Official Luthiers Forum!

I know this is a guitar forum but I am looking for a well detailed book on violin building. There is a bunch out there but which one is worth the money in your opinions. Something well ilustrated and pretty modern. I have seen some reprints from books from the 1800's that are lacking in detail and the info can be dated for all I know. I have searched ebay and amazon. But many lacked reviews or had bad ones. Can anyone recomend of good modern book. Thanks...Mike

I always reach for my H.S. Wake book. I think that the title of the book is Violin Building Technique. Or something like that. It has all of the templates and measurments in it and is very easy to understand. There are others that are probably just as good. Check out International Violin's website. They have a nice library of books for violin builders and repairmen. They are also great to deal with. Call and request their catalog. Good luck. Vic,(8string)

The Strobel series of books also seems well-regarded.

Probably the best general book is "The Art of Violin Making" by Courtnall &
Johnson. Its it bit more expensive (I nabbed a used copy off of
Amazon for about $80 recently, but new its more like $130).

Eric (busy working on my "garland")

I too recommend Cortnell and Johnson. It is to violin making what Cumpiano and Natelson are to guitar making. Perhaps even better.

Thanks for the recomendations guys. I have seen the Cortnell and Johnson on ebay and amazon used for a very high price but wasn't sure if it was any good. I might splurge and get it. Thanks...Mike

The Courtnall and Johnson book is the one, it is a fantastic book with great pictures and straightforward methods.

Many of the violin books out there are just not that useful, when it comes time to carve the top, the book will say something like "in a direct and efficient manner remove the excess wood until you have a pleasing shape which conforms to goemetric ideals and will produce the purest of overtones only" or some other rubbish that is no help at all when it is time to actually carve the top. The Courtnall/Johnson book actually goes through the motions of getting there.

It's also features nice photos of some famous violins by the Amatis, Strad, Del Gesu and Stainer, it is cool to see what a bajillion dollar violin looks like.

I got mine used for around $85, well worth it.

_________________
Jordan Aceto
Ithaca, NY

I am somehow dreaming about building a violin in the not extremely distant future, I might order this book. Any talk regarding thicknesses (especially in relation to spruce density) Thanks!

_________________
Build log

ebay has an auction going now and its at $60 the first day with 6 to go. I can imagine what it will hit. Amazon has them used starting at $230.00. Apparently its out of print now?

!?!?!?!?!?!?! Out of print, that's crazy! Check here, at the bottom of the page there is a link to contact the publisher, Robert Hale Ltd, in the UK. If it is really gone that sucks, i see that stew mac no longer carries it. Maybe those of us who have it will have to setup a lending system or some crazy thing.

One thing i forgot for anyone who wants to get this book, if you can, is that it contains no plans and few measurements, and you will probably want a good plan in addition to the book. Many people like to use the Strad posters http://www.orpheusmusicshop.com/category-9.html to make plans and molds from.

_________________
Jordan Aceto
Ithaca, NY

I have found a few other sites that sell it but it states below that it's unavailable and it is unknown when it will be. Elderly instruments is one of them. Funny they will accept your money now though.
http://elderly.com/books/items/530-1.htm

You can find out this info for free on the internet. Trouble is you have to know what is rubbish and what is nonsense.

I would encourage you Alexandru to go ahead with it! But I would not try to make it conform to your way of thinking. Get a chunk of wood with reasonably standard violin density (both back and top) shape the outline to a good stradivari pattern, carve the arching similar to the pattern used, graduate the thinness of the plates to the Hill stradivari book. Do some research on proper set up of the violin and finish it lightly with supple varnish that doesn't soak into the wood.

_________________
Ken

" You can make a Stadivarius violin" by Joseph V Reid.
Fantastic book with very clear plans ( make sure they're all there) and insructions.
Charles.

There are two The Art of Violin Making books listed on abebooks.com Both are new, one for 130.00 and the other one for 143.00 (it's in Germany). The ISBN is 0709058764. Its easier to search using the number.

_________________
Aoibeann

It's not a book, but pro builder Carl Mills did a complete tutorial, including a couple of hours of video on my general woodworking forum.

http://woodworkerszone.com/igits/showthread.php?t=5536

boboreilly thanks for posting this. Very nice stuff...Mike

I don't know if you seen this but Carl Mills book is on line http://www.scribd.com/doc/15063488/Viol ... anual-Book. He is the link that boboreilly sent you to. I know Carl he builds some great sounding violins.