to the original design.
PeterDad60 thanks for watching.
Oh no not without the hide glue What are we gonna do now that we didn't use hide glue.Well, in the old days that was the best they could get NOT that violins were intentionally designed that way in case they were dropped.Frog poo.
I'm sorry I don't mean to laugh . That's all I'm sayin .
good way to get flue into tight spaces/cracks is to use a syringe. can get different size needle tips for different size cracks.
Yes I am very familiar with syringes and unfortunately they seem like they should work but they don't work all that well the glue is pretty thick and they just don't work all that well
+Rosa String Works thanks for posting awesome videos!
Gabriel Cornea you are very welcome my friend.
Seems a small humidity tent with a warm mist humidifier might have opened this up a lot easier and done some reconditioning to the wood. Just a thought.
Try using Zap a Gap thin CA. It will not get clogged up. I have been using the stuff for twenty years with excellent results.
Thanks to Driveshaft Drew for watching (comment didn't show up).
Very interesting. In Brazil, old school country musicians that use ´viola paulista´, also put a rattle from a rattle snake inside it. They say the musician plays with a greater skill because of it:
Greeting from Brazil.
As an instrument maker in Vienna, I've seen and repaired a lot of violins. But I've never found a rattlesnake rattle in any of them. Bummer.
Nice work. Visit my workshop if you're ever around this way.
It's probably a US hillbilly thing LOL
Once I found three of them in one violin. We put one back in the fiddle, one in the case as a spare and the owner let me keep one. Never understood what they were suppose to do.
Bad center seams on the back are a real bummer, very hard to fix well, and have the back fit once it is rejoined.
Lucky he got the back off without messing up the button area, have seen some ugly damage by heavy handed efforts.
@@mplsmark222 I agree about bad seams in the back. It's a real weak spot of violin construction. I like the look of one-piece backs better anyway.
alot more entertaining than the tube.thank you
Thanks Eddie.
I like your repair videos better than any other similar videos. They are very professional and just pleasant to watch. Keep um coming please.
Thanks for your honest opinion on hide glue vs Titebond glue. I have been using Titebond Hide Glue on my instruments. I, however; am of the opinion that a master craftsman will always use the very best of everything he can get his hands on. I believe they will even go a long way out of their way to get the very best. You are the first one that I have heard say that Titebond wood glue is superior to hide glue for instruments. I, am guessing that you would know. After all you have had many years experience repairing, building and playing string instruments. I do count you a master craftsman after watching your video on the mandolin build. I an only an amature and do the building as a hobby. Thus when I run out of my current bottle of Titebond Hide Glue, I think I will try the Titebond white wood glue for myself. All we need now is a glue as good, that will not damage a finish or prevent penetration of stains.
By the way what kind of CA glue (alias "super glue") do you use? I have been using Loctite brand myself. I used to get another brand from a local hobby store, but they went out of business and I haven't found another source.
Just a note on the blue stamp on the inside of the back. When I was a kid, they used to use a blue stamp similar to that on apple boxes. These boxes had very nice wood in them. I'm not sure if they were quarter sawn or not though.
I have also used Loctite CA glue. But presently I just been ordering it off of eBay. Thin viscosity.
Peter. We keep our archery glue in the fridge to stop it harde8ning or going off.
I see that you've retired, though I personally don't understand how anyone can stop doing what they love...unless it is physically impossible. Consider that Antonio Stra. was still building violins until 90 or 91. He died at 94 in 1737 and there is at least 1 violin dated to 1734. But, to each his own, I guess. And, your videos, with lots of good info, will continue to be valuable.
Stradivarius. The man himself was Stradivari. He is, sadly, beyond restoration!
Like Mozart and other greats of music...he's De-COMPOSING!LOL!
CA glue bottle should not clog on you if you squeeze the air out of it after each use. My CA glue bottle is never clogged ... I use it all the time in my wood finishing, trim work. Having worked with acrylic in building huge custom aquariums, i used to use needle point glue (solvent) bottles all the time and very often they would get clogged. It was easy to unclog them by squeezing the glue bottle while holding it under the flame of a cigarette lighter. But then I learned a simple trick - after each use I would the air out of the bottle a couple of time and that would prevent it from clogging.
thanks for the video greetings from Germany Berlin.
I like the tools.
11:50 ish, your argument for using modern wood glues --- I agree. The Masters would use the best available in their time. That's why I insist on only the best and freshest foods available. When it comes to eating, I too, am a Master!
Try waxing a straight pin and insert it in the nozzle when you're done. The CA glue won't stick to the waxed pin.
If you go to the Hobby shop you can buy a Gel that loosens and removes Cyanacrilate glues like Crazy glue or shalac bonds called SUPER SOLVENT it`s not as mean as Acetone on woods or finishes , Comes off your hands or other places awesome stuff leave it on for few minutes it releases then it`s rebondable , I used to build fly remote Planes as hobby .
Garnett M sounds good thanks.
Patch the pegbox with maple saw dust mixed with wood glue and use a wood form on the inside. I realize this is a couple years ago, but that's what I would have done. Sweet cleat job Jerry.
I agree, the makers back then were using the best materials they could get. They were making the best instrument they could & that means the best materials.
Back then they were making the state of the art. They had zero thoughts of "tradition" or the traditional way of building. Stradivarius experimented with new & different colored varnishes for a while. He would have done the same had there been a better glue.
We still use hide glue for modern instruments for many reasons! It is reversible (removable) and transmits sound better. It is also very strong.
Blaine Hebert Titebond original has very similar properties without the hassle. We will never agree, but I appreciate your position, and thank you for watching.
I use Titebond every day for repairing pianos, wonderful stuff! It makes great cabinets and chairs and is reliable and very strong. But no trained luthier would use Titebond on a violin.
Blaine Hebert that's fine. Hide glue has kept me in the repair business for nearly 35 years. Very glad the professionals use it. Thanks for watching.
I suspect that glue is araldite. (E)poxy resin glue, beloved by the great british bodgers club. I've ended up sawing through it when it's used on instrument fingerboards.
Great work Jerry.
I agree with your opinion about the use of glue.
I really love your videos. It is of my opinion that your works speaks for itself and you should not have to appoligize for your beliefs. You are a true Luthier. If I may say and it is my opinion you are a master in my eyes. Anxiously waits for you videos Steve !
Steve thank you very much. You are very kind. There are a lot of opinions out there and it is very hard to appease them all.
Sir I absolutely agree with, it is very hard to,but you dont need to, person would have to be really shallow minded to think you were anything other than a master at your craft. I am going to be checking in to getting some of your Music cds hopefully I can find them on your main site.
+Tele Man65 Thanks it means alot to me to hear this. Hope you enjoy the CDs.
Looking good
Thank you Michael.
I recommend using fish glue. Its nearly identical to hide glue in hardness but you can buy it by the bottle and not have to use a glue pot.
brain briggs thank you very much. I do plan to give that a try in the future. Merry Christmas to you thank you for watching.
Well, it was quite extensive and poor repair but the instrument was poor as well. I'd definitely add corner blocks. Scraping down all warmish is something not good but it is IMHO acceptable for this particular cheap violin with huge damage already done by epoxy glue. They will be probably in better shape then when it was factory new :p
Have you tried titebond’s hide glue? It adheres to old hide glue and is as easily disassembled for repairs I’m the future. It’s a great alternative to titebond 1 on these old instruments.
Titebond original can be taken apart just as easy or even easier than hide glue
@@RosaStringWorks I've taken them both apart. My main point is, when you take Titebond Original off you have to get it back down to bare wood to reglue, which means you have to remove some wood which changes the joint and the instrument. With Titebond premixed shelf stable Hide Glue, it bonds perfectly with old hot hide glue so you only have to clean off excess old glue and don't have to damage the original wood. And in some cases like a loose brace on a guitar or loose tonebar or top on a fiddle, you can just squeeze it into the joint and it will rejuvenate the old glue and reglue the joint in place without removing. It makes working on vintage instruments much easier than having to convert each new glue joint to a different glue. This is why there are 500yo violins, if they had been using a product like titebond original there would be no wood left after centuries of repairs.
I can tell that was modern glue used on the back of that violin copy that you have I am a violin maker there were many made in the east german czech republic I have one in my collection
Thank you, Jerry.
The big issue is can the glue be undone. If so, then use modern glues. The violin must be repairable and take apartable. This is my opinion. Been making instruments since I was a kid and never used historic adhesives.
Facts. These instruments undergo many different adjustments over hundreds of years, due to climate and everything else. If you do the job right, the violin should not come apart, unless you mean for it to come apart, and if it should need to come apart it needs to come apart easily, otherwise you will damage it trying to repair it. I've worked on a bunch of lower quality instruments glued with glue that is too strong, and the fingerboard, top, neck, nothing comes off clean. That's why I believe hide glue is necessary for a good repair. A good repair can be easily repaired again.
But then again it depends on the quality of the instrument you are repairing.
Back in the old days, a lute or archlute (I make these guys) needed a new soundboard every couple of years, because they are so thin. There are even sources that say that a lute needed a winter-and a summer soundboard. Using hide glue removing wasn't much of an issue, it removes very easy, even without warmth, and pops off like nothing (although with a freighteniing cracking sound). Same thing with violins. Handling hide real glue (not the mix that is sold by Stew-Mac) is a bit more difficult. Modern times brought us better and more reliable products. I agree with Jerry, except for historical instruments.
I'll sell you fellas a new method that I think will satisfy everyone's need to undo and redo antiques . I'll sell you fellas an family sized roll of velcro strap . It's modern , so the modern folks will be satisfied. And the hide folks can pull it apart like my 4 year old son with his brothers Legos . See everyone's happy .
Those cleats are a work of art 👍
Modern glues are fine until another luthier has to take the instrument apart to do further repairs. At that time, they are a nightmare.
Steve Alcott I understand your point. I take instruments apart all the time that are glued with other glues and really don't have too much trouble. Thank you very much for watching.
A luthier told me one time that ALL adhesives were a blessing or a curse depending on what you were trying to do at the moment. Pros and cons associated with each I suppose.
Exactly, maybe that little chip of wood that comes off because of modern glue can be harmless in an ordinary repair but when talking about historical instruments it's a whole other world
You can keep the spijt open with a fitting metal pin or a nail.
Spout
The stamp can either be some quality check of the bookmatched flamed maple in the factory, or the ranger's certification of legal harvesting of the logs in the woods, very common in East Europe. If the logs don't have the stamp, that usually means they are illegally harvested and the can put the owner of the logs in jail.
Gabriel Cornea thank you for the note. Thanks for watching.
Wow...the effort this guy puts in is unreal. Good job!
I don't know why TH-cam waited 4 years for me to get to see this. Maybe due to watching TwosetVioln/Ask Olaf the Violimaker. But thank you kind sir, very interesting video.
Very interesting!
Thanks Gray.
Have you seen that video: Solving the Stradivarius Secret - William F. "Jack" Fry and Rose Mary Harbison. He is going in the F-hole with a small tool and removing a small amount of wood to change the sound.
I love your work .nicola from liver pool. Yes I sorport L F C
Nice job. It must take a lot of patience to restore an old violin in that condition.
Thanks Dale. Its a ton of work!
wonderful videos - can you recommend scrapers you use? I have an old violin that needs the back refinished - it is in otherwise good shape. Thank you!
Nona'sArk I've had my scrapers so long I don't recall where I got them. I believe you can find them on eBay. They're just cabinet scrapers. They usually come in a pack of three. One of them will be rectangular, one of them has kinda like a French curve to it. That's the one I use. Thanks for the note. Good luck.
Put your super glue in the fridge! you won't have that closing up problem again. been doing it for years. Super glue still as new as the time i bought it.
"Weeeell, the Tennessee Strad was long and lean
The color of the sun, and its strings were mean
It had the sound and it made folks glad
There never was a fiddle like the Tennessee Strad"
at 11:48 you are talking about using regular wood glue instead of hide glue because its a better glue. I agree with you that it is the better glue however my instrument tech told me that they use hide glue because its strong enough to hold but weak enough to let the top or bottom "flex" off if there is a huge humidity change. if you use wood glue and it goes from a dry to a damp environment then the wood can absorb the moisture in the atmosphere and it will swell to the point of cracking. In this case you are fixing an old violin for a family so I don't think that they will be traveling to the beach with it necessarily so it isn't an issue but I wanted to inform you of what my repair guy said so that you could research it and see if there was any truth to it for future repairs. again, I haven't seen the whole video at this point so if you address that later in the video then my post is pointless :)
+Sam Zich thanks for the note. There is a lot of debate about hide glue versus other Blues. I just know that tight Bond works really well I've been using it for 30 or 35 years and I've never had any problems. Thank you very much for watching.
i love the wayfaring stranger song
+Sam Zich thank you very much. That's one of my favorites.
Thanks Randy
You wouldn't think that hide glue may have an affect to the sound quality? Just wondering if it is a lighter glue then what you have use.
The conventional wisdom is that hide glue does affect the sound and make it better. I challenge anyone to tell the difference between any instrument made with hide glue and any instrument made with regular wood glue. I don't think in a blind test, that anyone could tell the difference. Just my opinion. Thanks for taking a look.
ok, that's what I was just wondering WHY most use hide glue. I don't know much about building a violin or string instrument, and was just thinking why hide glue was mostly used or not. LOL maybe I think too much LOLOL.
Willow Dawn thanks for taking a look.
Best advice I can give you about the super glue is buy several empty replacement bottles and pour it in to several bottles. At least that way if one bottles dries up I can go to another and not throw out half a bottle.
Very interesting and entertaining video. At about the 39.07 mark you talk about those cleats you use for reinforcement. In other videos here on you-tube they talk about how a violin creates sound, how the top and bottom plate with the off-set post and the bridge vibrate or expand and contract in unison to create their unique sound. Those videos explain how the thickness of the bottom and top plate vary in thickness and how that thickness effects how the sound is created. Even though it is a copy of a real Strad I was wondering how those cleats might have changed the sound after your restoration?
brgilbert2 using cleats is a very common practice on Old violins. In fact I would say a very large percentage of old violins will have some form of cleats. They are very thin material and do not affect the sound very much at all. You for watching.
I recently acquired an old violin that was stored in an attic
for years. I removed the top to repair some of its’ cracks and noticed the wood
is quite dry and brittle is there anything I can put on the wood to help
preserve it that will not total destroy the sound quality of the violin ?
Dry wood in old instruments is quite common. In my opinion it is one of the primary factors why the old instruments sound so good. So, I don't recommend putting anything on the wood (at least on the inside of the instrument). On the outside, you can wipe the entire instrument with linseed oil. Just be sure to wipe it back off at least twice.
Thank you for your advice I generally would never consider putting something on the wood but the top is so dry that I am afraid it will not hold once the string are put on. I will try oiling the violin as you suggested and pray thing holds up. Rosa String Works
VERY HELPFUL VID !
Some comments from someone who picked a smashed violin ( run over by a car )
out of a DUMPSTER which will be his FIRST restoration project.
DAP RapidFuse- would you use it ( a CA glue formulated for wood
Water-based carpenter's glues wick into wood fibers for a strong bond
would you dilute them a little to increase set up time and hence wicking time
Some adhesives set up rigid while others bond tightly while staying FLEXIBLE.
Would thes flexing adhesives modify the sound coming out of an instrument
CHLANDI DISKS- look these up to help you visualize the standing wave patterns
made by the ACOUSTIC PHONONS that make an instrument "SING".
VARNISHES-
do you suck out dist from wood pores while restoring
would you use an ULTRASONIC CLEANING BATH
along with non-aqueous fluids to clean up wood pores
while restoring
FLEXIBLE. vs. RIGID final finishes; which is better for a warm
Mellow tone to the restored instrument
since there are solid and hollow bodied guitars,
are there similar approaches to violins, cellos and
Stand-up bases
are you a LUTHIER
have you ever restored a CELTIC HARP or TAISHOGOTO
HAMMER DULCIMERS and AUTOHARPS also interest me
Be easier to make a new one LOL but you've made a dog of an instrument look beautiful x
Hideglue was used not because it's the strongest they had much better glues back then too but it has excellent resonance that pva glue just cannot replicate that's why the violins of that Era sound Excellent and no machine or new technology will ever be able to match it, I'm sorry the evidence suggests otherwise
Super glue. I use a fine hook screwed in or a guitar E string leaving the eye to pull on if it gets stuck.
Titebond! Whew... I use the same glue I used in high school 40+ years ago Elmers White. But... the chemistry has changed.
Thanks for taking a look.