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Violin Anatomy: Neck, Bridge, and Tuning

The maple neck alone is not strong enough to support the tension of the violin strings without distorting. It relies on being laminated with the fingerboard for strength. The shape of the neck and fingerboard affect how easily the violin can be played. Some old violins have a grafted scroll where the pegbox meets the neck, allowing the original scroll to be kept when modifying the neck. The bridge is made of maple and precisely cut to hold the strings at the proper height from the fingerboard while transmitting vibrations to the body of the violin. It can lean toward the fingerboard if the strings are too tight, and experienced violinists know how to straighten and center a bridge. The sound post fits precisely between the

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250 views2 pages

Violin Anatomy: Neck, Bridge, and Tuning

The maple neck alone is not strong enough to support the tension of the violin strings without distorting. It relies on being laminated with the fingerboard for strength. The shape of the neck and fingerboard affect how easily the violin can be played. Some old violins have a grafted scroll where the pegbox meets the neck, allowing the original scroll to be kept when modifying the neck. The bridge is made of maple and precisely cut to hold the strings at the proper height from the fingerboard while transmitting vibrations to the body of the violin. It can lean toward the fingerboard if the strings are too tight, and experienced violinists know how to straighten and center a bridge. The sound post fits precisely between the

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© © All Rights Reserved
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provides essential mass to tune the fundamental body resonance of the instrument, and provides a convenient grip

for spare fingers to brace against when tuning one-handed, with the violin on the shoulder. Some "scrolls" are
carved representations of animal or human heads, instead of the classical spiral volute most normally seen.

The maple neck alone is not strong enough to support the tension of the strings without distorting, relying for that
strength on its lamination with the fingerboard. For this reason, if a fingerboard comes loose (it happens) it is vital to
slacken the strings immediately. The shape of the neck and fingerboard affect how easily the violin may be played.
Fingerboards are dressed to a particular transverse curve, and have a small lengthwise "scoop", or concavity, slightly
more pronounced on the lower strings, especially when meant for gut or synthetic strings. The neck itself is not
varnished, but is polished and perhaps lightly sealed, to allow ease and rapidity of shifting between positions.

Some old violins (and some made to appear old) have a grafted scroll, or a seam between the pegbox and neck itself.
Many authentic old instruments have had their necks reset to a slightly increased angle, and lengthened by about a
centimeter. The neck graft allows the original scroll to be kept with a Baroque violin when bringing its neck to
conformance with modern standard.

Bridge

The bridge is a precisely cut piece of maple, preferably with prominent medullary rays, showing a flecked figure. The
bridge forms the lower anchor point of the vibrating length of the strings, and transmits the vibration of the strings
to the body of the instrument. Its top curve holds the strings at the proper height from the fingerboard, permitting
each to be played separately by the bow. The mass distribution and flex of the bridge, acting as a mechanical
acoustic filter, have a prominent effect on the sound.

Violin bridge, as unfitted blank, and finished

Blank, back side

Finished back

Blank, front side


Finished front

Tuning the violin can cause the bridge to lean, usually toward the fingerboard as the tightening of the strings pulls it.
If left that way, it may warp. Experienced violinists know how to straighten and center a bridge.

Sound post and bass bar

Sound post & bridge foot

The sound post, or "soul post", fits precisely between the back and top, just to the tailward side of the treble bridge
foot. It helps support the top under string pressure, and has a variable effect on the instrument's tone, depending on
its position and the tension of its fit. Part of adjusting the tone of the instrument is moving the sound post by small
amounts, both laterally and along the long axis of the instrument, using a tool called a sound post setter. Since the
sound post is not glued and is held in place by string tension and by being gently wedged between the top and back,
it may fall over if all the strings are slackened at once.

Running under the opposite side of the bridge is the bass bar. While the shape and mass of the bass bar affect tone,
it is fixed in position, and not so adjustable as the sound post. It is fitted perfectly to the inside of the instrument at a
slight angle to the centre joint. On many German trade instruments it used to be common fashion not to fit a bass
bar but to leave a section of the front uncarved and shape that to resemble one. During the baroque era bass bars
were much shorter and thinner. Often modern players have asked luthiers to change a baroque bar to a modern one
in an old instrument. Occasionally the luthier will refuse to change this feature feeling that it may compromise the
instrument.

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