Violin Forum/Message Board

Chet Bishop · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 11:15 pm Post subject: Five-string Fiddle On the Way.

There is still a lot to be done-- all I have on this so far is the ground/sealer coat. I like the wood, especially the maple. I hope I can move the color more in a "golden" direction. Probably I will start varnishing tomorrow evening. (actually, most likely a coat of propolis, to try to bring the spruce closer to the color of the maple). Anyway...here it is. Not sure I really like the long corners...I may decide to shorten them a little.

The maple is from a log given to me a few years ago. This is the first time I have used the wood. Not all the maple is as wild-looking as this, but some is. I really like it. I hope it sounds as good as it looks.

Thanks for looking.

Chet
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Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

Chet Bishop · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:17 pm Post subject: Varnish nearing completion

These photos are a little deceptive-- the front and back pictures are WAY too yellow, but I don't know how to color-correct, so they simply "are what they are". The scroll photo is pretty close to correct, so...I guess you can use your imagination a bit. Smile

I expect I will apply two or three more coats before I call it complete. I hope to have it set up and playing by Saturday evening.
_________________
Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

Chet Bishop · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:45 pm Post subject:

OK...it is as done as it is going to get, today. I discovered that I had no 5-string tailpieces, so I carved one of Osage Orange...but I think it is heavy enough that is affecting the sound a bit. The real five-string tailpiece (Wittner) will arrive Wednesday. Meanwhile, I evidently misplaced the set of five matched helicore strings I had waiting for this, so I had to use Dominants plus a Dominant C-string made for a large viola. It plays amazingly well, considering all the goofy set-up issues, but I will defer judgment until the right stuff arrives. I'll have to order more strings, I guess... Anyway, here it is.

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Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

ctviolin · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 9:30 am Post subject:

Wow, that's some georgus backwood.

Cool fiddle, chet. (also, good to see you again!)

Chet Bishop · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 3:37 pm Post subject:

Thanks, my friend. I have missed chatting with you. Hope to see a lot more of you.

Anything special on your bench right now?

I have begun a lion-head viola...first try at that sort of thing-- not sure whether I am up to it. I have three violas and two violins in progress at the moment.

Blessings,

Chet
_________________
Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

Chet Bishop · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 3:42 pm Post subject:

BTW, to all interested parties, I replaced the strings with the Helicore five-string set, and it sounds great.

I experimented first with just replacing the C string, and leaving the Dominants, and that was good, too, but I decided to keep it a matched set, so I ended up replacing all five.

The owner of the first five-string showed up for some changes on it, and while I worked on his fiddle, he played this one. Quite a treat...the longer he played, the more he warmed to it, and he was doing some serious fiddling by the time I was done working on his fiddle. (Maybe I should have milked it a bit, and enjoyed a longer concert!) Smile

_________________
Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

ctviolin · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 9:40 pm Post subject:

Chet Bishop · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 9:10 am Post subject:

The "FlexCut" people sell and abrasive stropping compound that works very well. It looks like a block of yellow chalk, but is some sort of hard, waxy substance loaded with chromium oxide and titanium oxide, if I remember correctly. I was really pleased with it, and am using it every day, now.

My son had given me a set of three carving knives (which I am using on the lion-head), and a little block of that compound was included. I was amazed at the difference between that and whatever I had before. I might actually get used to having sharp tools. Smile

_________________
Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

ollieken · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:16 pm Post subject: One to be proud of

Hi chet I love that fiddle you can be sure it is one of a kind
That one will be hard to part with i bet Hope i win the loto tonight so i can call you for a price Ken

Chet Bishop · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 2:02 pm Post subject:

I have a large pile of wood from that same tree. Granted, not all the wood looks like that, but I intend to build a lot of instruments from that log.

Can't hang onto them...I have to sell 'em. There will be more, but yes, every one will be unique, simply because every piece of wood is different.

Glad you like the fiddle. It sure turned out to sound good. There are things I will do differently next time, but not affecting the sound. (Corners a tad too long, for one thing...)
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Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

ctviolin · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:21 pm Post subject:

yes I noticed the corners. that's one thing I'm working on now also. Corners and edgework. There is something always wrong with my corners and edge work.

Only now (after 40+ violins ) am I looking to correct all of those things that have been wrong - in fact, my goal now is to learn those points that I have been weak at all along since violin #1.

Things that really point to a professionalism, I have not really striven for up till now.

Though I have always noticed it.

ctviolin · Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 10:32 pm Post subject:

Or, more correctly - my lack of such important details.

Might as well learn those things sometime this lifetime...

ctviolin · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 7:21 pm Post subject:

Chet Bishop · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:36 pm Post subject: Photos.

Craig;

What I did was to start an account on Photobucket (it's free), and upload the photos there (it tells you how), after shrinking them to about 25% of their original size using Microsoft Photo editor (or photomanager-- whatever it is called.) (By the way, when you reduce their size, you want to save them under a different title or you will change the original...which I don't want to do.)

Then I hold the mouse over the picture on photobucket, and a drop-down list appears. One of the items has the address with "img" in front of it. Click on that one, and it will say "copied".

Then, keeping that window open (if you have other photos to post), switch back to the forum and paste it in your reply. (Ctrl-V)

If you get a photobucket account started, give me a call and we will walk through the process-- it is pretty easy. My number is on my website.

Chet
_________________
Chet Bishop
https://bluefiddles.com
https://fivestringfiddles.com

ctviolin · Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 9:37 am Post subject: Re: Photos.