DescriptionSoundboard of spruce, bookmatched. Ebonised bridge, probably pear. Bridge is 154mm long and 17mm wide at the bottom, 7.5mm wide at the top section where the strings pass through. Three roseholes in a triangular formation. The roses are cut into the soundboard. The upper rose is 53.5mm diameter, and the lower roses are 60mm diameter. They are of a geometric knot design. Surrounding the roses is a carved relief circular pattern, 5mm wide. The back is of 43 ribs of yew with half light/half dark wood. The endclasp is of yew, made of three pieces attached side by side. There is a pearwood strap holder at the bottom, set a little off-centre on the treble side. The back of the neck where the strings are fretted is veneered in ebony, and the bass neck has been ebonised, the core wood probably maple. The fingerboard for the fretted strings is ebony and is radiused. The nut is ebony. The fretted part of the neck is 256mm long and 86.5mm wide at the nut section and 102.5mm wide at the body join. The nut itself is 50.5mm wide. The soundboard extends onto the neck a little, the fingerboard is 242mm long in the centre, with extensions onto the soundboard. There is one tied gut fret of unknown date, and two ebony frets glued to the soundboard. The pegs are of fruitwood. The neck for the bass strings forms an extension of the pegbox, terminating in a forward curve which has an ebony nut on the top, and a backward curve forming the pegbox. There is a fruitwood hook at the top of the fretted string's pegbox which acts as a strap holder. Overall size: 1680mm. Body length: 518mm. Body width, maximum: 358mm. Body depth: 170mm. String length: 672mm (fretted strings), 1434mm (bass strings)
Repair History: Conservation work on leather covering of case grant-aided by Scottish Museums Council.
Technical drawings available at The Friends of St Cecilia's. Please see http://www.stceciliasfriends.org.uk/ |