On 20 Mar 2006 17:29:27 -0800, "Bugs" wrote:

Hot, fresh hide glue makes a joint stronger than the wood itself. If
you test break a joint the wood will tear out before the glue fails.
It's the only thing to use for violin work as the glue crystalizes when
it sets, giving the instrument resonance. Ordinary wood glues remain
plastic and tend to damp out the vibrations in the instrument.
Bugs


I've never heard that as the reason for hide glue use in stringed
instruments. While it may be true, the primary reason for the use as
I've been told (from the violin making and repair forum) is that it
is reversable whereas most glues with equal strength are not. more
often than not during the life of a wooden stringed instrument repairs
have to be made and you can remove parts without damage by heating the
glue areas to do the repair and then replace the removed component.

I recently did some extensive repairs to an upright bass using hide
glue for the repairs. Advice from the above mentioned forum and some
from this one helped me greatly.

Frank