Luthier terminology - English/French

Discussion in 'Setup & Repair [DB]' started by Matthew Tucker, Nov 15, 2005.

  1. Matthew Tucker

    Matthew Tucker Commercial User

    Aug 21, 2002
    Sydney, Australia
    Owner: Bresque Basses, Sydney Basses and Cellos
    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?)
     
  2. olivier

    olivier

    Dec 17, 1999
    Paris, France
    and Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Japanese, Chinese, Swahili, Esperanto...

    seriously, nice work. :)
     
  3. Matthew Tucker

    Matthew Tucker Commercial User

    Aug 21, 2002
    Sydney, Australia
    Owner: Bresque Basses, Sydney Basses and Cellos
    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
     
  4. 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
     
  5. Matthew, you just saved me a h... lot of time. Thanks!
     
  6. jonas

    jonas

    Dec 9, 2003
    Frankfurt am Main/Germany
    Kontrabass-Atelier, Lando Music (Germany), "The Double Bass Book"/"Das Kontrabass-Buch"
  7. olivier

    olivier

    Dec 17, 1999
    Paris, France
    True enough, I forgot German. Can't be. Sorry. Thanks alot Jonas. You're doing a great job with your wonderfull site.