Anima di violino parte seconda - Adattamento

⬇️⬇️ (English translation of text and captions) ⬇️⬇️

00:00 - Violin Soundpost Part Two - Fitting

00:12 - Before making the bridge it is necessary to put in the soundpost, so as to be able to adapt the bridge feet taking into account the slight deformations that the necessary tension of the soundpost will cause to the curvature of the top arching. To have a reference for positioning, I trace the line of the bridge foot and the (mirrored) lines of the bassbar inside the top plate, so as not to have to trace the position of the bridge on the outside. The soundpost will be placed laterally 1 mm inside the bridge foot, i.e. in the position corresponding to the bassbar, and 2.5 mm away from the foot itself. The soundpost must be placed without any tension at 1 mm from the final lateral position so that once it has been brought into the final position the tension will be correct. It must be kept vertical, i.e. parallel to the ribs in all directions. The grain must be kept perpendicular to that of the top plate. The perfect fit of the contact surfaces is of fundamental importance both for the acoustic response and for preventing structural damage (soundpost crack). This is the placement that, based on my experience, I use as an initial standard for all my violins as soon as the construction is finished: it is only a starting point, a definitive fine-tuning may be necessary but will only be done when the set-up and the violin itself they will be well settled, and of course if the acoustic response of the violin were to require it. Of course, with different structural geometries (archings, thicknesses, f-holes and bassbar position, etc.) it may be necessary to make small changes to the measures indicated.

00:57 - Bridge foot - bassbar position (marked inside the top plate)

01:02 - Lines 1 mm apart

01:07 - Soundpost position without tension

01:16 - Soundpost position with tension

1:25 - 2.5 mm (distance from bridge foot)

01:32 - To obtain the raw length of the soundpost, add the maximum heights of the archings to that of the ribs and subtract the maximum thicknesses of the top and back

01:43 - Progressively shorten the soundpost by adapting the contact surfaces until reaching the final length which will be shorter by about 1.5 mm, variable according to the curve of the archings.

01:54 - With respect to the foot of the bridge the soundpost must be in the same position as the bassbar and must be kept vertical and parallel to the ribs in all directions

02:43 - Start by cutting the top plate side, setting a slope similar to the outer curve of the arching

03:23 - Cut it to a length corresponding to the sum of the archings and ribs, subtracting the thicknesses

04:06 - Cut the side of the back by setting an inclination similar to that of the arching, shortening the length by about 1 mm so that it can be easily inserted inside the soundbox.

04:36 - Moisten the surface to facilitate cutting

06:08 - Insert the tip of the soundpost setter near the top plate side, at about one third of the length

06:40 - Position the soundpost taking care of its verticality and trying to put it as close as possible to the final position, being very careful not to force it excessively

07:24 - Use a mirror to be able to see the hidden areas from direct vision, evaluating the position and the points of contact with the plates

08:32 - To extract the soundpost, let it roll against the lining of the C and use a stylet with a sharp point inserting it precisely into the cut of the soundpost setter

08:58 - The contact points to be modified will be highlighted by the shiny and bright areas caused by the compression of the wood, visible with correct orientation of the lamp light

14:31 - Evaluate to the touch that the lifting of the f-hole wing is never excessive. With the correct final tension it will still have to remain perceptible.

14:45 - When the soundpost has the correct tension it will always have to fall by applying a light but firm pressure to the Cs. With the necessary experience and sensitivity to the applied force it will be possible to make a fairly accurate evaluation of the actual tension

15:26 - Use a flat scraper sharpened at 90° and very sharp for the last finishes, until perfect contact of the surfaces with the plates is achieved

16:37 - Help yourself with a LED light for the final inspections, so that you can orient it in the various directions highlighting any slight imperfections of the contact points along the entire circumference