How a viola is made?
Master craftsmen use similar techniques when making all instruments in the string family. The viola sounds as the middle voice of the string family, between the highest sounding violin and the ‘cello, or violoncello.Outer ContourMost luthiers use the shape of the outer contour perfected by master craftsmen who lived hundreds of years ago. The outer contour, or back and front of the viola, can be created through use of an inside mold, outside mold, or without a mold. Building without a mold is commonly called building “on the back”.RibsThe sides of the viola, or ribs, must be slowly, carefully heated to create the proper curved shape. If the ribs don’t match the shape of the outer contour exactly, the instrument cannot be built.Scroll and FingerboardInstrument builders carefully size and carve the wooden scroll and shave the ebony fingerboard. Each viola retains an individual character from these details and small mistakes of even a millimeter can make the final product feel like a comp
