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Violin Making: An Illustrated Guide for the Amateur
Making a beautiful violin is easier than you think! You don't have to be a professional luthier to build a handsome hand-crafted violin. All you need are just a few common tools, wood, and the simplified violin-making process found inside the newly revised and updated Violin Making . The early version of this book helped many first-time instrument makers build their own stunning violins-and their beautiful work is displayed inside in a new color photo gallery. Author and lifelong teacher Bruce Ossman uses his simple techniques and clear instruction to guide you through every single step of making a violin. With the full-size patterns and detailed illustrations include, you will be on your way to crafting an instrument fit for an orchestra.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 15, 2022
Good, basic book about violin making. Not sufficiently detailed, but enough for a hobbyist to make their first violin.
March 4, 2025
Very informative. Even if I never fabricated a violin. This book is a great overview of the craftsmanship required to make a one.
April 1, 2017
Provides illustrations that make the process easy to understand.
The violin begins with a "building form" or "body form" mad from plywood. Then the pre-shaped ribs are attached to the body form and trimmed. After that, "The mold/block/rib combination is used to trace the proper shapes onto the boards that will form the top and bottom plates of the body." (p.8)
The body form is then removed, leaving the shaped block/rib structure (p.9). Then the top and bottom plates are cut to shape with a saw. "The undersides of the plats are hollowed so that they become thin enough to vibrate easily. Then the sound holes are carved, end rest opening, and the neck unit is and pegbox is made and attached.
Structure of the Violin
The violin evolved i Renaissance Italy with many luthiers contributing to its development over a long period (p.24).
The violin somewhat resembles the human body (i.e. Chin, shoulders, eye, belly, ribs, etc) (p.26)
*Full Diagram of the violin anatomy on p. 26
Purfling- the part of the wood with a narrow groove cut close to the edges of the belly and the back plates in order to hold decorative and strengthening strips of wood
Ebony, either solid or veneered, is the traditional wood for the curved fingerboard (p.27).
Strings were once made of sheep gut. "Only the downward force of the strings holds the bridge in place." There is a downward force of about 20 pounds acting through the bridge to the belly plate below.
*Another great diagram on page 27 of the inside of the violin (sound post, lining, bass bar, purfling, etc.)
With the exception of the sound post, tuning pegs, and bridge, most of the violin parts are held together with glue. In some early violins, nails helped to secure the neck of the body.
**Acoustics of the Violin
The Law of physics determine the sounds produced.
A string is set into vibrating motion by drawing the horsehair of a bow across it at a short distance forward from where the string crosses the bridge. The string vibrates in a horizontal plane at a certain 'resonant frequency' that is dependent on the string's length. tension, and mass. A finger pressing a string against the fingerboard shortens the length of the vibrating string, thus raising the pitch (p.28)
The rest of the book breaks down the intricacies (measurements) step by step for literally building the violin with illustrations.
The violin begins with a "building form" or "body form" mad from plywood. Then the pre-shaped ribs are attached to the body form and trimmed. After that, "The mold/block/rib combination is used to trace the proper shapes onto the boards that will form the top and bottom plates of the body." (p.8)
The body form is then removed, leaving the shaped block/rib structure (p.9). Then the top and bottom plates are cut to shape with a saw. "The undersides of the plats are hollowed so that they become thin enough to vibrate easily. Then the sound holes are carved, end rest opening, and the neck unit is and pegbox is made and attached.
Structure of the Violin
The violin evolved i Renaissance Italy with many luthiers contributing to its development over a long period (p.24).
The violin somewhat resembles the human body (i.e. Chin, shoulders, eye, belly, ribs, etc) (p.26)
*Full Diagram of the violin anatomy on p. 26
Purfling- the part of the wood with a narrow groove cut close to the edges of the belly and the back plates in order to hold decorative and strengthening strips of wood
Ebony, either solid or veneered, is the traditional wood for the curved fingerboard (p.27).
Strings were once made of sheep gut. "Only the downward force of the strings holds the bridge in place." There is a downward force of about 20 pounds acting through the bridge to the belly plate below.
*Another great diagram on page 27 of the inside of the violin (sound post, lining, bass bar, purfling, etc.)
With the exception of the sound post, tuning pegs, and bridge, most of the violin parts are held together with glue. In some early violins, nails helped to secure the neck of the body.
**Acoustics of the Violin
The Law of physics determine the sounds produced.
A string is set into vibrating motion by drawing the horsehair of a bow across it at a short distance forward from where the string crosses the bridge. The string vibrates in a horizontal plane at a certain 'resonant frequency' that is dependent on the string's length. tension, and mass. A finger pressing a string against the fingerboard shortens the length of the vibrating string, thus raising the pitch (p.28)
The rest of the book breaks down the intricacies (measurements) step by step for literally building the violin with illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews