Violin Forum/Message Board

Chet Bishop · Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 12:45 am Post subject:

I did get the nut and saddle installed this evening, after dressing the fingerboard. I also reamed the peg-holes, but it is time to hit the sack, so tomorrow will have to do for the rest.
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Chet Bishop · Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 2:21 am Post subject:

The viola is done and I have been playing it. I will take the strings off tomorrow and retouch the varnish, shorten the tail-gut, , lower the strings a little at the bridge, etc. Then, when I put it all back together it will really be done. But it plays well, and has a big voice. I put Evah Pirazzi strings on it. It seems to be opening up a little, in just the few minutes I have spent playing it. Still sounds a little new, I guess...which is OK.
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Chet Bishop · Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:18 pm Post subject: All Done!

Well...I feel that I have inadvertently hijacked this thread, and I am sorry for that. Here is my last post on this thread, and I do hope people will continue to post shop photos, etc.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All Done!

As always, I am sure there are things I may do differently next time, particularly with the hand-carved lion-head, but, overall, I am satisfied with the results on this viola. It plays easily, has a big, deep voice, and is becoming more responsive day by day. Here are some photos:

Completed lion head viola, front view.

Side view Lion-head viola

Back view Lion-head viola

Treble-side Lion-head Scroll

Bass side Lion-head Scroll

Three-quarter view Lion-Head Scroll

The style is closely related to the Andrea Guarneri "Conte Vitale", but has been changed significantly enough that it is simply my own design, hence the "Oliver" model designation. It definitely qualifies as a large viola, so only players who are comfortable with a big viola will like it, but, that being said, it is a relatively easy-playing viola, too.

I realize that lion-head scrolls are not terribly conventional, but I also remind myself that Jacob Stainer made a few lion-head instruments, and a whole bunch of German copyists followed his lead...still they are maybe one in a thousand. I changed one last thing and attempted a little more realism. Perhaps it will be difficult to sell; I don't know. But it is one of the best violas I have made, and I trust someone will eventually see it as the one they have been waiting for. Smile

Thanks for looking.
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pmccombs · Member Joined: 15 Jan 2013 Posts: 87 Location: Utah

DonLeister · Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:27 pm Post subject:

Thanks for sharing the pics of your viola Chet. It looks great!

DonLeister · Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 12:42 pm Post subject:

A picture that is wildlife and violin related : (
Six down and one to go.

R Mac · Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 12:54 pm Post subject:

Oh My!

Don,

I assume that you have made sure that it does not actually "quack like a duck" before you started this laborious process. Shocked

Mac
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kubasa · Member Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 212

Don,

If you don't mind me asking, who is the maker of this violin? What is the green - is that a paint or a paste of some sorts? The color looks slightly raised (or it's just my eyes....) Just curious.

James

DonLeister · Posted: Tue Sep 24, 2013 5:00 pm Post subject:

It's a french trade fiddle that is in good shape other than the fowl varnish job. : )
although we aren't going to spend a lot of time fixing the varnish.
It's green paint put on with a stamp.
Since it belongs to a fiddler friend of mine I think he might describe some of the desirable tonal qualities as farm animal and train sounds (as being good things)
I have heard squawking and honking used to describe but not quacking so I have decided it has to be a goose.

kubasa · Member Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Posts: 212

Very interesting indeed!

Chet Bishop · Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:19 am Post subject:

So, Don: is this going to require a re-finish, or are you going to attempt to just retouch the varnish, now that the paint is gone? That looks like pretty heavy damage, and not a lot of original varnish (for whatever it was worth) left to work with.

Just curious...I'm pretty sure I would be thinking of refinishing, since it is a trade instrument and the varnish is so badly damaged.

I'd appreciate it if you showed some "after" pictures, when your work is complete.
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Mat Roop · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 12:12 am Post subject:

Chet... love your viola... and the lions head. I've always had a liking for the lions head on violins, but never found one for myself although several have passed thru the shop.

Don...
I would be tempted to not re-varnish.... Just pick off the green, then touch up the missing varnish, and then give the entire back a varnish rub. That should leave the birds less obvious and almost shadow like.
I like to leave such "character marks" as evidence of the provenance and I like a violin to have a story to tell. Whether we know the full story or not, it is still interesting to speculate!
... Just my 2 cents worth
Cheers, Mat

DonLeister · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 8:19 am Post subject:

I am only trying to get rid of the worst on the varnish.
It has another problem, it was over coated poorly. The light brown is original and the dark brown the newer. At least the over coat is really crispy and will smooth down some ( runs, bumps) , I'm not going to try to get rid of the over coating.
I will post a pic later. As bad as it looks now though, I think that just smoothing things out will look okay.

DonLeister · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 8:31 am Post subject:

This overcoating is almost like caked on rosin, not sure what happened to it.

Mat Roop · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 9:28 pm Post subject:

I've seen coatings like that and I think it is cheap old varnish. in the old days, people used to re-varnish their furniture to keep it fresh and I think this violin was such a victim.
Usually it is quite dried out and brittle and will come off with careful scrubbing with 0000 steel wool leaving the original varnish underneath....just need to go easy.
good luck Don.... Mat