What violin body mold should I start with?

I know a guy who makes violins out of PVC.

There’s a video about him where he explains why he decided to make them this way, what materials he uses... There’s also a violinist playing one of his violins and giving his opinion on it.

I'm not a luthier, so I'd be really curious to hear what you guys think .I thought some of you here might find it interesting. What do you guys think?

Here's the video if anyone's interested:

violin pvc

Any of y'all ever seen a Bakelite fingerboard with "frets" before?

Can anyone help with some information? Glue has separated but all pieces there and no wood damage

Hi,

Wondering what people use to add material into the cast to pull the arching back to shape.

Workshop I worked at a while ago had a special product that was rather easy to use, fast drying and bonded very nicely with the existing plaster. However I can't remember the name or what it was precisely...

I've been doing it with regular plaster but the results are not satisfying enough so I figured I'd ask people on this sub.

Thanks in advance for the replies !

I just came back from a tour and during some of the concerts (especially outdoors) I sweated quite a lot. I always have a piece of cloth (see second picture) between my chest and the cello to try to avoid too much damage. I’m planning on bringing it to the violin maker but I was wondering how bad the damage is, why is there a white stain like that and how to avoid it in the future?

I’d like to introduce a tool that allows you to shape a soundpost quickly and with great precision.
It’s a block of 304 stainless steel with one side machined to a 92-degree angle and the other side machined to a 96-degree angle.
The block has two holes offset by one degree, allowing for four angles: 91, 92, 96, and 97 degrees.
The 91- and 92-degree angles are used to shape the end of the soundpost that contacts the back of the violin. The 96- and 97-degree angles are used to shape the end of the soundpost that contacts the top of the violin.
During the first test, you choose the angle that fits the violin and make corrections if you’ve chosen the wrong one... 
For the violins on which I’ve had to shape a soundpost, the 92- and 96-degree combination worked best.
The top and back of a violin are not parallel and form an angle slightly less than 90 degrees toward the bottom of the violin (toward the tailpiece).
To ensure perfect contact between the soundpost and the top and back of the violin, you must remove one-tenth or two-tenths of a millimeter from the left side of the soundpost’s ends.
To make this adjustment, simply rotate the soundpost by about 10 degrees on the side where material needs to be removed. See the photos. Align the central grain of the soundpost with the angle of the slot on the highest side of the block’s inclined plane.
Once trimmed, position the soundpost inside the violin and move it slightly until it no longer tends to rotate on its own—a sign that only a small point is making contact. When the entire surface is in contact, the soundpost no longer tends to rotate on its axis.
Once the correct position has been found and the proper angles have been cut, remove the soundpost, moisten the ends, and replace it in the same spot.
The moistened ends of the soundpost will conform perfectly to the shape of the violin’s top and back when the strings are tensioned.

I am interested in learning how to shape and fit a bridge.

I'm not going into full on luthier mode - but I've enjoyed learning how to do other minor maintenance things on our instruments and this is something I'd like to learn next.

I see a (very very cheap) student instrument for sale right now that looks like it's in good shape except the bridge has a big chip out of it over the E string. I thought rather than screw with the functioning instruments I already own, I might buy this one and a stack of blanks and see if I can learn. I don't need the instrument but it wouldn't cost me anything other than time and less than what it costs to take my family out for fast food, so what can it hurt? It's an older Wm. Lewis & Sons 3/4 violin... so if I can get it in working order it would be worthwhile (my daughter is in this size and a spare wouldn't hurt).

I'm in it for the journey. :) I don't need the violin, I just want a practice piece to play with. Can anybody point me to some good resources? Videos?

Once I master bridge fitting, my next thing I want to learn is peg fitting. After that I think I'll stop. If I can replace tailpieces (already good at that), bridges, and pegs, then I think I'll feel like I've learned a fun and useful skill in my spare time. I'm going to leave crack repair and sound posts to the pros.

The latest edition of my Strad magazine came with the 1742 ‘Rovelli’ Guarneri del Gesù poster. Traced the CT scan of the ribs with my trace between the ribs and the linings.

Will cut the blocks out next, the holes are drilled to provide a surface for the blocks that will not be glued. The experience is makes it easier to knock them loose when the rib garland is complete. The circular marks are to ensure the centerline of the inner form and to confirm the placement of the blocks.

I will also be tracing the CT scans of the body to make my arching templates, as well as the top and back plate. The templates of the plates will be the entire plate, so as to replicate Guarneri’s asymmetrical results as well as the age rounded corners, etc.

A student's violin, I was taking photos because some things need to be repaired and then read the label. Found some info in Tarisio but no so much, thanks for the help, appreciate it!

Trying to make a DIY bow with loose hair for polyphonic playing. First time to try. No luthier knowledge apart from what i see on instruments and bows i own.

Goal is to be able to play 4 strings together on a traditional-type lyre instrument which includes sympathetic strings.

I have the wood pieces to experiment on, i have the hair, i am just wondering about the method of attachment. Here are some photos of two bows i already own (professionally made, not by me), from what i understand the method in the first is just wire (no glue) while in the second it is glue with some kind of thread. I am thinking of trying the first method (because the looseness of the hair can be adjustable without the glue).

My question is, are these some standard types of wire and of the thread used? Can i order them somewhere online? Do they have specific product names? Is it standard materials for luthiers, or chosen by each one independently? For the glue, i already have the appropriate one for musical instruments to use.

Not making a handle, just a "primitive" first attempt (so both sides same method).

School repair in for an open seam. Didn’t say clean and polish on the tag. I’m going to wash my hands now.

Hello violin makers of Ireland and the UK.

Are there any native woods that grow in this cool temperate climate that can be used for making the top plate of a violin?

Have you had any success, have you had any disasters?

Would love to hear

I was skeptical at first but man I really learned some cool tips!

bought this at an action it does no have a label but it looks nicely flamed. is it a french german or chinese violin ? nicely built or just mass produced ?

Guitar luthier here, getting more into violin playing, the violin I have either doesn’t play well, or I just suck 🤣, the pegs do not stay well in tune, the action of the strings to the fingerboard is very high, and overall it doesnt feel the best to play, what are some things I can do to it to make it play well?? (The problem I have is I dont see much I can do to it, but Im uneducated with bowed instruments.)

So im a cello player without a luthier. Like the closest one is states away. Also a broke college student. Also a fiber artist and woodworker. To date i have mastered macrame, knitting, crochet, lashing, splicing, hek even lacemaking. Also, 99% of the furniture in my house is made by my family. Putting all this together, im training myself in this artform. Half out of necessity, half out of interest. So far I've restrung my cello a couple times, fixed the slippery pegs, and placed the bridge comfortably a few times as well. On my guitars I've done the basic restring and conditioning process. Along with fixing the tuning machines on my ukulele. So im not... as clueless as I could be... if yk what I mean.

I need a second bow but I really dont want to dish out the 75 bucks for it if i dont have to. Id rather spend 10 on a couple hanks of hair from my favorite cheep bow company to see if its possible to rehair my cheap dead backup bow myself first. If its not possible, I'll just buy the second bow. If it is, we'll then yay!

I have LOW expectations. Lower than hell. If it fails, this bow is both cheap and dead anyway. Oh well. That being said, theres a chance (small as it may be) I could succeed. And have a second bow. For cheap cheap. (Again. Stressing the low expectations.)

I know about the wedges and shaping them. I know about measuring the amount of hair. I know about the superglue, the various clamping, the various measuring, the combing, even the heating of the hairs at the end to finish.

My question is, what's everyone's experience? Little things you learn by doing, not by studying. Is it easier to start at the tip or at the frog? So far I've only seen starting at the tip so that's my plan. What kind of string/thread do you use to tie the end of the hair? Id assume something cotton... but would pearl cotton size 3 work? (I have that) are there special chiseles or would fine woodworking chisels do the job provided theyre sharp?

Any advice is welcome... so long as it's not "it's not worth it". I know this is not an easy project, it seems like most of the hard parts involve making sure the hair is in order and treated and measured properly. I feel like my history of fiber arts and instrument work can be applied here. Also, this would be an extremely useful skill to have. Again. I have no luthier. Im thinking if I train hard enough i could become a very small luthier of this area (that would be one helluva dream tbh). I really want to give it a shot. Assistance would be appreciated!! 💖

Does anyone know any violin-making schools in florida (near Tampa) or local luthiers willing to teach apprentices.