Luthier terminology - English/French

**Matthew Tucker** · #1 11-15-2005, 04:00 PM

I've been compiling a mini lexicon of luthiery terms with their french equivalents. Some of these terms just can't be found in your average dictionary.

Very useful if you're reading french tomes, surfing ze web, communicating with a french luthier or shopowner, or in the market for something european ...

Feel free to add to, or correct any of the terms listed here.

===

adjustable bridge ... chevalet réglable, chevalet à vis
adjuster ... vis
back ... fond, dos
bass bar ... barre, barre d'harmonie
beech ... hêtre
block plane ... varlope
bow ... archet
bridge ... chevalet
bridge foot ... sabot
bridge heart ... coeur
bridge leg ... pied
bridge string slot ... cran
bridge wing ... oreille
button ... bouton, talon
c-bout ... enchancrure, “c”
carved back ... fond vouté , fond bombé
case ... étui
chamfer (or bevel) ... chanfreine
cherry ... cerisier
chisel ... ciseau
clamp ... happe, serre-joint
corner blocks ... coins
crack ... fracture
double bass ... contrebasse
ebony ... ébène
end /neck blocks ... tasseaux
end pin ... pique
f holes ... ouies (literally, « gills ») , or “l'f”
file ... lime
fingerboard ... touche
flamed ... flammé
flat back ... fond plat
gigbag ... housse
gouge ... gouge
grain ... filet, decoration
groove ... rainure
gut ... boyaux
hide glue ... colle d'os
knife ... canif
laminated ... plaqué
lining ... contréclisses
maple ... érable
mold ... moule
mute ... sourdine
neck ... manche
nick (in f holes) ... cran d'if
nut ... sillet
nut ... sillet de haut
pegbox cavity ... mortaise
pegbox cheeks ... chevillier
pickup ... capteur, cellule
pine ... sapin
plane ... rabot
poplar ... peuplier
purfling ... filet, decoration
quilted (grain) ... maillé
rasp ... rape
ribs ... éclisses
rosin ... colophane
saddle ... sillet de bas
saddle ... sillet
scale ... diapaison
scoop ... concavité
scraper ... racloir
scroll ... tête
scroll button ... “cul de poule” (literally, chickens bum)
seam ... joint
setup ... réglage, montage
shoulders ... épaules
solid ... massive
sound post ... âme
spruce ... épicéa
steel ... acier
string height ... hauteur des cordes
string length ... longeur des cordes
strings ... cordes
stud ... taquet
tailpiece ... cordier
template ... gabarit
thickness ... épaisseur
top ... table
tuners ... chevilles
varnish ... vernis
vice ... étau
volute ... volute
walnut ... noyer
wavy (grain) ... ondé
willow ... saule

===

(Perhaps someone could compile a similar list in german and italian?)

olivier · #2 11-16-2005, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

(Perhaps someone could compile a similar list in german and italian?)

and Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Japanese, Chinese, Swahili, Esperanto...

seriously, nice work.

**Matthew Tucker** · #3 11-16-2005, 10:47 AM

Here's the same list sorted the other way.

“cul de poule” (literally, chickens bum) ... scroll button
acier ... steel
âme ... sound post
archet ... bow
barre, barre d'harmonie ... bass bar
bouton, talon ... button
boyaux ... gut
canif ... knife
capteur, cellule ... pickup
cerisier ... cherry
chanfreine ... chamfer (or bevel)
chevalet ... bridge
chevalet réglable, chevalet à vis ... adjustable bridge
chevilles ... tuners
chevillier ... pegbox cheeks
ciseau ... chisel
coeur ... bridge heart
coins ... corner blocks
colle d'os ... hide glue
colophane ... rosin
concavité ... scoop
contrebasse ... double bass
contréclisses ... lining
cordes ... strings
cordier ... tailpiece
cran ... bridge string slot
cran d'if ... nick (in f holes)
diapaison ... scale
ébène ... ebony
éclisses ... ribs
enchancrure, “c” ... c-bout
épaisseur ... thickness
épaules ... shoulders
épicéa ... spruce
érable ... maple
étau ... vice
étui ... case
filet, decoration ... purfling
filet, decoration ... grain
flammé ... flamed
fond plat ... flat back
fond vouté , fond bombé ... carved back
fond, dos ... back
fracture ... crack
gabarit ... template
gouge ... gouge
happe, serre-joint ... clamp
hauteur des cordes ... string height
hêtre ... beech
housse ... gigbag
joint ... seam
lime ... file
longeur des cordes ... string length
maillé ... quilted (grain)
manche ... neck
massive ... solid
mortaise ... pegbox cavity
moule ... mold
noyer ... walnut
ondé ... wavy (grain)
oreille ... bridge wing
ouies (literally, « gills ») , or “l'f” ... f holes
peuplier ... poplar
pied ... bridge leg
pique ... end pin
plaqué ... laminated
rabot ... plane
racloir ... scraper
rainure ... groove
rape ... rasp
réglage, montage ... setup
sabot ... bridge foot
sapin ... pine
saule ... willow
sillet ... saddle
sillet ... nut
sillet de bas ... saddle
sillet de haut ... nut
sourdine ... mute
table ... top
taquet ... stud
tasseaux ... end /neck blocks
tête ... scroll
touche ... fingerboard
varlope ... block plane
vernis ... varnish
vis ... adjuster
volute ... volute

Silversorcerer · #4 11-17-2005, 08:50 AM

Wow, pretty nice list. My luthier teacher is French-Canadian so I get to hear some of those terms or hear him trying to figure out what we call it in English. It is both confusing and informative to work with him because I never know what he is talking about until he shows me (and vice versa).

Anyway, Jonas Lohse, one of our German members, has this excellent site which has a small (major parts) list of English / German terms with photos. Here's the link: http://www.doublebassguide.com/4_basics0.html

pierre · #5 11-20-2005, 04:07 AM

Thanks a lot!!! good idea.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/newrep...e=1&p=2509786#
hyper

carbon fibre · #6 11-21-2005, 04:12 PM

Matthew, you just saved me a h... lot of time. Thanks!

jonas · #7 12-03-2005, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

(Perhaps someone could compile a similar list in german and italian?)

look here: http://www.doublebassguide.com/4_lexikon.html
or here (direct link): http://geba-online.de/Katalog3.php4?...l&katalog_db=2

Jonas

olivier · #8 12-03-2005, 07:56 AM

True enough, I forgot German. Can't be. Sorry. Thanks alot Jonas. You're doing a great job with your wonderfull site.