Violin Forum/Message Board

kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

I am trying to get a handle on the neck dimensions.

Is there a standard measurement for the underside of the neck , the part that rests in your hand.

when you hand hits the heel, what is the distance from the nut, or to the edge of the body, since that can be used to find your position.

between the heel and the chin what is the standard distance between them and do you just measure it or use a template.

I know you need 130mm to the nearest edge of the top, but I am looking to make a template for the underside to get more consistent results and also to have them the standard length and thickness.

thanks

actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

For me, the dimensions of the underside of the neck are entirely derived from the fingerboard thickness (in new work). If you make a fingerboard 5 mm thick at the edge where it meets the maple, the overall neck thickness can be worked from there.

Here's a web page with some neck dimensions to consider...

http://www.bormanviolins.com/setupdimensions.asp

kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

the thickness of the finger board I am ok with , its the longitudinal dimesion of the underside of the neck. from heel to chin. that I am not finding on the net. thanks for the response.

maybe there is no set length or dimensions , but if anyone can play a properly set up violin there must be some correlation between the chin and the heel and the distance from the heel from the the edge of the table, at least that makes sense to me.

actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

I see what you mean.

Well... dealing with the all important neck "crotch"... you'll see that on the page I pointed you to earlier he has 25 mm as "edge to neck stop."

By this is meant that if you take a divider (or compass) and spread it 25 mm apart... put one point on the place where the edge of the top plate meets the neck and then swing the other to trace a line at the neck "crotch"... if its right it should be 25 mm to the centre line of the neck at that point.

Does that make sense?

It's so much easier to show with a photo... this forum would be SO MUCH improved with that capability...

E

Will L · Junior Member Joined: 06 Mar 2011 Posts: 22

If you start with the 130mm measurement, the back of the chin or nape (also called "ducktail" by the definitions in the new IPCI book) of the pegbox should be lined up with the bottom of the nut ( the locations are given as if you are looking at a violin front with the violin held scroll to ceiling; this gets confusing sometimes.) The "thumb stop" is found with the calipers as actonern says, but the measurement is 26mm according to Weisshaar and 27mm according to some others. This will coincidentally give a measurement of about 90+mm for the straight part of the back of the neck; but I don't believe that is a measurement anyone uses.

The thickness of the finished neck including the fingerboard is 18.5 at the straight part closest to the nape and 20.5 at the straight part closest to the thumb stop (according to Courtnall Johnson; Strobel gives 19mm and 21mm). The shape is tricky but is based more on an oval than a circle. The tendency is to make the sides too round; that is, too much wood where the thumb touches most. Courtnall Johnson has templates that works well.

kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

thanks for the info.

violinarius · Member Joined: 14 Dec 2007 Posts: 171

If Michael does not mind I will quote him and post one of his pictures.

"The info in C&J is excellent, but they miss one thing in carving the heel, and that is that the crook of the heel that the thumb touches in the higher positions should measure 26.5mm with a compass (it's over the curve of the heel, so you need a compass) from the center of the back of that area to the same edge of the top from which the stop and neck length are measured. Unfortunately I've got no compass at home, either, so try this:"

The measured opening for the above picture is suppose to be 26.5 mm.

kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

thanks for the tip on that!

Michael Darnton · Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 7:26 pm Post subject:

That's it!

I'm glad someone remembers what I've posted in the past, because I sure don't. :-)
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new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
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DBurns · Member Joined: 16 May 2009 Posts: 31

Will L · Junior Member Joined: 06 Mar 2011 Posts: 22

BTW,
Weisshaar does give a number for the distance between the top of the button and the "ducktail." It is 10.08-11 cms. Page 163.

violinarius · Member Joined: 14 Dec 2007 Posts: 171