The violin and the art of its construction: a treatise on the Stradivarius violin

by August Riechers

XI. THE HEAD OR NECK.

In Fig. 8 we have a very beautiful model, representing as it does a perfect specimen of Stradivarius. Its form can be obtained by exactly copying the external outline and the measurements I-XV. The inner curve of the head must be worked out as shewn in Fig. 8 b. The back at the head (Fig. 8 c) should be 4 m/m. thick on the upper side and gradually increase by 3 m/m. towards the under side, so that at this point it reaches a thickness of 7 m/m. The peg-holes must be placed exactly as shewn in the model. If they have short heads, they can be placed a few millimetres nearer together from A to G without destroying the appearance of the instrument. The wood for the head and neck must always be so chosen that the grain and surface lie horizontally.