Nearing the End of My Fiddle Quest

Before I start talking fiddle, I want to say congrats to the Saints for their first Superbowl win. I wish I were a little more invested in the game last night, but unless the Chiefs are involved (fat chance there), or I have the opportunity to root against the Broncos, Raiders, or the Cowboys, it's hard to get really into it. But, I watched the game, and called my friend Laura, a New Orleans native, upon the interception that pretty much sealed the game. I can only imagine what Bourbon Street was like last night by the way Laura answered the phone...she had slipped back into New Orleans speak, screaming, and I couldn't understand a word she said for a good five minutes. She was excited, to say the least. Enjoy basking in the glory, Laura!

Back to the real point of this particular blog post...

For a year and a half now, I've been keeping what I hope are interested readers updated on the progress of making my own fiddle under the tutelage of famed fiddle-maker Violet Hensley. This week I'm finally nearing the end of what feels like a monumental quest, and it's probable, barring no unforeseen difficulties (and I've learned in fiddle-making to expect the unexpected catastrophe) that this will be the week I finally find out what my fiddle will sound like. However, it won't be me doing the initial playing - Violet already called dibs on the first song. To me this is akin to the Pope giving a blessing (if I were Catholic), so when the time comes I will happily hand it over.

Here are some highlights of the past few weeks:

Heating the hide glue (it's made from animal hide, which should give a good idea to how it smells) that is traditionally used to glue the body of the fiddle together. This glue is water soluble and makes future repair jobs possible, since water can be used to break down the glue without damaging the wood.

Top glued and clamped...

This was a biggie - gluing on the fingerboard. I used Elmer's glue for this step, which feels oh so permanent, which meant no room for error getting it lined up with where the end pin will go, risking the strings not lining up with the fingerboard. I also did some heavy-duty stressing out because it turned out my neck wasn't really tall enough, so notice the strip of "decorative" maple between the neck and fingerboard.
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Carving the chin rest out of walnut. I could've just bought a plastic one, but I wanted to make as much as possible by hand. (I keep reminding myself of this when I know the fiddle could've been completed long ago by using factory-made pieces for the end-pin, saddle, nut, chin rest, and tail piece).

I'm already wondering what to do when this fiddle is complete. During this difficult transition time when hubby is working in Little Rock while I'm here trying to sell the house and get packed, fiddle lessons have not only kept me grounded, but have been a real outlet for stress relief. Soon, though, the whole "Hooter crew" will be together again, forging ahead into a new life phase. I hope fiddles will be a permanent fixture.

Stay tuned for the Grande Finale!