1/2 Scale Electric Violin by mccand

Last crawled date: 3 years ago

A new version of this thing has been released.
The new version (available here) has an improved chinrest, and is now part of a larger family of violins. However, you can still use this thing if you prefer.
A full range of EPV sizes are now available:
4/4 Scale3/4 Scale1/2 Scale1/4 Scale1/8 Scale1/16 Scale
Details
This project was inspired by the excellent FFFiddle by David Perry (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:219040)
This violin was redesigned from scratch in Solidworks 2012 to produce a violin small enough for my daughter. (A whole range of sizes is in the works, and will be released soon!)
Additional components required:
1) Schaller M6 Mini tuners (3+3)
2) 1/4" rod or tube (tube is preferred - rod will need to have a hole drilled in it)
3) Violin strings
4) K&K sound "Twin spot" piezoelectric pickup
5) 20" of music wire (0.025" - 0.035" diameter - alternatively, a ball-end violin string can be used)
Tools:
1) Hacksaw - use this to put a slot in the end of the tube that will catch the knot in the end of the music wire
2) Small Phillips Screwdriver - for driving tuner screws
3) A variety of grits of sandpaper - used to smooth the surface of the fingerboard. A small amount of the appropriate solvent helps too.
4) 10 mm wrench - for tightening the tuner banjo nuts.
5) A triangular or knife-edge file - for making notches in the bridge and nut for strings. With care, a sharp knife can be used for this.
6) Appropriate tools for cleaning support material from prints
Notes:
I printed all parts with raft, 15% infill, 4 shells. The fingerboard should be printed without support since it is difficult to remove from the long holes in the part. I used ABS, but any stiff polymer should be acceptable.
The nut in fingerboard model is too high - I recommend that the groove for each string be cut very deeply. I've included an experimental fingerboard design (EPV-Fingerboard 3) that should be compatible with the body, but I have not tested it yet.
Specific build instructions will be added soon.