FITTING UP FOR USE.
This last of many complicated and difficult stages must be entered
upon with a will, and great attention paid to all details. The
fittings used must be of the best, and the strings rough Roman, and
must be tested to see if they vibrate truly. This is done by
twanging, so that _two distinct outlines_ are shown; if any dimness
appear, or the lines wobble, as I may say, try again, for such are
false. Not always, though; for I _have_ known this rule (for it _is_
a rule) falsified, and a good string _appear_ untrue by test, and
_vice versa_.
Take the Rimer, 15, and work out the peg-holes nicely; then fit
ebony or rosewood pegs as you fancy, cutting off the superfluous
pieces which obtrude on the off-side of peg-box. Apply a little soap
and chalk to ensure close working when tuning.
Then on the nut, cut the narrow channels over which the strings have
to pass to the fingerboard. A nice discrimination must be observed
here as to the width from E to A to D to G. There can be no rule
laid down, because some players will have them nearer together than
others, and must, if for double stopping, they having narrow
fingers; and on the contrary, wider apart, if for broader ended
fingers. What I find a nice medium is seven-thirty-seconds of an
inch from the bottom of one slot to another. Take the compass and
divide to seven-thirty-seconds of an inch and press one point at G,
D, A, E, allowing a fair margin at both sides of the ebony, not
above, say one-eighth of an inch good. Then use either of the rat
tail files, 27, and carefully file to depths required, which must be
so as to allow a playing card to slip comfortably under the E string
when taut, a little more space for the other three being necessary,
especially the G. Rub a black lead pencil through the cuts, and work
them very smooth with a thin, round piece of steel, which makes all
the strings much easier to slide afterwards and minimises breakage.
The nut must then be filed and sandpapered nicely down to the cuts,
so as to leave only a shallow passage, as one too deep retards free
action of the string and somewhat of vibration, besides making the
fingering less satisfactory. The ends or sides must be made
beautifully even with the neck and rounded and papered off so that
not an atom of friction worries the player, who has often worry
enough in all conscience in the work of correct manipulation before
him, without the hindrance of bad work on his instrument.
Then we come to the bridge--with two feet, not more my friends; the
dear old fiddle has managed these three or four hundred years to
crawl along _very_ respectably as a biped: _I_ shall have nothing
whatever to do with turning him into a quadruped, be assured.
The importance of the quality and of the correct height, thickness,
etc., etc., of this most essential adjunct, cannot be too seriously
impressed upon all who seek to get from the violin they are fitting
up the strongest and the best quality of tone possible; and, unless
the clever amateur be sufficiently so to do it as it should be and
can be done by an expert, my advice to him is, do not attempt it as
a work of finality--_try_ to do it properly and persevere, and I
will help you. But do not show me with pride work to which attaches
nothing but condemnation; too thick at top and bottom--feet clumsy
to a degree--too high or too low--badly arranged for clean bowing on
separate strings, and too deep or too shallow in the cuts for them.
What does it matter to me if only a few or but one of these faults
be apparent? the bridge is not perfect, and perfect it must be made,
so I proceed to the consideration of the work to be done to make it
so.
Select a fine, strong, light bridge by either Aubert or Panpi--the
former by preference. In using the names of these deservedly popular
makers, I mean, of course, either _Aubert_ or _Panpi_, and the
bridges wrought in their workshops, not the nasty imitations we are
compelled to see sometimes, but which, rather than use, we would go
a day's journey to avoid.
Pare the feet down to about one thirty-second of an inch (this when
fitted finally) and proceed to make as accurate a union of these
feet with the belly as you can, as it is most important that such
should be the case. Then measure the height of this bridge, from
belly to its top at centre, as one and five-sixteenths of an inch,
nicely curving it so that ease of bowing is obtained, as spoken of
before. This curvature should be unequal in height--or, rather, to
express it better, the height on the G side should be so that, at
the broad end of the fingerboard, the space _between_ the ebony and
the string will be a quarter of an inch, reducing as we get to the
E, which registers about one-sixteenth of an inch less, or
three-sixteenths of an inch. This is a guide, and a good mean to
work on, but not a rule, as some people cannot play except the
strings are near to the board, others just the reverse.
As to the distance between the strings, where they pass over the
bridge, this is also a point somewhat of controversy, and applies,
as do my remarks in reference to the fingerboard nut--there is no
rule; but a very useful mean distance is seven-sixteenths of an
inch. When you have got the angle correct, mark with the compasses
where the incisions are to be made with tool 27 round, rat tail
file, and work the cuts accordingly, about as deep as the file where
it tapers one-third from its point.
Then reduce the bridge in thickness from its feet upwards--very
sparingly at these feet, but tapering to pretty thin at the top, say
a bare sixteenth of an inch. The reduction must be made by rubbing
on sandpaper, and a clean, straight tapering effected, as a bridge,
where you can discern a round-backed slope, is bad--looks so and is.
When fitted and completed, the bridge must be as near perpendicular
as possible; if there be any inclination, it must tend to the
tailpiece, and _very_ slightly, thus checking the certain tendency
of the strings to pull it forward, which must be always closely
watched, as if it fall on the belly of the violin, it is most liable
to break--not only so, but to crack that same soundboard. The outer
edges may be either filed to an angle of one-sixteenth of an inch
bare, or neatly rounded.
The soundpost must engage your closest attention, and must be of old
Swiss pine. There is, again, no rule as to thickness--some violins
do best with a thick, others with medium to thin post. I only tell
you for guidance, a medium to thin is mostly used by me. It must be
evenly rounded, and both ends filed so that the angles of back and
belly may fit exactly when it is placed inside. To get the _exact_
length is not an easy matter; but you will find this hint useful:
with a thin piece of wood gauge the depth through the upper hole of
the soundhole from the back to the _outer_ surface of the belly, and
your post will have to be a trifle longer than this, _minus_ the
thickness of the belly. Then take a soundpost setter and fix the
pointed end into the wood, sloping sides towards you, of course, and
do your best to place this most exacting, but most necessary
adjunct, just behind the centre of the foot of the bridge on the E
side--the distance of about a good sixteenth of an inch behind the
side next to the tail piece. When fitted, it must be neither slack
nor tight, but between the two.
Of course, this operation will be, to the novice, a horrible job: he
will fume and he will perspire, and, I fear, he will use strong
language--none of which will help him, but on the contrary, will
retard progress. The thing has to be done, and done well; and it
would be much better if the amateur _cannot_ do it ultimately, to
pay an expert for timely instruction.
Then fit the end pin, but, before doing so, look through the hole in
which it has to go and ascertain if the post inside be
straight--which is very necessary to the good ordering of pure tone.
Regulate with the broad end of the setter, and draw or push through
the soundhole on either side, as may be necessary.
And when you have nicely gauged and secured by single knobs the
tail-gut to the tailpiece, the instrument is finished excepting the
neck, the polishing of which we will now consider.
With constant handling you will find this neck dirty and greasy.
Wash it well with a sponge, and when dry, colour with a yellow water
or spirit wash. Do not sandpaper at all yet; but make a nice
orange-coloured spirit varnish, and place neatly over the yellow
three or four coats. When thoroughly hard, clean it down with No. 0
sandpaper soaked in Lucca oil, smooth, and ready for the hand.