IX. THE F-HOLES.
A well-formed and proportioned F has a great deal to do with enhancing the appearance of a violin. The F represented in Fig. 7 is a most perfect specimen of what it should be. Anyone wishing to cut the F-holes in the belly, should take Fig. 7 and place it in such a way that the line a/a be exactly 195 m/m. from the outer and upper edge, and b b almost upon the point of the belly. This will give the right position of the F-holes and at the same time the measurement of the body. The greatest width of the opening of the F-holes must be 6 m/m. The width of the breast between the two upper excisions must never be narrower than the width of the bridge. In the accompanying illustration these are very wide apart and might without disadvantage be placed 2 m/m. nearer together. On violins where this distance of the F-holes is less than 40 m/m., either a narrower bridge must be used or the bass-bar must be cut out a little, so that the latter may lie close on to the upper F-hole. The lower lobes of the F-holes are always slanted outwards by Stradivarius, thus presenting a more symmetrical appearance. Both incisions are small, but clearly cut.