sjaguar13 Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 How hard do you think it would be to make one of these for less than $100? Think I would be better just buying one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 depends what the body is made of...from what i can see its all standard apart from the body..if you can get a broken violin for free then i think that you could make one if you had the equipment.....but it could be some kinda pricey material Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 Hmmm....looking at the picture it certainly wont be too difficult to build one if you have expirience in building guitars. But I guess it will be very hard to build it for less than $100 in parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 How much is it? I doubt you could make it for less than $100, take a look at the pickup you would need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nalo1022 Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 hi, ive been reading the forum for a little bit now but this is my first time posting, but this topic peaked my intrest....would it be possible to build some sort of transducer pickup (such as this )into the brodge then cut the cord and solder on a 1/4" jack , that pickup can be found for about $40 american and if you have wood lying around you might be able to make most of the violin yourslef, but then again im extremely new to the building of any instrument so i may be totally wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 hi, ive been reading the forum for a little bit now but this is my first time posting, but this topic peaked my intrest....would it be possible to build some sort of transducer pickup (such as this )into the brodge then cut the cord and solder on a 1/4" jack , that pickup can be found for about $40 american and if you have wood lying around you might be able to make most of the violin yourslef, but then again im extremely new to the building of any instrument so i may be totally wrong Hey! Welcome, member 991! 1000 soon! Hmm... from the description: Through use of a lead differential weight the Dean Markley peizo reacts through compression rather than just bending, like all other Peizo pickups. and from where it's placed (on the instrument top vs. in/under the bridge as with other piezo systems) I'm going to guess it might not be optimal on a solid bodied violin. But it might be worth a shot for the price though . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nalo1022 Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 well apparently you can mount then under if you want as they offer a kit to do so and keep irt hidden.........these seem like they could be quite interresting to play around with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 I nthe acoustic section a few weeks ago, there was a discussion about making a piezo out of a buzzer. I hear it works great. I may try this one out my self. The wife wants a violin. Alder would work for the body. Stewmac violin parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page_Master Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 i can't play violin, but i would love to build one in the future. my dad knows lots of people who work in auditoriums so they all play violins, violas, cellos and double basses and what not. apparently most violins are made from cedar. a lot of exotic timbers are difficult to obtain in these parts, except for Western Red Cedar. plus it is cheap! then i could sell them. that's pretty much why i want to build one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spagbol Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 Most violins (bodies) are actually made out of Spruce (top) with Maple used for the back and sides. The reason Spruce is used is because it is strong along the grain but laterally flexible - the front or top of violins always has the grain going along the length instrument, enabling it to vibrate in the correct way. It's all to do with the way the body resonates and vibrates... which is very different for an electric violin. For an electric violin it's a totally different storey - You're slapping wads of paint onto the wood of an electric violin (as opposed to thin layer of varnish on acoustic violins), using a pickup for the sound amplification (and added colouring!), not relying on just the body of the instrument, plus with most electric violin designs, there's so little wood there to vibrate/resonate, you could use just about whatever wood you wanted (within reason!) and it wouldn't make a whole lot of difference to the *ahem* "tone" of the instrument. So with that in mind, the costs for the body/neck should be virtually nil cos you probably have enough wood lying round as leftovers from other projects to cover them that is more than adequate quality. If not, it's still not going to be much of an expense. Fingerboards need to be a hard wearing wood (on cheaper violins it's usually stained rosewood or boxwood or cheap ebony but on better quality instruments good quality ebony is used) and again won't be a noticeable expense if your making it yourself. Pots, knobs, jack and wiring should not come to much but added with the costs for pegs ($12), tailpiece ($10+), chinrest ($6+), Bridge ($4.50) and the pup ($130) will blow your budget (example prices just from stewmac). Plus unless your carving/machining skills are good, it will probably take alot more than $100 of your time to make the neck (if you want it like the one in the piccy - with a traditional scroll/peg box)... To be profitable, I would use high quality components, make sure the quality control is tight, use good/interesting/unique designs and aim for the mid-range (£500 ish) market. I think only mass produced stuff using machines that are already set up and marketing that's already in place can possibly compete to sell this kind of thing profitably in the budget market. Of course, that's only my opinion based on the "making-to-sell" mindset and I am in the UK - it could be a totally different scene in the USA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page_Master Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 cheers for the info dude. but yeah, most of the people in the auditorium have custom all australian cedar violins with ebony fingerboards. this seems to be their choice of tone woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezerboy Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 'Member No.: 11' woah early Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page_Master Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 14 posts. he must be one busy dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tezifon Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 why the violins still uses that **** of tuners? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 For more ideas: Electric Violins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 why the violins still uses that **** of tuners? 'cause you don't need to tune them that much. 90% of the tuning you do is just using fine tuners at the bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 why the violins still uses that **** of tuners? 'cause you don't need to tune them that much. 90% of the tuning you do is just using fine tuners at the bridge. sorry, i meant on the tailpiece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjaguar13 Posted January 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 It's on eBay and they go for $165-176. Handmade Solid Body Electric Violin Quiet Violin when without amplification Ceramic Peizo under bridge transducer. Tone and Volume Controls are provided Accessories are Rosewood Rosewood tailpiece with finetuner. Ebony fingerboard This package includes a Deluxe type-80 Case with fiberglass bow, rosin, and a pitch pipe tuner. Warranty One Year Packaging, Shipping and Handling Continental USA 15.00 Here's the case: The highest it ever went for $191 shipped. I'm pretty sure I can't build a case like that, and how much are bows? I should probably just buy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjaguar13 Posted January 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 About the case: Plush lined and cushioned Steel latch with lock and key Zipper and velcro closure Canvas type cover Outside zipper compartment for sheet music Inside compartment for accessories Rubber feet on bottom Carying handle Adjustable shoulder strap Velcro neck tie-down Two bow holders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultraman Posted January 1, 2004 Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 i tried one of those once. it was weird cus i was trained to play classical violin with the suzuki method. i didint know what to do with the effects.... im happy i stopped my parents forced me to play since the age of 5... god i hate violins... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb Posted January 2, 2004 Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 Anyone know where I can buy one of these? Ebay has proved frustrating... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted January 2, 2004 Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 it was weird cus i was trained to play classical violin with the suzuki method. Not to hijack, but that Suzuki guy just died a couple of years ago... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snork Posted January 2, 2004 Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 getting back to topic. i dont think it really matters what the body is made out of on electric violins. I think its only for the shape that people are used to playing a violin with. The guy from the mahavishnu orchstra had one that only was some wire as a body. I think its all about the pickup and the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjaguar13 Posted January 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 Anyone know where I can buy one of these? Ebay has proved frustrating... That kind is only on eBay. He makes a bunch, then sells them all at once. He just got done selling some. If you want one like that, you have to wait. It's kinda irratating me, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultraman Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 yeah the suzuki guy died a couple years ago that was before i quit the violin. i was supposed to go to france with my violin group/orchestra for his 100th birthday festival but he died before. i think the suzuki method is kinda dumb. you just learn to play everything by ear. its good sometimes but i now i have to learn how to read...i just went through the Fastrack guitar theory book yesterday.all 6 strings!(guitar that is) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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