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Hello there. I have disappeared for some time due to my vacations (it's in a completely different time than other countries, I live in Brazil).
While on a trip, I left my violin on my parents' car's trunk so it wouldn't heat itself, but unfortunately it was so hot it didn't work and my violin unglued itself. I wanted to look for a Luthier, but they're seldomly found around my place, and they are really expensive, so I was thinking if there is any way for me to fix it myself.
I was lucky my sound post hasn't moved, but the back has unglued itself a little, as for the neck, it has unglued completely from my violin. I still have the bridge I used in it, stored. Here are some pics.
Skype: augustoad Email: augustoaguieiras@hotmail.com Phone number/whatsapp: +55 42 9861-4084. I'd be happy to talk anything fiddle-related to anyone! :)
Hi and yes, I have heard about the Brazilian heat! Probably fun around the ocean and you are not chopping ice off the sidewalk like I was today!
Your violin does not look too bad. I think the glue melted and separated at the natural seam parts without damaging the wood? You might get other opinions but mine is that you have another challenge ahead of you so that you can get back to practicing! Do you have some woodworking tools? My father showed me as a child how to install a neck on a violin and was always tinkering... so I guess I'm not as afraid of it as some people.
Lucky in this day and age, there are libraries of books full of violin building and even loads of videos out there for guidance. If you were going to make it perfect, it would have to be shipped somewhere (insured) or a professional luthier consulted. Lots of places will have a standard evaluation fee and recommend a course of action, like an auto repair place.
So I guess my own approach would be to remove all the old glue being careful not to scratch the wood, try out getting some hide glue and some clamps that are designed for violin work. The more you put into the violin the more you will love the instrument and it will become more and more a part of you.
Otherwise... it's off to the luthier for a professional repair... Don't take too much time off from practicing though!!
Mt. Fiddler
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Yes, I'll try and do that. I probably won't find those clamps you told me about, but there's always a way to improvise. Thanks a lot, Mt. Fiddler!
Skype: augustoad Email: augustoaguieiras@hotmail.com Phone number/whatsapp: +55 42 9861-4084. I'd be happy to talk anything fiddle-related to anyone! :)
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you'll need to pay close attention to the neck angle when re-attaching it. Just 1 degree is too much in the wrong direction. Unless you have a neck clamp designed to capture the neck and apply pressure against the body and use hide glue, i'd leave THAT repair to a student of the craft at a minimum.
Perhaps the glue that seperated is hide glue and in that situation, you can easily remove it with heat and a damp cloth and then use hide glue once again in the process.
Clamp, measure, check angle many times, do it quickly before the glue sets.
Good luck.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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