My new axe ... a restore project

[Steve_Karl]

Given to me by a client. Picture taken before cleanup.

Full-sized Viola - slightly over 16 inches

It was made by Pan American instrument company Elkhart Indiana USA sometime before 1930.
Pan American was eventually purchased by Conn instruments sometime in 1930.

Of course it's a student instrument of some sort but will be an interesting project for me to restore.
All I need is a decent bow, rosin, strings, fine tuners and a bridge.
No case - for now I think I'll just use a bath towel and an old army knapsack

... and a lot of time learning to "fit" and finish a bridge blank.
All parts are ordered except I think I'll need to find a very good carving knife for fitting the feet of the bridge to the top.

 

[mayfly]

Nice one!  I'm sure it's a solid wood instrument and probably sounds fine.  If you can figure out how to play the sucker that is...

 

[Steve_Karl]

Nice one!  I'm sure it's a solid wood instrument and probably sounds fine.  If you can figure out how to play the sucker that is...

Yea. It's pretty nice. It's got a really thick piece of ebony for the finger board and there are no cracks anywhere.
The playing part will be difficult for sure, but I'd like to try at least to see if I want to keep up with it.
I have a friend that's a violin and viola teacher so I can get some quick feedback on anything I'm having trouble with.
She's already been very helpful with recommending strings, a bow and rosin.

Oh ... and thanks, by the way, for talking me down off the ledge with the headphone ohms.
I did get a small inline volume knob and it works great.

 

[Steve_Karl]

Found a nice knife for $18.xx and free shipping

 

[bagman67]

That looks like a fun and rewarding project.  I wouldn't worry too much about learning to play it - violas just saw away at whole notes in the background.


[ducking and running now]

 

[Steve_Karl]

That looks like a fun and rewarding project.  I wouldn't worry too much about learning to play it - violas just saw away at whole notes in the background.
[ducking and running now]

LOL - there are so many great Viola jokes. Yea. It might be a real stretch to learn but I'll mess with it for a while to see what I can get happening.
Cello would have been a better way to go for the finger spacing but no one gave me a cello ... (so far)
Although I do love the tone of a great viola virtual instrument.
It's often been my go-to to start and carry the initial melody of an orchestral piece.

How do you keep your violin from being stolen?
Keep it in a viola case!

 

[bagman67]

But seriously, many a viola enthusiast has done a creditable job of banging out bluegrass and country and Celtic fiddle tunes on their axe, as well as the myriad string parts in pop songs. Baba O'Reilly here we come!


If I could rationalize the expense I'd get one of just about every stringed instrument into the house.  Fiddles, a cello, a bass, mandolin family instruments, an oud, a saz, a tar, a koto, I mean just everything.  And also maybe a triangle, but I digress.  Once i get that winning lottery ticket...


Anyway, If you have any experience on a mandolin or mandola, the tunings are identical to violin and viola, respectively, and thus the fingerings as well (bearing in mind that whole sticking-it-under-your-chin-and-playing-with-a-bow thing).

 

[Steve_Karl]

But seriously, many a viola enthusiast has done a creditable job of banging out bluegrass and country and Celtic fiddle tunes on their axe, as well as the myriad string parts in pop songs. Baba O'Reilly here we come!


If I could rationalize the expense I'd get one of just about every stringed instrument into the house.  Fiddles, a cello, a bass, mandolin family instruments, an oud, a saz, a tar, a koto, I mean just everything.  And also maybe a triangle, but I digress.  Once i get that winning lottery ticket...


Anyway, If you have any experience on a mandolin or mandola, the tunings are identical to violin and viola, respectively, and thus the fingerings as well (bearing in mind that whole sticking-it-under-your-chin-and-playing-with-a-bow thing).

I can deal with the tuning in 5ths - it's be the smaller (than a guitar) neck that'll be the problem.

 

[bagman67]

I can deal with the tuning in 5ths - it's be the smaller (than a guitar) neck that'll be the problem.

I'm hip.  I have stubby, chunky fingers and boxy hands.  I can't barely fret an A chord in first position on guitar using three fingers, even when I'm being disciplined about keeping my thumb on the back of the neck. Half-barres for me!

 

[Seamas]

LOL - there are so many great Viola jokes.

Funny--it was just within the last 2 days that I ever even knew about viola jokes.

 

[mayfly]

Wot's the difference between a viola and a violin?

viola burns longer...

 

[Steve_Karl]

Wot's the difference between a viola and a violin?

viola burns longer...

  :laughing7: :laughing7: :laughing7:

What's the difference between a viola and a vacuum cleaner?


A vacuum cleaner has to be plugged in before it sucks.

 

[NedRyerson]

I played violin through elementary school. I'm still amazed at my muscle memory decades later.

But as a mostly-bass-player-who-still-dabbles-in-guitar, I get the lack of respect for viola.  Cello at least has the advantage of looking cooler.

 

[swarfrat]

I like to say "The greater an instrument's capacity for beauty, the more skill required to not sound absolutely horrendous"

 

[Steve_Karl]

I like to say "The greater an instrument's capacity for beauty, the more skill required to not sound absolutely horrendous"

Good thought!

 

[wildbill]

There is just something about all wooden musical instruments that attracts me. I suppose because I am a woodworker first and a musician 1,985,492,589th . The pure beauty of wood is so pronounced in (most) every wooden instrument. Strong but dainty. Enjoy your project, whether you ever play it or not. I refurbed a 75 year old Ukulele that was my Aunt's and spent a day or two attempting to play it before I decided I preferred looking at it. My bear paws don't fit a Uke.

 

[Steve_Karl]

I agree wildbill of the bear paw 

All wood instruments are very interesting to me also.
Just having it here in my room and waiting for the parts to arrive ... learning about hand fitting a bridge, ordering a new carving knife ... watching videos on bowing technique ... It's all giving me a more enriched point of view when playing guitar. I used to rarely ever get my acoustic guitars out of their cases and probably 99% of the time for years only picked up a solid body electric, but recently, for about the last 3 weeks, I've been playing the steel string acoustic almost all of the time, only occasionally picking up the strat. The acoustic is now on the really good guitar stand and the strat is leaning in my Dewalt space saver stand. https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=32930.msg458873#msg458873