How to use 'Rub Tone' concept in wood selection:

(updated: 10/2010)

...I believe the 'rub tone' of the back plate wood should be the standard in determining the 'rub tone' for the remaining pieces of the instrument. Match the selection of everything to the back plate wood's 'rub tone'. The goal here should be an exact match and if that is not possible then a very close match as second best. Reject all pieces that do not match.

...Choose a low 'rub tone' wood piece (wand) to lightly drag or rub along the surface of the wood being tested, in the direction of the grain if possible. Remember that the tone produced will be the result of both pieces of wood, so by having the 'wand' of a lower 'rub tone' range it will make determining the 'rub tone' of the piece under investigation that much easier. A quiet room and a fixed scale reference (see article on this subject) is the best way to do this. The 'rub tone' does not change with reshaping the wood or gluing it into a structure with other wood pieces, it is a permanent feature of each piece of the completed instrument, and will continue to interact with the rest of the instrument for its life without change.

...As you may remember from the discussion of the mixed wood top plate goal: That is having wood from two different trees, but still having the same 'rub tone' enhances the overall tone produced when struck or vibrated together. This same principle should now guide us in selecting the pieces for the remainder of the instrument: ...The suggested principle is to use as great a variety of wood sources (that is wood from different trees) as possible, to be glued together, next to each other in the instrument, but all the pieces having the same 'rub tone'. This mixing of the wood gives a fuller and richer sound when struck together (the vibration of the strings moving through the instrument is like a series of tiny hammer blows). ...This means that if you cut out spruce wood for wood blocks from the ends waste wood of the violin plate wood,(or liner strips or bass bar stock) only fit these into the instrument next to the OTHER half of the top plate. If you want to saw off enough wood for liner strips and bass bar stock, then cut them from the inside of the right half (treble side) of the top plate wood and use them on the left side of the plate (bass side). Like wise use wood from the bass side on the treble side. This arrangement should give the greatest tone color possible.

...The ribs may be sawn from the waste wood of the back plate pieces (at least ensuring a perfect 'tap tone' match to the back plate) but if possible, use ribs with the same 'rub tone' as the back plate but from different sources (remembering always that they must look good with the back wood. I believe the best sound will come from two piece back wood that came from two different trees as with the top plate. However, because there is such a premium on appearance for the back plate, you will only be able to do this is you find very similar grain characteristics. Then by swapping the sides you will have excellent back plate wood for two violins allowing the maximum tone color.

...This winter, Lord willing, I will make my first complete violin using the 'rub tone' selection of all, or almost all of the wood pieces. Watch my web site for results late this upcoming winter. So far I have changed external parts to make (3) different violins mostly 'rub tone' matched (I could not change the internal blocks and ribs and liner strips and bass bar) and the improvements are apparent.

Note: This first violin is now complete and playing wonderfully. (May 2010). To hear two recordings of this violin being played by Ian Derickson, click on the link box announcing the New Opus #24 violin on the top of the violin home page: www. dalemfg.com/violin_001.htm .

...If you are on a serious budget but can get to a violin part source ( a business, or violin trade show for instance) where there are numerous vendors or a good selection of wood parts to choose from you should be able to pick out parts that have matching rub tones with a bit of practice before hand.

...As you experiement with this concept, please keep me informed with your results....