Scan 238
Antonio Stradivari, his life and work (1644-1737), 1909
2 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 212. See the scan on archive.org.
1number of instruments Stradivari did so place them, the purfling cutting them partly through, leaving the inner half only showing; but in other instances they are found entirely inside the purfling, or, again, the halves remaining visible are on the outside. Now, similar pegs were also inserted in the belly, and their object was apparently to assist the glue in holding both back and belly to the blocks; but in the case of the latter they evidently served a double purpose, as they allowed Stradivari to fix the belly exactly in its place upon the sides, then, after adjusting and gluing on the neck, he removed the belly in order to drive the nails through into the head. Our illustration (p. 208) of the neck and finger-board as left by Stradivari, side by side with those of to-day, clearly shows the very different angle at which we now set the head. Observe that, instead of canting backwards and the face of the neck standing up from the belly about \( \frac{3}{16} \) to \( \frac{1}{4} \) of an inch, as seen in the case of the modern one, Stradivari rather inclined it forward so that the face of the neck came level with the edge, and a small groove was cut in the neck to allow of the edge passing over. We obtain our height at the bridge by means of the more acute angle of the neck, whereas Stradivari effected the same result by using a wedge-shaped finger-board. The slighter proportions and the greater hollowing out of the base of the modern neck will also be noted. Our modern adjustment of the neck and finger-board certainly constitutes an improvement—small though it be—upon the methods of the Cremonese makers; but, before taking credit to ourselves, we must remember that the change is entirely due to, and was brought about by, the altered conditions of playing. During Stradivari's lifetime no violin-player went beyond the third or fourth position, consequently the neck and finger-board as then fitted answered every purpose.
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