Rub Tone In Selecting Wood

...To hear the Rub Tone, (I favor a 5/16" square piece of violin maple wood); lightly drag (rub) along the surface of the wood being tested, in the direction of the grain. Remember that the tone produced will be the result of both pieces of wood, so by having the 'wand' of a lower 'rub tone' range will make determining the 'rub tone' of the piece under investigation that much easier. A quiet room and a fixed scale reference (see article on this subject) is the best way to do this. The 'rub tone' does not change with reshaping the wood or gluing it into a structure with other wood pieces, it is a permanent feature of each piece of the completed instrument, and will continue to interact with the rest of the instrument wood, without change.

...As you may remember from the discussion of the mixed wood top plate goal; That is having wood from two different trees, but still having the same 'rub tone' (# 22 ideal) [and Wood Tone, (198 HZ for top plate and 242 HZ for back plate) ] enhances the overall tone produced when struck or vibrated together. This same principle should now guide us in selecting the pieces for the remainder of the instrument:
...The suggested principle is to use as great a variety of wood sources (that is wood from different trees) as possible, to be glued together, next to each other in the instrument, but all the pieces having the same 'rub and wood, tones'. This mixing of the wood gives a fuller and richer sound when struck together (the vibration of the strings moving through the instrument is like a series of tiny hammer blows). {2020: Please add "Synchronous Resonance" match as well!}
...This means that if you cut out spruce wood for wood blocks from the waste wood of the violin plate wood,(or liner strips or bass bar stock) only fit these into the instrument next to the OTHER half of the top plate. If you want to saw off enough wood for liner strips and bass bar stock, then cut them from the inside of the right half (treble side) of the top plate wood and use them on the left side of the plate (bass side). Like wise use wood from the bass side on the treble side. This arrangement should give the greatest tone color possible. (Not proven, just a hunch...)

...The ribs may be sawn from the waste wood of the back plate pieces (at least ensuring a perfect 'Wood and Rub tone' match to the back plate) but if possible, use ribs with the same 'rub tone' as the back plate but from different sources (remembering always that they must look good with the back wood. I believe the best sound will come from two piece back wood that came from two different trees as with the top plate. However, because there is such a premium on appearance for the back plate, you will only be able to do this is you find very similar grain characteristics. Then by swapping the sides you will have excellent back plate wood for two violins allowing the maximum tone color.

...If you are on a serious budget but can get to a violin parts source ( a business, or violin trade show for instance) where there are numerous vendors or a good selection of wood parts to choose from you should be able to pick out excellent violin wood parts with ideal (or close to) Wood and Tap Tone characteristics, by using these techniques, to ensure an excellent future violin!

Note: The first violin is made using the matched 'rub tone' concept was completed and played wonderfully. (May 2010).
...To hear a live recordings of this Opus # 24 violin being played by Ian Derickson, Just Click on the two links below:
{ These are a large (wave) sound recording (professional level), so please allow time for them to load...}