Books › An Encyclopedia of the Violin, 1925 › scan 164
Scan 164
An Encyclopedia of the Violin, 1925
16 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 138. See the scan on archive.org.
1CHAPTER VII
3VIOLIN BRIDGE, STRING AND ROSIN MAKING
5The crude character of ancient pictures portraying the earlier stringed instruments, lacking quite naturally the detailed accuracy of modern photographic reproductions, leaves us with very little definite knowledge as to the exact forms of ancient bridges for such instruments, although it is quite evident that they were in actual use.
7It is fortunate, therefore, that we do not have to concern ourselves to any extent either with their form or its results in a tonal sense, because the violin bridge, as universally used to-day, dates back only as far as Stradivarius, whose master mind created the design.
9Many of the bridges fashioned by the Cremonese makers are of highly ornamental design, and the question as to whether this ornamental cutting plays any part in strengthening or adding to the beauty of the tone quality of their instruments is a much mooted one. Experiments, however, by scientists have proved that alterations in the form of these bridges does seriously alter or impair the tonal qualities of violins, due to the fact that vibrations of the strings through the bridge and into the belly of the violin or the bass bar are affected by the various forms of bridge design.
11Another important point regarding the making of bridges is the fact that the height of the bridge from where its feet rest upon the belly of the violin to the top of the bridge should always be the same, any necessary alterations being made in the finger board rather than in the bridge in order to place the strings at the correct height from the finger board.
13The best bridges are made of "spotted" maple, carefully selected so that the grain is horizontal and the wood of a medium degree of hardness. Bridges which bring the best results from a tonal standpoint are half as thick at the top where the strings are placed as at the feet. The fitting of the feet is also of the utmost importance, as they must be curved in exact accordance with the curve of the belly of the violin. Any open spaces between the feet and the belly causes a hollow tone lacking sonority or power.
15Plate 40 shows a historically interesting array of bridges made in both ancient and modern times, although the former predominate. There is no doubt that any one who has sufficient craftsmanship to produce an artistic violin with his own hands is perfectly capable, by working consistently and carefully from a good model, to produce a satisfactory bridge of his own handicraft but, in the opinion of the writer it would seem far more advisable
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