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Fiddle has a rattle
Literally
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (1 votes) 
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steveduf
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August 21, 2018 - 8:56 pm
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we bought a nice mosaic back fiddle.  I could hear something rattling around in it and assumed it was the sound post.  I then noticed the post was up... upon further inspection there is a rattlesnake rattle in it.  I have read of this before but this is my first experience with the sort.  Kinda spooky cool.  Am anxious to get this one cleaned up and do a few repairs on the inlay.  Also curious if the inlay will seem to affect the sound8935BF7E-0328-4CFD-9B09-0610FD93C0A5.jpegImage Enlarger69E64382-455C-4E45-8C22-F84BF475D4D7.jpegImage Enlarger0B06BE97-307B-4C74-8F04-516EAB35305A.jpegImage Enlarger203B87D9-E6B1-443A-B884-75EBA9EBE674.jpegImage Enlarger4E62B3A6-AD4F-4E58-8D90-D0B6F1BAD4CC.jpegImage Enlarger0E0AD7AA-B25C-4D20-A0EC-127C299ABED8.jpegImage Enlarger5E3F09C6-53EB-42FD-A1CD-B9E35493E773.jpegImage Enlarger

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damfino
my own little world
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August 21, 2018 - 9:04 pm
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Very pretty fiddle! I've been wanting a fiddle with a mother of pearl inlay, they are just so pretty :) I have a rattle snake rattle, was from my dad's family where there were a few fiddlers, and I always wonder if that is what they had it for. If it wasn't so darn old and been around forever I'd try throwing it in my fiddle just to see what it does, if anything, haha.

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bocaholly
Boca Raton, Florida
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August 21, 2018 - 9:58 pm
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Gorgeous inlays, Steve. Great find! Kinda makes me wonder, though, if those inlays on the back dampen the sound. 

Those are some crazy, deep grooves on the nut. looks like they're calibrated for tennis racquet gut :-)

Nice 2kAAAD2QAAwHFtbW9kAAAAAAAABhAAAKAuAAAAANDl7gAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

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steveduf
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August 21, 2018 - 10:19 pm
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I would love to hear it’s stories, 

there is incredible wear grooves on the fingerboard also.

the purfling is gorgeous.  I am going to keep all it’s parts it currently has.  We’ll see how it sounds.  Any suggestions on string choice?325C769A-43F3-48B4-A99A-51DAE3594EE3.jpegImage Enlarger576E8964-C9EE-48A7-A9F7-FDA4AE7C01F6.jpegImage Enlarger 

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Irv
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August 21, 2018 - 10:53 pm
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Hi steveduf (and others).  Another nice find.

Fortunately, the missing mother of pearl inlay should be relatively easy to duplicate given the circular shape.  I would use the Scotch (tm) painter's tape and super glue trick to hold the mother of pearl on a flat head bolt, insert in an electric drill, and file/sand paper away excess material (be sure to use a face mask, since you don't want to breath in the mother of pearl).  I would attempt to add the veins (perhaps using black super glue and polish surface with tooth paste to match existing).

You would be losing a lot of sound (at least on the open notes) if the grooves in the nut are not removed.  You should be able to file the nut down as needed.

Who ever used the violin played with a lot of dirt under the finger nails.  A luthier would use a hand plane to obtain a new curved surface on the finger board.  I would try to use curved surface sanding block since I would not trust myself with a hand plane for this.

I would use some type of perlon violin string since you obviously want to retain the pegs.  And please replace the tail piece gut since I would not trust the holding power of the original.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
August 24, 2018 - 10:25 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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Very cool Steve. Looking forward to hearing more about it after you have worked on it.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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steveduf
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September 4, 2018 - 4:49 pm
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Irv

i am having trouble trying to answer your message,  I type in my response and then cannot send...

you can email me direct at [email protected]

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Irv
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September 4, 2018 - 6:00 pm
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Hi steveduf.  It is more important that you received my message, since the material could have benefit to the immediate project.  Perhaps my name has strayed on your enemies list on the forum (a feature which I cannot fathom a purpose).  I will send an email to sort thing out.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. —Earl Nightingale.

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steveduf
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September 4, 2018 - 7:09 pm
Member Since: March 26, 2018
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Irv

not sure, never heard of enemies list, I tried a couple months ago to message and couldn’t get it to go then either.  Maybe I accidentally hit something then...(shrugs)

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steveduf
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September 4, 2018 - 7:19 pm
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Anyway... back to this violin and repairing the inlay.

one of my other hobbies is cutting gemstones.  In our remodeling I am setting up my equipment.  My passion is opal.  For me to cut and fit the mother of pearl inlay won’t be an issue, excited to put the two hobbies together.

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Gordon Shumway
London, England
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September 24, 2018 - 11:53 am
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A friend tells me that among certain bluegrass musicians, in certain parts of the USA, it's considered good mojo to have a rattlesnake rattle in your violin or mandolin. The topic is much discussed on mandolin forums.

Andrew

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
September 24, 2018 - 1:21 pm
Member Since: March 22, 2014
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Just seen this thread - a very nice looking fiddle @steveduf !

Just reading @Gordon Shumway post above... banana  I *LIKE* it !  "Good mojo" - yeah cool !  Being a Scotsman, and not having rattlesnakes here, I use dried thistle heads for similar effect....   ( nooo, that WAS a joke...)  - still - a darned pretty little instrument there !

As a complete aside - years ( and years ago, as a youngster ) my father was a member of a lapidary club, and often invited me along - we used to cut and polish locally collected stones such as agates, small ( very small ) garnets and amethyst (locally occurring in our Scottish highlands - we also spent MANY hours panning for gold in the Kildonan river - to no effect worth speaking of I might add (other than cold and wet feet) - happy days ! ) 

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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