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Dan Gilmore's Electric Violin

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:40 pm
by Dan Gilmore
Hi all, I finished up this project and have presented it to the new owner. It sounds great and she's very happy. I am too. As a guitar builder, the violin was a bit outside my comfort zone.

I had chimed in on an earlier thread and appreciate all the info I've gleaned through the years online. The design does end up being heavier than a regular violin. If I end up making more I have been thinking of ways to pare it down. Using regular tuning pegs obviously, but also in the body construction.

Woods are Black Limba, Maple, Cherry and Ebony. The pickup is a Barbera Twin Hybrid 4, with a 1 meg pot for volume from Stew-Mac, as was the tailpiece, knob, fingerboard and tuners. Finish is acrylic urethane.

Dan

Re: Dan Gilmore's Electric Violin

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 10:21 pm
by Jim McConkey
Love that wood! Is it a solidbody, or did you hollow it? Does the pickup sit under the bridge, or is it mounted to it.?

Re: Dan Gilmore's Electric Violin

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:33 pm
by Dan Gilmore
Hi, each of the plates (top and bottom) was made of a lamination of Limba/Maple/Cherry, then routed and carved to make a concave space. I left the outer edge level to mount the dowels. I had meant to post another photo that shows the side view. I didn't want a chamber to worry about feedback, so I decided to make it virtually sideless.

The Barbera pickup elements are built into the bridge itself.

Re: Dan Gilmore's Electric Violin

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 7:01 am
by Steve Senseney
It looks great!

Really pushing traditional design to a different direction.

Re: Dan Gilmore's Electric Violin

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 9:13 am
by John E Giarrizzo
Very creative.

I like "different directions"

Re: Dan Gilmore's Electric Violin

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:12 pm
by Dan Gilmore
Thank you, I wanted to retain the classic beauty and graceful lines of the violin shape, without being afraid of bucking tradition. The scroll is actually an inverted one, with the hole going all the way through.

Re: Dan Gilmore's Electric Violin

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 8:34 pm
by Bob Francis
What a clever technique. It looks great. . . is it light?

Re: Dan Gilmore's Electric Violin

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2012 8:54 pm
by Dan Gilmore
Hi Bob, thanks. The Limba is pretty light, which helps, but it is heavier than a regular violin by a fair amount. That's something I'll work on for future builds.