The Repairing & Restoration of Violins / 'The Strad' Library, No. XII.

by Horace Petherick

The wood to be cleared away outside the lines which mark the width along the course of the fingerboard will be the next proceeding; it may be done neatly with a rather fine toothed saw and then carefully planed up closer to the lines, barely touching them. It is preferable to leave the sides for the present at right angles with the top surface, although they will not be kept so for long, but by thus working the measurements are facilitated. Going to the lower or wider end a line must be accurately marked quite square with the long central line, if not accurate the whole work will be thrown out of truth. On the sides there may now be marked and roughly sawn away (diagram 28) so much of the wood that shall leave enough for the cylindrical part that is to be finally rounded and finished off for handling. Care must be taken that the rounding commences underneath, a little away from the part that will be fitted into the peg-box. This of course must be according to measurement or template kept for the purpose if graftings are likely to be wanted in the future. There will now be required the marking of the exact form of the part that is to be inserted in the body of the violin, or more strictly speaking, into the upper block. This is done easily from a pattern cut to shape and size for instruments of average proportions. Sometimes, owing to the height of the ribs, the pattern cannot be applied so as to fit; in that case fresh lines must be drawn to measurement as with the central one on the fingerboard plane.

DIAGRAM 28.	DIAGRAM 29.

The line dividing the part exactly in the middle must be accurately done, the distance at the narrowest or lowest part that is to be glued on to the button carefully marked, allowing the top part when placed in position to be a quarter of an inch above the border (diagram 29). The width of the lowest portion must be mainly guided by the size of the button, which, although there is an average of a rough kind, is sometimes small, at others very wide. The width must be taken of the button, carefully divided into two equal parts to be marked on each side of the central vertical line (diagram 30). All below what is necessary to keep may now be cut away, the surface being kept parallel with the fingerboard plane. The parts outside the slanting lines may be hewn away, the surface running evenly with the outer lines of the fingerboard width so far as it extends, which will not be more than about an inch.

DIAGRAM 30.

The next process will be that of excavating the part that is to receive the root or end of the neck. If the instrument has been accurately constructed with the join running down precisely in the centre, the line already marked on the root of the neck will be a safe guide for marking each side of the join the width of the portion to be cut away. The depth inward of the cutting should be an average of a quarter of an inch. In case the already excavated part in an old and much repaired instrument is roughly torn about and made unequal in its measurements, attention must be fairly directed to this part separately; that is, if too much wood has been cut away on one side it must be replaced by fresh, after clearing away irregularities in order that a good fit may be accomplished. The fresh wood must be neatly inserted or placed in position and may be held in position during the hardening of the glue by supports or wedges placed across from side to side. When quite fit by reason of its dryness, the distance from the centre must be marked and the fresh wood cut away to the required depth and width with a keen edged chisel and small shavings cut at a stroke, as there will be some cutting against the grain to be done besides working in a confined position.

Great regard must be paid during the process of cutting this part that the corners or angles are quite cleared out, or the neck when inserted as a trial or rehearsal will not give a truthful report of the accuracy of the incisions owing to some insignificant portions sticking up and causing the neck to look awry. So far we may take the fitting as having been accurately done to the central line down the middle of the instrument; but now comes a further process in connection with the adjustment of the neck, and that is, the rise and inclination of the level of the fingerboard in relation to the bridge which is to be fitted eventually.

The average—it may almost be called the standard—height of the violin bridge is one three-eighth inches. There are occasions when this measurement may be departed from, as in the instance of a high model, when an eighth, or even more, may be taken off with advantage. This must not be taken as necessary for the proper emission of the tone from a highly built instrument. The raising of the bridge in modern times is due to other causes, the most important being that of allowing better play or room for bowing rapidly over from side to side without rasping the border at the waist. It is an alteration which accompanied the lengthening of the neck and stop in the early part of the last century.

To obtain a proper setting or inclination of the neck, several ways are adopted by repairers. They vary according to the kind of guide or pattern used. This is usually cut from a piece of hard wood, sycamore or pear. It is sometimes made as a double guide in the adjustment of both the inclination and the elevation of the under part of the fingerboard above the body of the instrument at the junction of the neck. This we will call No. 1. The other, No. 2, is similar, but has the height of the bridge only as a fixture, the rise of the end of the neck above the border being higher and lower at discretion. Another way, No. 3, is somewhat like No. 1, but would be used when the fingerboard is glued on before the setting. This should only be done by a fitter of some experience, as a little error in calculation is likely to lead to disaster. With each the application of the guide, or pattern, is the same, namely the testing of the exact coincidence of the inclination of the top surface of the bed under the fingerboard (diagram 31), or above the latter as shown in diagram 32. While getting the right inclination, in both instances it will be found necessary to ease the fitting of the neck into its socket, as the difference of the angle at which the neck is inserted causes an increase in the tightness of the contact of the parts. The lower part of the facing that is to be inserted in the socket, will have to be made to go into it at an angle conformable to that of the inclination or set of the neck. This will require executing with precision, and great care will have to be exercised that the squareness or rectangular disposition of the upper part already fitted and adjusted to the middle line down the instrument is not interfered with. It will be well to test this as the work proceeds. Some of the lower part, that coming into contact with the button, will have to come away in order that all parts may fit, and when fixed, form a homogeneous rigid part of the structure.

DIAGRAM 31.

DIAGRAM 32.