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Date: Mon, 08 Jul 2002 22:52:25 -0400
Subject: Question about Violin fingerboard

Dear Sir:

This is for Mickey with Folk of the Wood. I have a used violin that was played by my daughter in school, Jr. High and High school. It had good tone and played well she says.

The question is this: the finger board appears to curve slightly toward the strings after it passes where it joins the body of the violin (after where if there were frets it would be the 12th fret). Looks very uniform and she says looks okay to her, my daughter. A man in a music store where I had the bow repaired said it looked warped to him. But he did say he was not a "fiddle" man.

Can you help. thanks

Robert

Greetings Robert,

The fingerboard on your violin should be straight (from the nut to the very end before the bridge)...if it's only warped at the point of where it meets the body to the end, it may still be playable...at least to learn on. Since it would be years before attaining the skill to get past the 1st and 2nd position, the fingerboard being warped in the higher register should not affect your playing. Now, if you're hearing some kind of string rattle, even while playing in the first position, you'll most definitely want the neck planed properly by a luthier. At this point, another consideration would be if the instrument's value justifies the cost of the repair.

I just check my very own fiddle and determined, by sighting along the neck with one eye closed, and my ebony fingerboard is straight from the nut to the very end past where the neck meets the body.

If there's any kind of anomalies on the surface of the neck, in the 1st and 2nd playing positions, you'll most definitely want to get it corrected. Otherwise, it will most certainly impede the learning process.

At your disposal, Mickey
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