Violin Forum/Message Board

mshikibu · Guest

Dear List:

What is that little bump on the top back of the violin, which attaches to the fingerboard. Is this the saddle?

I've been telling students it's the saddle, and I don't think that's right. The saddle is the leather part of the tail piece??

Thanks in advance!

byacey · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:55 am Post subject:

If your talking about the little piece of ebony that the strings pass over before going to the pegs, this is called the "nut". What leather part of the tailpiece are you indicating? As far as I know there isn't any leather used except sometimes for a small piece of rawhide underneath the "E" string on the bridge to prevent it from cutting in. The saddle is the little piece of ebony above the tailpin that the tailpiece gut rests on. It's also known as a tailpiece rest.

Chris Knowlton · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:01 pm Post subject:

If you're talking about the small rounded piece on the top of the back plate that attaches to the neck (not the fingerboard), that would be the button.
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Jack Rushing · Member Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 170

Re: the little bump on the top back of the violin. This is the saddle.
It is usually made of ebony, and the tail cord of the tail piece passes
over it, looping around the end button. It prevents the tail cord from pressing
into the wood. byacey stated it well.

mshikibu · Guest

Thank you for all of your replies. I'm not talking about the nut. And if the little piece of leather that wraps around the end button, connecting the tail piece, is the saddle, then here's a better description:

Look at the back of the violin, with the scroll at the top. On the body of the violin, an extension of the top body, there is a crook on the neck, a bump, if you will.

What is that called?

Jack Rushing · Member Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 170

I think I'm lost, but there are only three things on the top of a violin
that I would call a bump. The nut, the saddle, and the ridge on the top
front of the tail piece, that the strings pass over.
If you are holding the violin up, and looking at the back, the top of the
body has a round extension about the size of half a nickel, called the
back button. It's not a bump, but might be what you are referring to.

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

does this help?

http://www.violinsonly.info/partsoftheviolin.php

mshikibu · Guest

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

Looking at the back of the instrument, the little semicircle extension at the top of the back about the size of a nickel is called the "button."

mshikibu · Guest

Jack Rushing · Member Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 170

Gee, I thought I had already identified it five entries above.

mshikibu · Guest

byacey · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:22 am Post subject:

The only part in the drawing I see with a broken line is the heel of the neck.
The "leather" part you refer to is traditionally gut or nylon on modern instruments. It's known as the tail gut or tailpiece gut.

mshikibu · Guest

Chris Knowlton · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:18 am Post subject:

They are separate parts.
The button looks more like a button before the back plate is glued in place. It is actually part of the back plate. When the neck is attached to the body the end of the heel is glued to the button. On a completed violin it looks like it's all one piece but if you look closely you'll see the glue line and grain difference between the two.
To my knowledge it is not also called a saddle. The saddle is attached to the front plate, at the bottom, as shown in the diagram posted above by actonern.

I hope that helps
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