How to Glue a Violin Neck
If you’re building a violin, or if you’ve removed the neck of your violin for repair, it’s essential that the neck is glued in at the perfect angle. Otherwise the intonation of the notes will be off, meaning everything you play will sound out-of-tune. A poorly fitted neck will also feel unpleasant to play. Gluing is the final part of the neck-fitting process. Although the neck is cut to size by this stage, great care is still required.
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Things You'll Need
- Rag
- Naphtha-based cleaner
- Pocket knife
- Masking tape
- Cloth or cushion
- Glue brush
- Polyvinyl acetate
- Ruler
- Bench-clamp
Instructions
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1
Clean the neck joint and neck pocket with a rag and naphtha-based cleaner. The neck joint is the square block at the bottom of the neck. The neck pocket is the slot that the neck fits into, at the top of the violin body.
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2
Score the sides and bottom of the neck joint with a pocket knife. Make a crosshatch pattern. This helps the glue and the wood bond more easily.
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3
Cut two 10-inch pieces of masking tape and stick them on the edge of a nearby table, so they’re within easy reach when needed.
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4
Place the violin body face-down on a flat surface, so the neck pocket is close to the edge. This enables the neck to hang over the surface. If necessary, place a cloth or cushion on the surface to protect the wood from scratches.
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5
Brush a thin layer of polyvinyl acetate onto the bottom of the neck block. Ensure that the glue covers the entire bottom. If the glue is too thick or lumpy, wipe it off and clean the neck with naphtha-based cleaner again, then reapply.
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6
Slide the neck block carefully into the neck pocket. Once the block is in the pocket, put the palm of your weaker hand over the block and tilt the neck forward over the edge of the table. Stop tilting when the top of the neck block sits exactly parallel with the top of the neck pocket. There should be no gradient between the line of the block and the line of the pocket.
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7
Place a ruler on the back of the violin, over the neck block. If there is a gap underneath the ruler, it means the neck isn’t correctly fitted. If this is the case, quickly remove the neck, clean off the glue and refit it. The ruler should sit flat across the back of the body and neck block simultaneously.
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8
Stick one piece of masking to the nearest side of the heel. The heel is the curved bit of the neck, above the block. Wrap the tape around the bottom of the body. Wrap the second piece of tape around the farthest side of the heel.
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9
Place a small piece of cardboard over the neck block and set the violin in a bench-clamp, so that the clamp applies pressure directly to the neck block. Let the violin set for a minimum of three hours.
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Tips & Warnings
To adjust the angle of the neck before you glue it in, file down the base of the neck block.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
