Electric 5-String Viola

I made an electric 5-string viola for my daughter.

The body, bridge, and shoulder rest are made out of maple. The fingerboard and tailpiece are Macassar Ebony.

The tuning pegs are geared with a 1:4 ratio.

The pickup is a piezo and we are still trying out different options.

The fifth string is a low F and is very thick. It is more typical that the fifth string is a high E like on a violin. My daughter wanted the low F instead. It was a challenge finding the string but it works really well on an electric instrument.

The scroll was a fun little detail to honor the traditional but also state that this was a modern electric viola.

I love the grain of the Macassar Ebony tailpiece. I would have purchase a 5-string tailpiece if I could have found one. I ended up making it and it was very fun.

The saddle is made from a Tagua Nut and looks and feels a little like ivory.

This was the first musical instrument I completed and it will not be the last.

–Eric