My Fiddle

Yesterday, after a year and a half of hard work, big aggrivations, small victories, and a lot of inhaled sawdust and literal blood, sweat and tears, I finished my fiddle. Once I got the strings strung, the soudpost set (a hard thing to do with shaking hands), and the instrument tuned up, I handed the fiddle over to Violet so she could play the first tune, which was "Angeline the Baker", followed by "Marmaduke's Hornpipe." Then I played a few songs. Then we both got giddy and giggly because is sounded so good, and started calling people to hear it...I'm pretty sure we hit all of Violet's kids, as well as my folks and husband.

Since everyone interested probably wants me to shut up and see what the finished product looks like, here are some pictures:

Here's my fiddle with the finish on, nearly ready for assembly. I used several coats gun stock finish, which REALLY changed the look and brought out the beauty of the sassafras, walnut, and cherry.


The completed walnut chin rest, ready to go on.
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Making the sound post, which is a round peg of soft pine about 1/4" thick which stands up between the top and the bottom inside the fiddle. Kind of tricky to get it set up and in the right place, especially when it's the only thing left before hearing the fiddle.
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Drumroll......Ta Daaa! Strung, tuned, and ready to play. This is also the part where I came dangerously close to crying.
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My fiddle mentor seems very pleased.
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Holy Cow, it sure does feel WONDERFUL to have completed something I wasn't really sure I'd be able to fully tackle. Technically it isn't "completed", as I still need to add the purfling, which is the decorative line that goes around the perimeter of the top and back. It also supposedly will stop a crack if it forms. I was on the fence about adding it and wanted to take some time to think about it, but now that I've pondered it over, it does seem unfinished without it.

Even without purfling, I am incredibly happy with the result. The fiddle has good deep tone and is very loud, which was exactly what I was after. For at least two weeks of hard playing the fiddle will continue to improve in sound, and as the wood and strings settle it'll gradually even out and keep changing a little over the next six months or so. At least, that's what I'm told happens with a new fiddle.

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I've already been asked if there will be a number two. I think yes...I already have some beautiful flamed maple for a back and spruce for a top, which will make a much more "traditional" fiddle, as most factory made fiddles are made with maple and spruce - not sassafras and cherry. And of course I can't give up my days with Violet, though after we move they'll likely have to be spread further apart. Violet is already planning on me making another. She told me yesterday, "you've got the touch." Haha...I don't know about "the" touch, but as much fun as I have both playing and making them, even though I'm not that good yet, I think fiddles will be sticking with me for a good long while.