Violin Forum/Message Board

actonern · Super Member Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 444

Some of the more interesting classical instruments show swirls, knot edges and "bearclaw" makings throughout the instrument's spruce top plate. To my eye they are personality enhancing "beauty marks."

However, I recently ordered some spruce for cello tops from Switzerland and the supplier made a surprising comment about the marketability of bearclaw wood. He said it was all the rage in his North America and unsaleable in Europe.

Any views/knowledge about the benefits/deficits of this type of wood?

MANFIO · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:42 pm Post subject:

Hummm... it's called "abete maschiatto" in Italy and Italian makers are mad about it... And yes, it costs more.
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Jeffrey Holmes · Member Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 90 Location: Ann Arbor

The figured spruce is referred to as "hazelfichte" in Germany. While some cuts can get little too wild (over the top) for my taste, I've never heard that it was difficult to sell in Europe. As a matter of fact, I see a good number of European makers using it. Just handled a rather beautiful 'cello from Scottland (Peter Goodfellow) with a great figured top.

My experiences are that some makers love it, others don't... As a rule, it is more expensive.
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MANFIO · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 11:17 am Post subject:

All Rogeri's violins I've seen had a top made of abete maschiatto...

In my experience, you can leave it a bit thinner than normal spruce... It's a bit more tricky to varnish, since it's much more uneven in terms of varnish absortion compared to normal spruce.

You can see also the "maschiattura" on the outer part of the wood, that is, the part that will be joined to make the top.
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KenN · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:30 pm Post subject:

I bought 5 pieces of Englemann spruce tops for $50 (yeah I really splurged!) and one has a lot of what I think is bear claw. That one has the lowest ring tone, but it is also the heaviest at .44sg. What causes bear claw? One of the tops had the highest ring tone and some wavy grain that gave me fits by twisting when I tried to glue it. I found it had inclusions (twigs) that carved away and then it glued fine. I hope it's worth the effort. I took a picture of the bearclaw, but don't know how to show it.

KenN · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:43 pm Post subject:

Let me try this:

KenN · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:45 pm Post subject:

Why does a 52 year old man get excited about doing what a 10 year old can do without even thinking?