Violin for Ena

   

I made this violin for the girl that eventually became my wife (which is why I still have it near me). The body is bookmatched cedar (not a neck-through design despite the appearance). The fingerboard and chinrest were made from my last piece of knurled hickory (I have no idea if more of this stuff is even available - I think it came from a tree with strange growing conditions). Basically, it's a pretty standard design, but there's just a little more care that went into it than others. The rosewood tailpiece has a carved flower, the neck has a double-arch at the top, and there are some rather intricate woodburned designs. The finish turned out nice on this one too, as I sanded it extremely smooth and applied several thin coats of seal-a-cell.