PDT-Violin-01 - Introduction to Violin Making
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University of New Hampshire Violin Craftsmanship Institute, where world-renowned experts teach violin building, violin maintenance and repair, bow making, bow repair and bow rehairing.
Course Description
Important Announcement: 2022 UNH Violin Craftmanship Institute will be held online.
In a traditional violin making school, students spend the first couple of weeks making a template and mould that they will then use to make a violin. By the time they finish these, they really know the shape of the violin; they will notice whether a curve is “right” or not. They will also demonstrate basic tool handling. But it can also lead to frustration. “I put in all that work, and all I have to show for it is a violin-shaped piece of plywood!”
These days, you can buy excellent templates and moulds. But if you have not yet trained your eye to really “see” the violin shape, you may not notice developing problems, and your violin may end up with flat spots and curve irregularities.
Making a violin from a kit provides the same intense “looking” at the violin that making a mould does. It will test your tool skills and your attention to detail. At the end of the week, you will have trained your eyes; plus, you will have a good idea of whether you want to continue in violinmaking. Best of all, you are likely to have made a playable violin “in the white”.
Depending on the kit, you will:
- Bend, cut, and glue the purfling
- Finish the sinking
- Set the neck
- Shape the button and neck root
- Finish the edges
- Clean up the scroll
- Fit the saddle, end button, and pegs
Because this class is being offered online, and because students may not have made a commitment to violinmaking, the tool list is fairly minimal. Various tools and tool improvisation will be discussed.
A full list of tools and materials required for this course can be found in the Tools & Materials tab above, or by clicking here.
Register by May 31 and save! $999 if registered by May 31, $1,099 afterward.