Tools & Materials: Foundations for Violin Set Up; level 1
Materials:
1 or 2 4/4 violins; older ones are fine if in good shape with no repairs needed
Violin Pegs/Count on several extra (trust me!) with shaft larger than the existing peg hole in scroll
Two or more violin bridge blanks, 4/4 medium grade (Aubert, Despiau, Teller, etc.)
Two set of strings; Prelude, Tonica, or your choice
Sound Post material; 6-6.5mm diameter
Two each of violin tailpieces, tail wire, fine tuners, & end buttons
Tools:
“Violin” knives: ¼”, ½” & ¾” (Hock blades are excellent)
Block plane; preferably a Stanley 9 ½ or similar make
Chisel; 1/8”, 1/4”, ½” or wider
Peg Shaver; Metropolitan Music makes one, Herdim, Alberti (violintools.com), Berber
Reamer for Peg holes in scroll; straight fluted preferred
Small, fine tooth saw for cutting peg ends (“Xacto” w/ red handle is fine, or woodcraft has a good one too)
Sound post setter (Herdim is preferred – it comes straight, but we will bend it)
Sound post retriever
Sound post mirror (small round mirror that fits inside the violin F-holes)
Bend-a-light, or similar L.E.D. strip that will fit inside the violin F-holes
Mousetail coarse file for filing notches in the bridge and/or nut (very small file)
Flat, medium coarse file (0 gauge)
Sandpaper; 80, 120, 150, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit (sheets)
Small compass “dividers” (preferably with metal points on both ends)
Towel (for violin to rest on while on bench)
Digital calipers
Flexible 30-centimeter ruler
Grease pencil (for marking bridge feet)
Soft 9B pencil
Rigid 12”/30 cm ruler
Alcohol lamp; Denatured (for removing the nut if necessary)
1mm/1/16” drill bit for peg string holes
Power hand drill (small if possible)
Chinrest key
Nut files (set of 4 or 5)
Bridge template (comes in a set from bostonfiddle.com)
Scraper set (Japanese set is available from Metropolitan Music that is very good)
Sound post angle jig (bostonfiddle.com) – MUST HAVE!
Parchments; protects the bridge notch from the “E” string digging into it (bostonfiddle.com)
Bridge lifter
Magnifying glasses (Optivisor, or be able to see very close work clearly)
Peg Compound
Optional tools:
Sharpening stones
Diamond stones
Violin “cradle” instead of a towel
Suppliers (& others)
Metropolitan Music
Woodcraft Tool Supply
International Violin
Howard Core
Stewart McDonald
Violintools.com (Alberti tools)
Lie Nielsen Toolworks
Lee Valley
Hardware stores
Contact Metropolitan Music for a complete pre-packaged toolbox for purchase at a discount. sales@metmusic.com, (866) 846-546. Other suppliers may offer similar packages if you ask.
