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cmkaco
Junior Member
Joined: 07 Feb 2011
Posts: 24
Location: US
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 Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:54 am Post subject: Wood or fiber purfling |
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| What material is considered "best" for a top notch violin purfling? Some of the things I have read say that fiber is better, because it is much stronger than wood, and it bends easily. Other books have said that fiber is great for beginners, because it bends easily, but that better instruments should have wood purflings. I am not considering making my own, but wondering if today's top makers use wood or fiber on their instruments. |
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actonern
Super Member
Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 444
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| Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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Others will weigh in too, but for me they both do the job... but, I choose wood for 2 main reasons:
Functionally, fibre purfling is very dense to work with gouges and scrapers... it is so dissimilar to the hardness of either spruce or maple that the task of leveling it nicely with the contour of the edge is harder than with wood.
Second, wood purfling just looks nicer... it has a less contrasty snap between "WHITE" and "BLACK".
Best regards,
E |
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Chad48309
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Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Posts: 110
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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| actonern wrote: | Others will weigh in too, but for me they both do the job... but, I choose wood for 2 main reasons:
Functionally, fibre purfling is very dense to work with gouges and scrapers... it is so dissimilar to the hardness of either spruce or maple that the task of leveling it nicely with the contour of the edge is harder than with wood.
Second, wood purfling just looks nicer... it has a less contrasty snap between "WHITE" and "BLACK".
Best regards,
E |
I agree entirely. The level of control and "sameness" you get with wood-on-wood just can't possibly be beat, even from a repair standpoint. Though I've not worked extensively with either except for repair of broken bouts, wood is just a natural preference for me if only for aesthetics. You can make and color your own purfling, too, which I think is just fantastic. I've always wanted to do an extremely deep red/brown dye to replace the classic black sides to use on an instrument with a very light-colored varnish.
_________________
-C.S. |
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sdantonio
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Joined: 09 Apr 2007
Posts: 35
Location: Bellingham, Massachusetts, USA
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| Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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I have run across a few makers who will experiment with wood species for purfling. Making the "white" stripe out of cherry can give a very nice effect. Additionally, using a 2 piece clamp together mond you can make your wood purfling pre-formed eliminating bending and breakage.
Steven |
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