Violin Forum/Message Board

[Dave Chandler]

I'm just assembling my 16.25" Kloz Viola, and have to make some decisions about the neck/scroll. I really intended to make a copy, but just can't bring myself to making such a huge scroll as the original.

I've been getting my dimensions from theluthierslibrary.com and the scroll seems very large, at least 20% larger than a violin scroll. If the 16.25" viola is 15% larger than a violin (412/356=1.156), then it would seem that if I enlarge my violin scroll template by 15% then it should be in the ballpark, but its still way smaller than the original Kloz.

I'm reading two schools of thought -- if the scroll is small, like a violin, it makes the viola look large and bulky. If the scroll is large it adds weight but makes the viola correct proportionally.

I'm thinking of enlarging the scroll just 7-10% and use violin pegs to keep weight down. But I'm thinking it may not look right. Certainly wouldn't be a copy any more.

I seem to be talking myself into continuing to make the copy, and use the original dimensions.

Any thoughts?
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

[violinarius]

Try playing around with a profile picture of the scroll with a photo-copy machine, shrinking it to various sizes and see what strikes you as a good compromise, if you choose to go that route.
You can also use software like PhotoShop to re-sample the size.

Number schemes used in designing, such as the Golden Number, offer lots of opportunity to make almost any sized part you want, so perhaps you will notice some relationship between the scroll size and some other measurement on the viola that will maintain the visual harmony.

On violins the thickness at the scroll's eyes is usually the same as the spacing of the upper f-hole eyes. Scroll length is in the area of 1/2 the lower bouts, or the CC bout measurements. Just keep looking and 'it' will show-up somewhere.

Also if you can, pick a light piece of maple wood for the neck, and a light fingerboard. Use light wood for the pegs.

Jim McKean is making a viola right now, and posting it on his blog.
He will be tackling scroll size soon, so perhaps you will like seeing his view on the subject of weight.


http://allthingsstrings.ning.com/profiles/blog/list?user=03oldsplbw2cj

Also MANFIO makes light scrolls, so a check of his posts might prove beneficial.

[Dave Chandler]

AS it turns out, when I used photo shop and changed the dimensions to the length called for, it tuns out the original Kloz scroll is standard violin size, only the pegbox seems slightly elongated.

I think I only confused myself.

Any reason not to use violin pegs?
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

[DonLeister]

Violin pegs are okay, I have used them on violas. Viola necks are/can be the same size as violin necks at least at the nut, so a large scroll would look big there.

[actonern]

I find violists are generally very "weight aware." Asked what they're looking for they often put light weight right up there on their "ideal instrument" wish list...

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