Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello everyone,

I decided to open this thread after finding a detailed document about the construction of a Viola de Mão (literally Hand Viola). A fretted string instrument which had its prime time during the 16th century - it is a renaissance instrument that tunes like the lute.

The document was written by an industrial design student who had the chance to follow the work of the portuguese luthier Orlando Trindade.

I think there's a lot to be learned from this, as it depicts the traditional and orthodox way to build an acoustic fretted string instrument. Gut strings, gut frets, fancy rosette, french polishing, animal glues, friction tuning keys... the whole shebang.

The paper is written in portuguese, which is likely to be a pain in the neck for most of you. Although I find the photos to be self explanatory to most luthiers, I'm willing to translate the whole paper if a fair amount of OLFers happen to be interested in the making of this instrument.

I hope you like it. Feel free to shoot any questions.

Here's the link to the paper:

http://orlandotrindade.com/ot/pdfs/Viola_de_mao.pdf

Cheers,
Celso

Awsome! Looks like he combines modern techniques on the neck. Just 2 top braces like a baroque guitar. And more practical with 6 courses! Cool! Thanks

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

I heard one in concert last year, the player alternated with her guitar, in a ancient church at the top of one of the little hilltop villages that dot Provence. A very memorable concert!

Anyway, I was very impressed with the tone qualities of the Vihuela. I found out later, after telling her how much I liked the Vihuela, that her guitar was a Fleta!

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Very easy to follow from the pictures but I'm not too sure about the rosette being put together. Is that a paper print glued under the carving? Does it close up the sound hole? Can't get my head around this...

Bill S.

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Dream to be a luthier

It's usually real Parchment with various cut-outs that form the pattern, either punched out or cut with a scalpel.

That's correct, the first layer is made out of parchment. The second is a thin layer of pear tree wood and the third is also made out of pear tree. Unfortunately I believe he skipped a few steps. The rosette is not closing the soundhole, though.

muito legal! Obrigado pela dica.

Ah! Não estou sozinho!

Um abraço

Não, não estás só...he ,he
Contente por encontrar aqui um compatriota


I already knew that link; thanks anyway

Antonio

Eu acho que ha mais...

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

We're about to start the PSTG, the Portuguese-Speaking Luthiers Guild
Where are you based, Antonio?

edit: i'm sorry for the shameless off-topic venture.

Having been in a museum for 39 years,I offer the following: viola means "bowed instrument of the arm". Cello means"small." Violin means "small bowed instrument of the arm". Viola da Gamba means"bowed instrument of the legs." It is held between the legs while playing-no tail pin like the cello.

I'm of course not referring to the vihuela,just offering the rather simple meanings behind some words we use.

In the South.Algarve