Corene was developed using an innovative eco-composite material, offering an ecological alternative to ebony in the field of violin making.
Corene’s look, feel, and finish are virtually indistinguishable from ebony in its color and structure. Corene offers excellent dimensional stability, not affected by humidity or temperature changes. Surface hardness and mass volume equivalent to ebony, essential for a sharp and clear tone. Can be worked the same as ebony; the material is completely homogenous which makes it pleasant to work with traditional tools and traditional violin making methods. Made from an eco-composite material without volatile organic compounds.
Unlike gluing wood to wood, which allows the glue to penetrate the pores of both surfaces, gluing this material means gluing a smooth, low-permeability surface (Corène fingerboard) to wood. This type of gluing was already common in the 17th century, for example at the famous Boulle furniture factory in Paris, where non-porous materials such as tortoiseshell, brass and copper were glued to wood. For this, they used strong glue (bone glue), as skin glue was not effective enough for these non-porous materials. That's why a small 5 g pouch of bone glue is included with every fingerboard. For gluing this material, the use of bone glue not only ensures a long-lasting bond, but also enables the same release process as with ebony (insertion of a spatula, release without damage, leaving a thin black film on the neck that can be removed with a little water).
To guarantee a solid, long-lasting bod, follow these steps:
1. Lightly plane the sole of the fingerboard to obtain a fresh, clean gluing surface. 2. Scratch the surface with a knife. 3. Just before applying the glue,
warm the fingerboard slightly and clean both surfaces with a little alcohol. 4. Apply the hot bone glue to the neck and fingerboard. 5. Place the fingerboard on the neck, sliding the two surfaces together to release excess glue, position the fingerboard and clamp. 6. Pressing should be carried out with independent blocks so as not to alter the goemetry of the concave outer surface. 7. Leave the fingerboard under pressure for at least 24 hours, bearing in mind that unlike wood-on-wood gluing, the water in the glue takes longer to evaporate because the fingerboard is much less permeable.
