Violin Making with Lucas Fabro
Violin making at its finest! Lucas Fabro of Fabro Violins in Cremona, Italy teaches everything needed to build a professional quality violin in the traditional style using hand tools. All the steps in detail are explained. No secrets!
Buy Now $587.00 160 Lessons 37:31:51
About This Course
Welcome to the Robert O’Brien Online Violin Making Course. In this course Robert invites Luthier, Lucas Fabro of Fabro Violins in Cremona, Italy, to show how to build and finish a professional quality violin in the typical Cremonese style using methods handed down through the centuries by the Italian masters. Presented and filmed by Lucas in his shop in Italy and edited by Robert in his shop in Colorado, USA, this comprehensive course shows all the steps needed from design and raw lumber to playable instrument using hand tools and old world techniques. Lucas shows how to make your own varnish and finish in a modern and antique style. The course includes detailed dimensions, templates, pictures, tool descriptions, materials, and over 37 hours of High-Def footage documenting the entire violin making and finishing process.
This course has 160 video lessons of very detailed step by step instructions. Some chapters can be purchased separately or receive a discount when purchasing the entire course. You also become eligible to join Robert’s invitation only google chat group. Here he offers advice and support as you build. There is a wealth of information available to you for free.
Please check the FAQ page. To begin just register/login and purchase the video lessons. After purchase you will have unlimited views and may stream the videos.
Learn about:
- Wood selection
- Making templates and molds
- Violin design
- Side bending
- Plate carving and arching
- Top and back thicknessing
- Purfling installation
- F hole position and cutting
- Bass bar shape and placement
- Scroll carving
- Neck shaping
- Neck joint
- Fingerboard geometry
- How to make and apply varnish – Modern varnish and antiquing techniques
- How to install correctly the soundpost
- Fitting of tuner pegs
- How to setup the instrument for optimal playing
Happy Building!
Lucas explains this so well and very simply. You know he's done this thousands of times. Irene
Feedback
×Lucas course is excellent very informative Chris
I enjoy your courses, I'm anxious to start another one. I take summer courses at Oberlin and Ashland ohio and find the streaming content far more practical and informative. I like the live contact and such but really find streaming content overall more helpful and of course repeatable. Jess
Lucas explains this so well and very simply. You know he's done this thousands of times. Irene
All of the courses I've purchased from you are top notch. Thanks again. Kenny
Good morning, my wife bought a course for me from you "Chapter one from Violin making with Lucas Fabro", and I can honestly say that I am delighted with this course, you are doing a good job, Lucas Fabro is a great luthier. Pawel
A note to let you know how impressed I was with the violin building course from Lucas Fabro. Wonderful! You guys did a great job on it. Thank you for your great work. I’ve purchased and taken a number of your courses, and have never been disappointed. You’re a valued asset to the building community. Mike Moger
I watched your promo videos, it looks very professional and detailed. The only (Violin Making) course I knew so far was a DVD collection. You take it to the next level! Congrats! Philippe
This is a FANTASTIC COURSE! The material is first rate and the Bonus files are amazing. It is well worth the time and the price if you have any interest in violin making – whether you build one or not. David
First let me say it is excellent all the instructions are clear and easy to understand. Learning from a professional violin maker it’s like you are in the room with me giving personal directions, thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge. Gerard
I purchased the course, it's wonderful Lucas. Great job! I've been looking for an online violin making course and nothing comes close to yours. Alfred
I've gotten a lot from Lucas's YouTube videos, but to see SO much more detail & explanations in this new violin course, is WONDERFUL! Even though I'm doing a cello now, the violin course still helps! Kathy
Wow! Lucas is one of the best! Henry
Corso e insegnante meraviglioso! Bel lavoro e che bella professione! Grande lutaio Lucas! Wonderful course and teacher! Nice work and what a nice profession! Great Luthier Lucas! Paco
I just signed up for it....Been watching Lucas's YouTube videos for a while now. He's GREAT!!!! I've made a few violins, just learned about Lucas this past year, just started a cello, and I keep going back to Lucas's videos for tips and knowledge. It's kind of become for me a "WWLD" experience (What Would Lucas Do?), as I've been building this cello.... Ha ha. Kathy
There is so much information in this course its unbelievable! Making varnish, carving the scroll, Amazing stuff and I am only mentioning a few things! Rolando
Chapter 1 • Model, Mould and Wood
Lesson 1:
Choosing the instrument model
9:37
Lesson 2:
Making the templates - Part I
26:43
Lesson 3:
Making the templates - Part II
14:13
Lesson 4:
Making the mould
20:24
Lesson 5:
Wood selection
13:37
Chapter 2 • The Ribs
Lesson 1:
Preparing the blocks
27:04
Lesson 2:
Thicknessing and marking the blocks
8:09
Lesson 3:
Shaping the C blocks
20:05
Lesson 4:
Preparing the ribs
19:47
Lesson 5:
Making counter blocks
5:02
Lesson 6:
Bending and gluing C bouts
16:57
Lesson 7:
Shaping the upper and lower bout blocks
21:49
Lesson 8:
Bending upper and lower bouts - Part I
20:22
Lesson 9:
Bending upper and lower bouts - Part II
18:08
Lesson 10:
Sanding the ribs
9:35
Lesson 11:
Preparing the linings
10:41
Lesson 12:
Preparing the blocks for the linings
9:44
Lesson 13:
Bending the linings
23:57
Lesson 14:
Gluing the linings
7:05
Lesson 15:
Making linings flush with sides
5:59
Lesson 16:
Smoothing the ribs
15:57
Chapter 3 • Top and Back Prep
Lesson 1:
Preparing the wood
15:20
Lesson 2:
Joining
31:03
Lesson 3:
Preparing the plates
14:29
Lesson 4:
Drawing the outline
8:44
Lesson 5:
Cutting the outline
6:01
Lesson 6:
Border height
7:12
Chapter 4 • Roughing Out Top and Back
Lesson 1:
General concepts on arching and molds
8:46
Lesson 2:
Roughing out (Gouge)
40:37
Lesson 3:
More roughing out (Gouge)
27:46
Lesson 4:
Roughing out (fingerplanes)
14:49
Lesson 5:
Border thickness
17:43
Lesson 6:
Border thickness (back)
18:45
Lesson 7:
Roughing out the edges
10:14
Lesson 8:
Making the edges
9:24
Lesson 9:
Making the corners
11:49
Chapter 5 • The Purfling
Lesson 1:
Testing
4:54
Lesson 2:
Drawing the channel
11:30
Lesson 3:
Cutting the channel
18:52
Lesson 4:
The corners and bee sting
6:11
Lesson 5:
Bending the purfling
7:14
Lesson 6:
Adapting the purfling
19:40
Lesson 7:
Gluing the purfling
16:56
Chapter 6 • The Arching
Lesson 1:
Sguscia
5:17
Lesson 2:
Making the sguscia
26:27
Lesson 3:
Rough arching
20:10
Lesson 4:
More arching
17:29
Lesson 5:
Arching with fingerplane
33:55
Lesson 6:
Refining the arching
22:29
Lesson 7:
Final arching
19:20
Chapter 7 • Back Thickness
Lesson 1:
Marking the outline
5:42
Lesson 2:
First lets rough out top
13:31
Lesson 3:
Carve out with gouge
5:35
Lesson 4:
Carve out with fingerplane
29:58
Lesson 5:
More carving
12:39
Lesson 6:
The final thickness
14:25
Chapter 8 • The Top
Lesson 1:
F holes template
9:02
Lesson 2:
Positioning the F holes
7:54
Lesson 3:
Cutting the F holes
8:03
Lesson 4:
More carving out with fingerplanes
28:56
Lesson 5:
Preparing the bass bar
6:13
Lesson 6:
Positioning the bass bar
7:26
Lesson 7:
Fitting the bass bar
7:35
Lesson 8:
Gluing the bass bar
5:18
Lesson 9:
Shaping the bass bar
9:35
Chapter 9 • Closing the Sound Box
Lesson 1:
Flattening and rounding
16:25
Lesson 2:
More rounding of borders
17:37
Lesson 3:
Removing the mould
13:35
Lesson 4:
Shaping the linings
7:11
Lesson 5:
Shaping the blocks
9:30
Lesson 6:
Gluing the back
12:08
Lesson 7:
Finishing the inside
7:14
Lesson 8:
Gluing the Top
8:19
Lesson 9:
Tea time
3:42
Chapter 10 • Soundbox Finishing
Lesson 1:
Remaking the sguscia
17:33
Lesson 2:
Rounding the edges
7:10
Lesson 3:
Finishing with Scrapers
9:11
Lesson 4:
The saddle
15:01
Lesson 5:
Horsetail
17:09
Chapter 11 • The Scroll
Lesson 1:
Preparing the wood
11:14
Lesson 2:
Drawing and cutting outline
13:18
Lesson 3:
Truing end of neck
6:44
Lesson 4:
Preparing the scroll
32:55
Lesson 5:
Drawing the shape
16:56
Lesson 6:
Cutting and first turn
29:20
Lesson 7:
Roughing out first turn
24:26
Lesson 8:
The second turn
14:13
Lesson 9:
The third turn
11:12
Lesson 10:
More scroll work
14:30
Lesson 11:
Chamfers
12:53
Lesson 12:
Finishing the turns
25:41
Lesson 13:
Under throat
6:24
Lesson 14:
Drill peg holes
5:39
Lesson 15:
The peg box
32:34
Lesson 16:
Fluting
40:30
Chapter 12 • The Fingerboard
Lesson 1:
Selecting the wood
3:09
Lesson 2:
Fingerboard mould and template
6:24
Lesson 3:
The sides of the fingerboard
10:45
Lesson 4:
The back of the fingerboard
5:31
Lesson 5:
The fingerboard radius
14:05
Lesson 6:
Fingerboard head and tail
4:57
Lesson 7:
The internal curve
15:06
Lesson 8:
The nut
4:29
Lesson 9:
Attaching the fingerboard to the neck
3:28
Chapter 13 • The Neck
Lesson 1:
Neck overview
2:36
Lesson 2:
Roughing out
13:47
Lesson 3:
Neck curves
44:53
Lesson 4:
Measurements
4:10
Lesson 5:
Marking
13:38
Lesson 6:
Fittng the neck joint
34:51
Lesson 7:
Final fitting
15:24
Lesson 8:
Shaping the button and heel
16:14
Lesson 9:
Gluing the neck joint
18:38
Lesson 10:
More shaping and finishing
28:38
Chapter 14 • Varnishing
How to make varnish - Part I
20:45
How to make varnish - Part II
19:22
Lesson 1:
Ground color and sealer
17:15
Lesson 2:
Applying varnish
11:49
Lesson 3:
Adding color
8:37
Lesson 4:
Adding a second color
14:40
Lesson 5:
More varnishing
11:26
Lesson 6:
Evening the color
10:31
Lesson 7:
Leveling
15:32
Lesson 8:
More varnish coats
9:58
Lesson 9:
Retouching
15:18
Lesson 10:
More transparent varnish
2:29
Lesson 11:
Second leveling
6:10
Lesson 12:
Unvarnishing the borders
30:43
Lesson 13:
More transparent varnish
4:24
Lesson 14:
Black chamfers and more varnish
20:09
Lesson 15:
Level, retouch and more varnish
7:59
Lesson 16:
Micromesh
8:31
Lesson 17:
French polish
17:32
Lesson 18:
Final varnish and fingerboard
13:16
Lesson 19:
Polishing
10:51
Lesson 20:
Antique Finish - Ground color and sealer
1:26
Lesson 21:
Antique Finish - Adding varnish
1:48
Lesson 22:
Antique Finish - Adding color
9:57
Lesson 23:
Antique Finish - Adding more varnish
4:13
Lesson 24:
Antique Finish - Removing varnish
19:31
Lesson 25:
Antique Finish - Rounding and marking
19:12
Lesson 26:
Antique Finish - Tempera
8:20
Lesson 27:
Antique Finish - Sanding and shellac
8:03
Lesson 28:
Antique Finish - French polish
4:52
Chapter 15 • Setup
Lesson 1:
Pegs and end pin
22:04
Lesson 2:
The tailpiece
9:37
Lesson 3:
The soundpost
25:57
Lesson 4:
The bridge legs
13:57
Lesson 5:
Nut slots
12:28
Lesson 6:
Fingerboard edge
11:40
Lesson 7:
Finishing neck and fingerboard
14:33
Lesson 8:
Pegbox and F holes
12:58
Lesson 9:
Bridge and nut adjustment
21:52
Lesson 10:
Bridge thickness and shaping
28:10
Lesson 11:
Strings and pictures
11:51
Chapter 16 • Bonus Videos
Lesson 1:
Tools
13:00
Lesson 2:
Museum
3:45
Lesson 3:
Violin sound clip 1
1:48
Lesson 4:
Violin sound clip 2
1:42
Lesson 5:
Violin sound clip 3
1:00
Lesson 6:
More info on arching
13:44