Official Luthiers Forum!

6 pegs made for the viola da gamba! They are now sanded and shaved, with just a little detailing left to do. The scroll's peg holes are mostly reamed, that is I still have to finalize how much reaming is done so that the pegs sit at the right distance out from the scroll.

Not being sure which commercially available bridge to buy, I made a couple of my own. Based upon research of other viol bridges, I settled upon this basic shape and did two top styles. Not being incorporated into the instrument itself, I figure that they can always be swapped out at any point in the future. Or they might just be good enough to keep.

The strings are ordered, so I had better get a move on! I still have the soundpost to set, as well as the nut and saddle to make, and the bridge needs fitting.

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

Awesome stuff, Doug! Can't wait to see and hear that thing finished

The bridge in the black and white photo looks like a little sumo wrestler, standing in a wide legged stance and flexing his biceps as he struggles to hold up the strings

Most things in lutherie make some logical sense, but the shape of viol bridges has always puzzled me. Seems like the spirals cut in from the sides would result in inconsistent tone on the outer strings. Or maybe they have more leverage for side to side motion compared to the center ones, and cutting out some of the material under them helps compensate for that? They certainly look pretty, at least

Inspiring to see all you guys work in progress.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

You all keep me inspired.



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Ken

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Ken

Two double 00's sunburst. Fig.maple, and Mahogany the other. Gibsonesque. EM 6000 which I'm likein alot now.

This is on my bench. Braz & sitka with curly maple bindings and black/maple perflings on the back and sides. Snakewood perfling around the top and spalted maple rosette. Braz fretboard being radiused.

The secon is a zebra wood build with ebony trim.

Nice one Ed!

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Very clean work, Ed!
Not my style, but nice careful construction.

Here's one of the finished ribrest bevel.


Ken Jones
Mountain Song Guitars

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Mountain Song Guitars www.mountainsongguitars.com

3 neck resets
1 compression refret
2 uke set ups
1 fiddle set up
1 D 15 top and side crack repair

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Looking really smart and clean Ken!
John, sounds busy, great to hear business is keeping up for you.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I've got one new build ready for finish, the one behind it was s re-top that only needs the binding and it will be ready for finish too. A J45 Gibson rebuild only needs binding and frets and it can also go to finish. Been working on these for a while so nice to get towards the end.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Very nice, Steve and Ken.

Do you have any pictures of the rib rest construction steps?

Ed

Stunning work in here!!

Love Tiger Myrtle !

Mark Blanchard truss rod...

Just finished pulling out the carpet and laying laminate in a basement bedroom. The work bench is installed and some wood and tools/supplies are loaded into the room. There is a room right behind where I took the photo (a large furnace room) where all of the wood will be stored. It will be a few more months before I am fully set up but hopefully will be able to get the benches cleared off and some things put away when I am back home closer to Christmas. I still have LOTS of wood and all of my larger tools including the cnc machine in the garage where my wife wants to eventually park her car.....

It's a start anyway!



Shane

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Canada

This isn't exactly on my bench, but it's right next to it. A five gallon batch of Hellhound Stout brewed up this weekend and fermenting now. Yum.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter