Project Map
Violin Parts
Click on any part of the violin
Top
Other Names: Belly, Top plate
Function: The top is the main sound emitter of the violin
Description: The top of the violin is made of a wood that is very stiff for its weight. This quality allows it to vibrate easily yet be strong enough to withstand the forces created by the taught strings. Traditionally violin tops come from Spruce trees growing in the European Alps. Redwood appeared to be the best locally available substitute for Spruce. It is about 40% lighter than Spruce and the top of the violin ended up being 40% thicker than normal.
Local Significance: The Region around Sonoma County is known a "The Redwood Empire". The economy of the region was founded around the logging industry in the mid to late 1800's. Early San Francisco and surrounding towns were largely built of Redwood from here.
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Violin Parts by Andrew Carruthers 2020
Back
Other Names: Back plate
Function: The back is the structural foundation of the violin. It anchors the neck and supports the top via the soundpost. It is also a significant sound emitter.
Usual material : Almost exclusively European maple, usually with the recognizable "fiddle-back" stripe. Occasionally fruitwoods are used
Redwood Violin material: Applewood
Source: Sebastopol Apple orchard
Supplier: Steve Wigfield, Wigfield Woodworking, Petaluma
Story: Material for the back, sides, neck and scroll
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Chinrest
Other Names:
Function: Helps the player hold the violin
Usual material : Ebony, Rosewood, Boxwood
Redwood Violin material: To be decided
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Supplier: Mike Center
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Chinrest bracket
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Usual material : Chromed steel, Titanium. Cork liner
Redwood Violin material: To be decided
Source: Import
Supplier: Machinist needed
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Ribs
Other Names: Sides
Function: The ribs enclose the resonant air space of the body
Usual material : Almost exclusively maple. Occasionally fruitwoods are used
Redwood Violin material: Applewood
Source: Sebastopol Apple orchard
Supplier: Steve Wigfield, Wigfield Woodworking, Petaluma
Story: Material for the back, sides, neck and scroll
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Neck and head
Other Names:
Function: The neck gives access for fingering the strings. The head houses the tuning pegs
Usual material : Almost exclusively maple. Occasionally fruitwoods are used
Redwood Violin material: Applewood
Source: Sebastopol Apple orchard
Supplier: Steve Wigfield, Wigfield Woodworking, Petaluma
Story: Material for the back, sides, neck and scroll
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Tailpiece
Other Names:
Function: Anchors the strings
Usual material : Ebony, rosewood, boxwood. Sometimes metal or plastic
Redwood Violin material: Not decided
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Bass Bar
Other Names:
Function: Supports the top and helps control the top vibrations.
Usual material : Spruce
Redwood Violin material: Redwood
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Fingerboard
Other Names:
Function: Provides a platform for changing the pitch of the strings
Usual material : Ebony
Redwood Violin material: Manzanita
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Supplier: Mike Center
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Top nut
Other Names: Top nut
Function: Spreads the strings and holds them in place
Usual material : Ebony
Redwood Violin material: Manzanita
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Supplier: Mike Center
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Pegs
Other Names: Tuning pegs
Function: To tension and tune the strings
Usual material : Ebony, rosewood, boxwood
Redwood Violin material: Manzanita
Source: Mike Center
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Purfling
Other Names:
Function: Visual enhancement. Prevent end grain cracks
Usual material : Often dyed pear wood blacks, with poplar center, but many materials are used including ebony, whalebone, resin impregnated paper
Redwood Violin material: Ornamental pear wood
Source: Santa Rosa
Supplier: John McFarland
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Bridge
Other Names: Bridge
Function: Positions strings at the correct place above the top. Transmits the vibrations of the strings to the top of the violin for amplification
Usual material : Maple
Redwood Violin material: Undecided
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Endpin
Other Names: End button
Function: Anchors the tailpiece
Usual material : Ebony, rosewood, boxwood
Redwood Violin material: Manzanita
Source: Santa Rosa
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Saddle
Other Names:
Function: Prevents the tail gut from cutting into the soft top
Usual material : Ebony
Redwood Violin material: Manzanita
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Blocks
Other Names: Top, bottom & corner blocks
Function: Joining points for the six pieces of the ribs. Anchor points for the neck and endpin
Usual material : Willow, poplar or spruce
Redwood Violin material: Undecided
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Linings
Other Names:
Function: Increases the gluing area of the ribs, for attaching the top and back
Usual material : Willow, poplar, or spruce
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Tail gut
Other Names:
Function: Attach the tailpiece to the endpin
Usual material : Plastic. Used to be gut
Redwood Violin material: Gut?
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Soundpost
Other Names: In Italian: L'Anime "the soul" . The name reflects the importance of this little piece
Function: Supports the top. Controls some resonant frequencies of the body, allowing tone adjustment
Usual material : Spruce
Redwood Violin material: Redwood
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F-hole
Other Names:
Function: Some sound emission. Allows freer vibration of the center of the violin
Usual material : No material, It's just a hole!
Redwood Violin material: Negative redwood
Source: Universally available
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Chinrest bracket
Function: Clamps chinrest to violin
Redwood Violin material: Titanium, stainless steel, cork liner
Story: This is one of the few parts on the violin where the raw material did not originate in the county. The brackets on the Redwood Violin were designed and machined by peddle-steel guitar builder Ross Shafer of Petaluma. The cork for the liner was harvested from a cork oak in Santa Rosa.