I have gotten into some piddle instruments, all have been thin material, and a little carving on the neck, but that's it. I want to get more into carving, and hopefully get to where I can make some beetle back instruments. My father has a 1920's beetle back mandolin that needs a new back segment, and a lot more glue. Your videos are great, and hopefully it'll help a simpleton like myself lol
This project is great and inspiring to me. I love how you are creative in sourcing the wood and in making tools like the purpling groove cutter. I’m making my first violin and find traditional methods ok but doing stuff like routing the edge before arching is unconventional but cool. Why not? I got semi chastised on one forum for talking about using an XACTO knife and Stanley Sure form!
I'm sure it will sound great!! Oddly enough I just finished a flat top fiddle which I built from a piece of 1 x 5 poplar from (you guessed it) Home Depot. If this keeps up Home Depot will need to stock up.
I watched your videos! Nice -- you're a better fiddler than me. Have you made a video of YOUR construction? Is there a soundpost? Have you tried a real bridge? How about travel fiddle?
I'm really not a very good fiddler.My wife says I am but I think she's supposed to.Everyone else not so much. You must have overlooked the frets on my fiddle. Without them,not so good. Building fretted fiddles is kind of my thing. I am trying to make a video on my latest build but that's way harder than it looks.I'll see how it works out. I am concentrating more on the acoustic side of this one so I may try a regular bridge. The bridges I make are more for electric use and I can get a more consistent sound with the solid bridge.This one does have a sound post. It actually protrudes through the top and sits half way on bridge on the treble side, similar to the violare. I did build an electric travel fiddle but this design might work into that real well. Might be my next project. Any way get to work. Still waiting for part 2 from Home Depot. Leigh
@@grandpasmountain Jon, you should watch Jerry Rosa carve a mandolin back and top using various finger planes. He does it all by hand, and scrapes the final thickness down with his cabinet scrapers, sharpened to an unbelievable edge. Your "dump" gouges did a good job, but Jerry doesn't have the control with these things -- I've never seen him use such things. What a find at HD, too I might add. Cheers, buddy. Bob in Montana
@@robertshorthill4153 Cabinet scrapers take very little off. The gouges are used first, then finger planes, then scrapers. Each tool is a little finer than the one before. I will look him up, thanks!
Adam! You CAN do it! Start with a plan. You could borrow a jig saw to cut out the shape. My gouges and chisels were all old used tools. Some came from the dump, a thrift store, and ebay. It's a wonderful journey to go on. I'll help whenever I can. Jon
Jon Mangum Good point. I do have a jigsaw and could probably improvise a lot of the stuff. I know watching your vids would provide a wealth of tips. I’ve made arrows from river cane that shot truer than the ones I bought, but a violin is a whole other level of craftsmanship. I guess learning to pick the right wood and making some of the pieces like molds and templates would be a good place to start?
I have a 10 part step by step series on my channel. Just do one thing at a time. Have a plan. Make a pattern. Get wood. Cut to shape..... Don't look too far ahead. Giving wood a voice is one of the most fulfilling things you will ever do. Don't miss out!
@@grandpasmountain So I went flea-marketing with the Mrs. over the weekend, and managed to snag an old stanley jack plane and a 1" chisel. Step one is to build a mould. I'm in school full time right now, but I'll be done in 3 semesters. My goal is to have all my necessary tools by then, and to have built any specialty tools that I can, and to have acquired my materials. May get further than that as time allows, but yeah...we're off the ground and the landing gear is retracted!
@@adammeade2300 YESSSSS! Sounds like you have a plan! I HIGHLY recommend "Making the Violin" It will be a resource for you for years to come. Keep your eyes out for gouges -- most people don't know what they are. Yard sale, antique shop, junk shop. Old ones have the best steel. Even ebay.
Haha! No kidding, Greg! BUT--- I would place a large bet that if Stradivari could've gotten his hands on some power tools, he would have. He was an innovator. I actually thought the same thing myself :)
I built wood airplanes for a long time and am used to selecting spruce. Every once in a while you get lucky. I ALWAYS walk past the lifts of joists "just in case"
Hello! I am a high schooler and I am trying to make my own violin. My local Lowes/Home Depot does not carry spruce wood but we do have oak/poplar. Is there another type of wood I could use for the front? Thank you!
Wow! I'm proud of you for tackling the project!! White pine will work. The top is the sound board, so you want it light and strong and able to vibrate freely. The back is a reflector of sound. Poplar, maple, walnut, or cherry are good. Oak is really tough to work with. If I can help any way, let me know! You can email me at riding on two wheels at gmail. No spaces between words :)
@@grandpasmountain Hello! Thank you so much for your response. I have purchased my wood and am starting now. Hoping that it will turn out well! Thanks again. :)
@@grandpasmountain Hey!! Sorry for the super late response! I've been really busy with school and college applications. The violin is developing slowly but its coming along! Carving with the tools I have at home definitely posed a problem in the beginning but I got the hang of it. Thanks for asking. :)
I came across these videos on Fiddlerman and they are awesome. I am now trying my own working from your videos and "Violin Making" by Bruce Ossman. Do you always use the same mold from the fiddle you traced? I am trying to convert a traced outline to arc and tangents and feel like I'm doing a lot of guessing.
All my violins, except one are a DelGesu pattern. I purchased the drawings from the Strad Library in the U.K. makingtheviolin.com will have everything you need to build a nice Strad -- printable templates...everything. Most of the material is spot on, and I suspect plagerized from "The Art of Violin Making". The site is an excellent resource. Thanks so much for the compliment. I got no idea what I'm doing as far as video goes, haha.
Hi Jon I have a question. I have a nice piece of 2 x 10 clear spruce (not quite as nice as the one you found but pretty nice)I had planned to cut some 16 x about 4 1/2 pieces and then resaw them and book match for my top. Then I noticed that you decided to rip yours into smaller pieces. Now I'm wondering if I should do the same on carry on with my plans.I have more faith in your methods than my own. Leigh
I wanted to orient the grain vertically for the top plate, which is the "soundboard". I think if the grain was left slab cut, it would not have the stiffness and lightness I wanted. The cross grain stiffness WAS less than a "normal" bookmatched piece, but the longitudinal stiffness was within normal specs.
Another thought-- the arch on a violin is structural and increases stiffness. Since yours are flat-topped, consider small spruce reinforcements i.e. guitar bracing. Keep the sound board light as possible-- no more than 3mm. Definitely use a sound post and type of bass bar (My opinion only) The sound post acts as an anchor to one foot of the bridge, allowing it to rock left and right as it excites the top plate.
I have some nice grain pattern to work with so I think I'll go with bookmatch even though mine is slab cut as well. but I like your idea about some internal braces.I guess my plan is as close to a ukulele or mandolin as it is a fiddle so the braces make sense. I really appreciate your input !
I have never seen a violin/fiddle made with bracing on the inside. I have only seen the basebar and the soundpost. Could you please explain this concept?
I made all my jigs and forms. More recently, I got a nice stainless steel template for the plates from a violin supply house. There are downloadable violin templates online, if you would like to try one.
Yes, the back is one piece. There are various ways the grain can be oriented --- imagine the grain arching like a rainbow. The arch or curve of the grain goes opposite the arch of the violin plate. The top is quarter sawn and is a piece cut and laid out lIke the wings of a butterfly and glued together.
A book. Of course there is TH-cam.... but I bought a nice book on violin making which had all the measurements and plenty of pictures. Then--- look for some antique gouges on eBay, and get started. It is addicting and the ultimate woodworking project, I believe. I love it.
The best book I found was the Art of Violin Making by Chris Johnson. I paid nearly $100 for it, and it was quite worth it. I am sure you can find a used copy on amazon or ebay.
Would love to make something like this myself. Thank you for making the video. May I ask two questions? First, what kind of thumb plane do you use? Where did you get the fingerboard? Your work is amazing.
I did a very thorough 10 part series where I covered every step, materials and tools -- "How to Build a Fiddle" Take a look-- Thank you for the kind words and please let me know if I can help!
@@grandpasmountain - I just found the 10-part series, and I'll be enjoying all of them today. Just want to say, it's people like you who make valuable, meaningful knowledge accessible. I've learned to turn pens and operate a mini lathe from TH-cam, and now I sell them and donate them to my school's benefit dinners (one sold for a little over $600!). Maybe I'll be able to make a violin someday??? Thank you, again.
✝ late arrival! Happy Thanksgiving! Had a couple of H-D's also, butt get my daily "cultural fix" [studying] on TH-cam! No, really. Long story, sew eye just began with this first video. Great find those tools, four sure.
Thanks good idea for arch top instruments Best of Luck in your new adventure in tenn. Hope that cabin has a shop ??? . More videos to come. ?? If you can spend $7 you can get a 4 set of chisels from ALDI great buy IMHO I got 2 sets of them . They come on sale 1 time ayear. I also have my own website tomistrings with lots of techie videos on lutherie cheers ernie
Yes, Ernie....I will have a little shop. I am going to use my enclosed trailer as a mini-shop. I enjoy building and it is a great stress relief. Thanks for the encouragement, and for your web adress. Going to look it up now!
Wow! Ernie -- you are an artist! I have several avid Uke players in the family, and we rarely leave home without a couple. Your are BEAUTIFUL! I'd love to meet you some day. Folks-- definitely look up Tomistrings!
Heyyy I just started watching your channel and you really got me inspired. Are there any tips for someone who still doesn't have any equipment and wants to start learning about violin making? Thanks for your time, i love your work so much.
Fabio, the first thing I would do, is invest in the book entitled "The Art of Violin Making" It is really all you need. There are also some excellent web sites to visit. You will need some basic tools. I bought used antique gouges and planes for very cheap at 2nd hand shops, for example.
Well, yes! Total cost was around $28 if my memory serves....and it sounds great and is FAR superior to anything under $1500, in my opinion. Setup is important if you want good sound, as well as build quality, to achieve great results. My HD fiddle is one of my best sounding and playing violins.
THAT is a good question....and one that has many answers, Simone. I have tried various means and stones, and my favorite way is to initially square up and begin a new edge on the shop belt sander. Then, I use a buffing compound on the buffing wheel on my grinder. I get a great edge, and I can spin up the buffer and touch up te edge any time I want. Best of all.....it only takes seconds.
In Mexico They Home Depot sales they worst Quality wood in they world. Only once I brought a piece of wood with radial cut, so I made the top of my viola da gamba with it. (Pine wood, not the best, but it works well)
The Cremona school of violin making - American style. Check out William F. Fry's videos on violins. This guy knows a lot. He figured out how Stradivarius violins sound so good. Amazing.
Thanks :) I have seen his stuff.... well.... There is some doubt about his conclusions. There really is no answer. Strands had shorter necks, lower projections angles, but strings, and completely different bassbars. There really is no way to know how a real Strad sounded originally and what sound he was going for. The only original parts are the body of the violins.
Home Cheapo just carries whatever is cheapest locally. I went in to Lowes last week (in TN) and they had a bunch of nice spruce. Visit a mom-n-pop lumberyard or cabinet supply. There are a number of good places I found in GA.
Thanks for the advice, I've been using poplar for practice plate carving before I use high quality tone wood. I'll browse around the local stores and see what I can find.
Poplar makes an excellent back for a fiddle. It is also used on cellos. Gives a warm tone. Look up cabinet making supply, or hardwood. I don't know what part of Georgia you are in, but at least one place I found down there even sold wood for instruments. Good luck! Let me know how it goes!
I love these videos. I often go through junk wood piles finding the cheapest pieces wood the can be used for my guitars.
Haha! Thanks alot, Ian. It's good to thumb your nose at the establishment once in a while!
I have gotten into some piddle instruments, all have been thin material, and a little carving on the neck, but that's it. I want to get more into carving, and hopefully get to where I can make some beetle back instruments. My father has a 1920's beetle back mandolin that needs a new back segment, and a lot more glue. Your videos are great, and hopefully it'll help a simpleton like myself lol
Thankyku, I'm so glad you found my amateur video useful!! I'm certain you can make/repair an instrument if you give it a shot!
This project is great and inspiring to me. I love how you are creative in sourcing the wood and in making tools like the purpling groove cutter. I’m making my first violin and find traditional methods ok but doing stuff like routing the edge before arching is unconventional but cool. Why not? I got semi chastised on one forum for talking about using an XACTO knife and Stanley Sure form!
I used to go to Home Depot wishing I didn't have to travel far to find equipment and wood to build a fiddle...you answered my prayers
I've watched all of your videos and this one is looking like one of the best. Really looking forward to part 2.
Thanks--you are very kind. I am looking forward to HEARING the Home Depot Fiddle!!
I'm sure it will sound great!! Oddly enough I just finished a flat top fiddle which I built from a piece of 1 x 5 poplar from (you guessed it) Home Depot. If this keeps up Home Depot will need to stock up.
HAHA!!! That is awesome. I would love to see a picture!
I watched your videos! Nice -- you're a better fiddler than me. Have you made a video of YOUR construction? Is there a soundpost? Have you tried a real bridge? How about travel fiddle?
I'm really not a very good fiddler.My wife says I am but I think she's supposed to.Everyone else not so much.
You must have overlooked the frets on my fiddle. Without them,not so good. Building fretted fiddles is kind of my thing.
I am trying to make a video on my latest build but that's way harder than it looks.I'll see how it works out. I am concentrating more on the acoustic side of this one so I may try a regular bridge. The bridges I make are more for electric use and I can get a more consistent sound with the solid bridge.This one does have a sound post. It actually protrudes through the top and sits half way on bridge on the treble side, similar to the violare.
I did build an electric travel fiddle but this design might work into that real well. Might be my next project.
Any way get to work. Still waiting for part 2 from Home Depot.
Leigh
You're so organized and easy to follow. Very nice!
You do nice work I stumbled on to your channel and I am impressed with your work thanks for sharing, your violins are awesome.
Thanks very much, Art. I have enjoyed sharing my projects. Making my own instruments has been really enjoyable.
@@grandpasmountain Jon, you should watch Jerry Rosa carve a mandolin back and top using various finger planes. He does it all by hand, and scrapes the final thickness down with his cabinet scrapers, sharpened to an unbelievable edge. Your "dump" gouges did a good job, but Jerry doesn't have the control with these things -- I've never seen him use such things. What a find at HD, too I might add. Cheers, buddy. Bob in Montana
@@robertshorthill4153
Cabinet scrapers take very little off. The gouges are used first, then finger planes, then scrapers. Each tool is a little finer than the one before.
I will look him up, thanks!
great video as always Jon!
I could watch this stuff all day. I'd love to try my hand at making one eventually, but it's all about having the right tools, of which I have none.
Adam! You CAN do it!
Start with a plan. You could borrow a jig saw to cut out the shape.
My gouges and chisels were all old used tools. Some came from the dump, a thrift store, and ebay.
It's a wonderful journey to go on. I'll help whenever I can.
Jon
Jon Mangum Good point. I do have a jigsaw and could probably improvise a lot of the stuff. I know watching your vids would provide a wealth of tips. I’ve made arrows from river cane that shot truer than the ones I bought, but a violin is a whole other level of craftsmanship. I guess learning to pick the right wood and making some of the pieces like molds and templates would be a good place to start?
I have a 10 part step by step series on my channel.
Just do one thing at a time.
Have a plan.
Make a pattern.
Get wood.
Cut to shape.....
Don't look too far ahead. Giving wood a voice is one of the most
fulfilling things you will ever do. Don't miss out!
@@grandpasmountain So I went flea-marketing with the Mrs. over the weekend, and managed to snag an old stanley jack plane and a 1" chisel. Step one is to build a mould. I'm in school full time right now, but I'll be done in 3 semesters. My goal is to have all my necessary tools by then, and to have built any specialty tools that I can, and to have acquired my materials. May get further than that as time allows, but yeah...we're off the ground and the landing gear is retracted!
@@adammeade2300
YESSSSS! Sounds like you have a plan!
I HIGHLY recommend "Making the Violin" It will be a resource for you for years to come.
Keep your eyes out for gouges -- most people don't know what they are. Yard sale, antique shop, junk shop. Old ones have the best steel. Even ebay.
When I seen you pull out the router. :)
I imagined stratavari turning over in his grave. Lol.
Love the video!
Haha! No kidding, Greg! BUT--- I would place a large bet that if Stradivari could've gotten his hands on some power tools, he would have. He was an innovator. I actually thought the same thing myself :)
cant believe how clear that 2x8 from home depot was. my hd never has anything that good!
I built wood airplanes for a long time and am used to selecting spruce. Every once in a while you get lucky. I ALWAYS walk past the lifts of joists "just in case"
Hey Jon, was nice running into you in the Badlands!
Hey, Alex!! No kidding!
Wow great video man!
I made an electric guitar with wood from City Mills in Hawaii years ago. Had to buy the fingerboard at Stringman.
Pretty cool!
Thank you for sharing this. I've never seen this process before.
You're very welcome! Thanks for liking it!
i enjoy watching your work. keep making it.
Thankyou!
Good job! Very educational.
noice my orchestra director sent me hear. Thinking about subscribing!
Thanks so much for writing!
Could i ask if you could make a list of what is needed as far as forms and tools? I would like to try this out. Great job!
Are you aware that you have access to the internet? Makingtheviolin.com
You need more viewers! More people need to see this. :)
Thankyou, that is kind of you to say. I am glad you enjoyed my video.
Hello! I am a high schooler and I am trying to make my own violin. My local Lowes/Home Depot does not carry spruce wood but we do have oak/poplar. Is there another type of wood I could use for the front? Thank you!
Wow! I'm proud of you for tackling the project!!
White pine will work. The top is the sound board, so you want it light and strong and able to vibrate freely. The back is a reflector of sound. Poplar, maple, walnut, or cherry are good. Oak is really tough to work with.
If I can help any way, let me know!
You can email me at riding on two wheels at gmail. No spaces between words :)
@@grandpasmountain Hello! Thank you so much for your response. I have purchased my wood and am starting now. Hoping that it will turn out well! Thanks again. :)
@@august2001ful great to hear back. I sure hope you let me know how it goes!
@@august2001ful How is your project going?
I was thinking of you as I was posting a new series on building a fiddle.
@@grandpasmountain Hey!! Sorry for the super late response! I've been really busy with school and college applications. The violin is developing slowly but its coming along! Carving with the tools I have at home definitely posed a problem in the beginning but I got the hang of it. Thanks for asking. :)
I came across these videos on Fiddlerman and they are awesome. I am now trying my own working from your videos and "Violin Making" by Bruce Ossman. Do you always use the same mold from the fiddle you traced? I am trying to convert a traced outline to arc and tangents and feel like I'm doing a lot of guessing.
All my violins, except one are a DelGesu pattern. I purchased the drawings from the Strad Library in the U.K. makingtheviolin.com will have everything you need to build a nice Strad -- printable templates...everything. Most of the material is spot on, and I suspect plagerized from "The Art of Violin Making". The site is an excellent resource. Thanks so much for the compliment. I got no idea what I'm doing as far as video goes, haha.
Hi Jon
I have a question. I have a nice piece of 2 x 10 clear spruce (not quite as nice as the one you found but pretty nice)I had planned to cut some 16 x about 4 1/2 pieces and then resaw them and book match for my top. Then I noticed that you decided to rip yours into smaller pieces. Now I'm wondering if I should do the same on carry on with my plans.I have more faith in your methods than my own.
Leigh
I wanted to orient the grain vertically for the top plate, which is the "soundboard". I think if the grain was left slab cut, it would not have the stiffness and lightness I wanted. The cross grain stiffness WAS less than a "normal" bookmatched piece, but the longitudinal stiffness was within normal specs.
Another thought-- the arch on a violin is structural and increases stiffness. Since yours are flat-topped, consider small spruce reinforcements i.e. guitar bracing. Keep the sound board light as possible-- no more than 3mm. Definitely use a sound post and type of bass bar (My opinion only) The sound post acts as an anchor to one foot of the bridge, allowing it to rock left and right as it excites the top plate.
I have some nice grain pattern to work with so I think I'll go with bookmatch even though mine is slab cut as well. but I like your idea about some internal braces.I guess my plan is as close to a ukulele or mandolin as it is a fiddle so the braces make sense.
I really appreciate your input !
I have never seen a violin/fiddle made with bracing on the inside. I have only seen the basebar and the soundpost. Could you please explain this concept?
How did you make your violin/fiddle form? Or did you order one from a accessories store? I have seen plastic forms and wood. Which is best?
I made all my jigs and forms. More recently, I got a nice stainless steel template for the plates from a violin supply house.
There are downloadable violin templates online, if you would like to try one.
Which is best...for a form for the sides...plastic would be very durable. I like traditional wood....cuz it's traditional ;)
I like your wedding band!
Lol -- thankyou!
Did you make the back out of one piece? Or any of it out of one piece?( top and bottom).
Yes, the back is one piece. There are various ways the grain can be oriented --- imagine the grain arching like a rainbow. The arch or curve of the grain goes opposite the arch of the violin plate.
The top is quarter sawn and is a piece cut and laid out lIke the wings of a butterfly and glued together.
I am starting to get into woodworking.
And violin building looks interesting.
How do you learn. Looks like the sort of precision I'm looking for.
A book. Of course there is TH-cam.... but I bought a nice book on violin making which had all the measurements and plenty of pictures. Then--- look for some antique gouges on eBay, and get started. It is addicting and the ultimate woodworking project, I believe. I love it.
Jon Mangum
Was the book a good book?
If so, what's the title and author?
Thanks for the help.
The best book I found was the Art of Violin Making by Chris Johnson. I paid nearly $100 for it, and it was quite worth it. I am sure you can find a used copy on amazon or ebay.
Jon Mangum
Thanks Jon. Love you channel.
Nice to listen, nice to watch.
Hi, Jon! Have you had any trouble with the top separating or any issues with the “new“ wood?
No, everything has worked out beautifully!
Would love to make something like this myself. Thank you for making the video. May I ask two questions? First, what kind of thumb plane do you use? Where did you get the fingerboard?
Your work is amazing.
I did a very thorough 10 part series where I covered every step, materials and tools --
"How to Build a Fiddle"
Take a look-- Thank you for the kind words and please let me know if I can help!
@@grandpasmountain - I just found the 10-part series, and I'll be enjoying all of them today. Just want to say, it's people like you who make valuable, meaningful knowledge accessible. I've learned to turn pens and operate a mini lathe from TH-cam, and now I sell them and donate them to my school's benefit dinners (one sold for a little over $600!). Maybe I'll be able to make a violin someday??? Thank you, again.
✝ late arrival! Happy Thanksgiving! Had a couple of H-D's also, butt get my daily "cultural fix" [studying] on TH-cam! No, really. Long story, sew eye just began with this first video. Great find those tools, four sure.
good use of materials from homeless depot .LIke your rabbett bit soloution to cut , vln ledge!
Ha, thanks. I am misusing the bit -- I tried to grind a lower edge, but kinda failed. I am going to use a grooving bit for a shaper next.
Thanks good idea for arch top instruments Best of Luck in your new adventure in tenn. Hope that cabin has a shop ??? . More videos to come. ?? If you can spend $7 you can get a 4 set of chisels from ALDI great buy IMHO I got 2 sets of them . They come on sale 1 time ayear. I also have my own website tomistrings with lots of techie videos on lutherie cheers ernie
Yes, Ernie....I will have a little shop. I am going to use my enclosed trailer as a mini-shop. I enjoy building and it is a great stress relief. Thanks for the encouragement, and for your web adress. Going to look it up now!
Wow! Ernie -- you are an artist! I have several avid Uke players in the family, and we rarely leave home without a couple. Your are BEAUTIFUL! I'd love to meet you some day.
Folks-- definitely look up Tomistrings!
You can e- mail us through our website , if you are in MO , your always welcome for a grand tour of a large shop. cheers ernie
great video!
Thanks!
Btw nice wood selection
Heyyy I just started watching your channel and you really got me inspired. Are there any tips for someone who still doesn't have any equipment and wants to start learning about violin making?
Thanks for your time, i love your work so much.
Fabio, the first thing I would do, is invest in the book entitled "The Art of Violin Making" It is really all you need. There are also some excellent web sites to visit. You will need some basic tools. I bought used antique gouges and planes for very cheap at 2nd hand shops, for example.
So, cost wise for materials, is this better than just buying a cheap pre-made violin??
Well, yes! Total cost was around $28 if my memory serves....and it sounds great and is FAR superior to anything under $1500, in my opinion. Setup is important if you want good sound, as well as build quality, to achieve great results.
My HD fiddle is one of my best sounding and playing violins.
Jon Mangum Thank you!
You didn’t happen to run into Antonio in the wood isle, did you?
Hahahaha!
❤❤❤
Power tools not permitted in violin making violations
how do you sharpen tools?
THAT is a good question....and one that has many answers, Simone. I have tried various means and stones, and my favorite way is to initially square up and begin a new edge on the shop belt sander. Then, I use a buffing compound on the buffing wheel on my grinder. I get a great edge, and I can spin up the buffer and touch up te edge any time I want. Best of all.....it only takes seconds.
My favorite sharpenin video: th-cam.com/video/gLNE_xpwBNA/w-d-xo.html
In Mexico They Home Depot sales they worst Quality wood in they world. Only once I brought a piece of wood with radial cut, so I made the top of my viola da gamba with it. (Pine wood, not the best, but it works well)
Yes, sometimes the local Home Depot has very low quality wood.
Sometimes you get lucky and find a good piece.
I'd love to see your viola da gamba!
Cool! I did you reply to your email you sent me ages ago, but not sure you got it??
No, never got email from you, sorry. Try again!
The Cremona school of violin making - American style. Check out William F. Fry's videos on violins. This guy knows a lot. He figured out how Stradivarius violins sound so good. Amazing.
Thanks :)
I have seen his stuff.... well.... There is some doubt about his conclusions. There really is no answer. Strands had shorter necks, lower projections angles, but strings, and completely different bassbars. There really is no way to know how a real Strad sounded originally and what sound he was going for.
The only original parts are the body of the violins.
Please given a violin i have no money 😣😣😪
That looks more like pine than spruce
I can assure you, it is Red Spruce :)
I've never seen spruce at Home Depot, maybe they don't carry it here in GA
Home Cheapo just carries whatever is cheapest locally.
I went in to Lowes last week (in TN) and they had a bunch of nice spruce.
Visit a mom-n-pop lumberyard or cabinet supply. There are a number of good places I found in GA.
Thanks for the advice, I've been using poplar for practice plate carving before I use high quality tone wood. I'll browse around the local stores and see what I can find.
Poplar makes an excellent back for a fiddle. It is also used on cellos. Gives a warm tone.
Look up cabinet making supply, or hardwood. I don't know what part of Georgia you are in, but at least one place I found down there even sold wood for instruments.
Good luck! Let me know how it goes!
A