Violin based on Guarneri del Gesu 1734 |
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return to work in progress November 2009 This is a lovely model violin which I made for the first time last year. It's from the earlier part of del Gesu's career and has a graceful, balanced appearance; last year's one had a powerful and rich sound. So I'm happy to return to it.
The next job is to finish the shape of the arching. I'm able to get fairly close to copying the arching shapes of the original instrument, as I have drawings taken from the original which I've used to make templates from. The shape of the archings is strong and graceful.
The violin is now finished "in the white", ready for varnishing.
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I've
chosen a good piece of well-figured maple for the back, which I bought
in Germany a few years ago. The first job is to roughly shape the
arching, using a large gouge.
I
make the ribs from strips of maple, planed to just over 1mm thick, bent
to shape and glued round a mould.
While
I've been working on the ribs, I've also made the head. The design
is fairly restrained for del Gesu - nothing like the flamboyant heads of
his later period, and matches the quiet simplicity of the body.
Ribs
and head finished, I've finalised the outlines of the back and front
following the shape of the ribs, and am now inlaying the purfling.
This is made from three strips of wood glued together, and fitted into a
channel cut round the edge of the back and front.
December
2009
I'm
now starting the thicknessing of the front. The bulk of the wood
for both front and back is removed with a large gouge, then I work down
carefully with planes and scrapers until I arrive at what I think is the
right thickness. This varies for each instrument depending on the
density of the wood and the shape of the arching, and I look for a good
balance of weight and flexibility. This has been easy to achieve
on this violin as I have lovely wood and good arching shapes.
The
f-holes have now been cut in the front.
It's
lovely now to see the violin really take shape. I've finished off
the rib assembly - taken it off the mould and shaped the internal faces
of the blocks and linings, then glued it to the back. The bass bar
has been fitted to the inside of the front, so all is ready to close the
soundbox.
And
here's the body glued together.
The
next stage is to fit the neck to the body. This is a delicate job
as everything has to be lined up in three dimensions - the neck must run
in line with the centre of the front, at the right angle, and the right
depth into the ribs.
The
final large job is to shape the neck. It's tricky to get a really
good shape that will be comfortable for the player and that will feel
just right in the hand.
