Setting the neck

Michael Darnton, in his neck-setting chapter at violinmag.com (which I highly recommend), says that figuring out what to do is almost harder than doing it, and it definitely is.

On maestronet he shared a picture of a gauge he used to judge string angle over bridge while setting the neck. I made one like it and found it extremely helpful. There are many other ways and tools to set the neck, so read about it until you find an explanation that makes sense to you.

All through this build, I have been using the spec sheet at this link from Alan Goldblatt, although actually the viola sheet. In the neck setting section, there are even more measurements than I know what to do with.

http://www.alangoldblatt.com/specs/Violin.pdf

This diagram represents my understanding of about what a violin neck set should look like, but I'm probably off on a couple things because it didn't all come from one source. I made my action generally taller to accommodate wider gauge strings and the additional room they need to vibrate.

On maestronet they recommended starting at a fairly steep angle to give the violin room to settle. Old violins have sunken necks that require therapeutic lower bridges, but there's no reason to start there. However, it's worth remembering that, as important as this neck set is, you shouldn't freeze with fear to start; you can probably fit a therapeutic bridge if you do mess up. Luthiers do that all the time on old and imperfect instruments. I myself have an antique with a very sunken neck and a very squat bridge to compensate -- at least till I work up the nerve to shim it.

Here is the string angle tool I copied from Mr. Darnton. It worked like a dream. I carved a bridge to standard height and held it in place with a rubber band. (Note: inner f- hole nicks is not necessarily the standard place for the bridge -- I had reasons.) Yes, a properly chalk fitted bridge stands on its own, and mine does that, but there are not enough hands to hold the neck, the fingerboard, the nut, and the string angle tool if the bridge is another moving part too.  I taped on the nut and fingerboard but it would be worthwhile to temporarily tack them on with a dab of weak glue; I will next time.


I used chalk fitting on the mortise carving, but ended up cutting the sides too loose and one part of the wall too deep. So I layered in some wood shavings so at least there wouldn't be an air pocket in there. Mr. Darnton writes that the mortise should be tight enough to pick up the violin by the neck when dry-fitted, but not tight enough to swing it around your head -- a colorful turn of phrase but it really does help.  But I never carved a mortise of any sort before and my best effort wasn't so great. However, it seems solid once glued even though it isn't pretty. I cut too wide into the ribs before I even started the mortise into the block.

Dry fit at every turn. You have to juggle and balance all these variables and angles. Don't go more than a couple minutes without checking.

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Here it is glued with nice thick glue. I checked the angle after clamping to make sure it was still correct.

As ugly as my very first mortise looks, it is actually the right angle (vertically at least), and the join feels solid. We're aiming for playability, so, I'm calling it a win. It was close, but I won. You will too.