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?)
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
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
Thanks a lot!!! good idea. http://www.talkbass.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=2509786# hyper
look here: http://www.doublebassguide.com/4_lexikon.html or here (direct link): http://geba-online.de/Katalog3.php4?action=showAll&katalog_db=2 Jonas
True enough, I forgot German. Can't be. Sorry. Thanks alot Jonas. You're doing a great job with your wonderfull site.