Violin customisation

August 24, 2015 at 07:59 AM · If the instrument is yours, then decorate as you please! Just be mindful that putting stickers on the top /could/ affect the sound on an acoustic violin.

Most serious customization I've seen have been done to the fingerboard, chinrest, and pegs. There are violins with inlaid designs on the ribs but most tend to be just painted unless we're talking about very expensive instruments (and reportedly, they don't sound as good as a normal one because the wood used is thicker).

August 24, 2015 at 10:25 AM · The fingerboard doesn't affect sound, whereas top, bottom, and ribs are all resonators to one degree or another. Removing the artwork later will probably remove the varnish and adding anything like shellac for decoupage will definitely affect the sound, probalby deadening it. If it's not a violin worth anything, and it's yours, go for it, but be aware it will be worth less (probably worthless) when you have finished, except perhaps as folk art.

August 24, 2015 at 02:49 PM · I wouldn't glue anything on your violin...I agree that it might dampen the sound...but if you want to do a little light folk-art (or similar) style painting along an edge...and then give the art (not the entire violin) a light coat of a protective finish I doubt you'd notice the effect on sound.

But do be aware that once you modify your violin in such a way, you are likely stuck with it. So do a good job! You will have it as wall art forever! :)

Have fun with the project if you decide to go ahead.

August 24, 2015 at 04:41 PM · Sharpie pens! Draw music right up the ribs, draw pretty flowers on the top, etc. Go the nearest tattoo parlor and you can get some great design ideas. The Harley Davidson logo comes to mind.

August 24, 2015 at 07:27 PM · Thanks very much for your help, I was thinking of painting a design on the violin with acrylic paints as they are plastic based, and can be easily corrected if I do anything I don't like and should be hardy enough without needing any additional varnish. I'll give it a try, and if it should do anything to affect the violin, it won't cost the earth to replace and I will have learned a lesson. Thank you again x

August 24, 2015 at 08:02 PM · Er, the fingerboard does indeed affect the sound in my experience: it may not radiate sound, but it adds mass and stiffness to the neck, and an overhanging mass at its free end. I had marked improvements from a new, thicker fingerboards on two instruments.

Painted decorations will have no affect, i imagine.

August 25, 2015 at 03:27 AM · Everything matters, and so long as you have an inexpensive workshop instrument, go for it!

The fingerboard matters. I took one off recently and it had a chunk of lead on the bottom, at the end. I removed it, and the fiddle sounded different. With some cheap instruments, nothing that you do to decorate or personalize them will hurt the sound, and nothing that I can do will help them!

August 25, 2015 at 12:02 PM · That is the nice thing about cheap VSOs. No matter what you do to them and how you play them, as long as you don't destroy them, they sound pretty much the same. Perhaps not an entirely bad thing for someone who wants a very forgiving violin.