Which violin is best?
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- Galt Toys, Horrible Science - Explosive Experiments, Science Kit for Kids, Ages 8
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What makes a great violin?
- Decide whether you want your violin to come with a range of accessories. At the very least, you'll need a bow and a case to go with your violin. ...
- Think about what you want from a violin. ...
- Check the return policy for your chosen violin. ...
- Consider whether you really love it. ...
What should a violin be made of?
Violins are made up of wood and contain four strings but fiddles sometimes have one extra string. Fiddles usually have steel core strings while violins have a synthetic core. The strings of a violin can be moved by using horsehair or cat fur to produce good quality music.
What are the materials for making a violin?
- The finished violin is hung up to age for a time (in some cases several months or more), and may be exposed to sunlight. ...
- A sealer or pore filler is then applied.
- The vamish is applied in several coats. ...
- Since old-looking violins are more appealing to many players, some makers "antique" their instruments. ...
What are cheap violins made of?
Issues with a Cheap Violin Under $100 The fittings are normally made of plastic and don't fit half the time (chin rest, pegs, tail piece etc.). You'll pay a lot of money to fix problems—you'll probably end up just getting a new one. The sound quality is incredibly bad.
What kind of wood is a Stradivarius violin made of?
The woods used included spruce for the top, willow for the internal blocks and linings, and maple for the back, ribs, and neck. Stradivari and Guarneri's violins differ in their tonal quality, like red or white wine.
Is a violin made of metal?
Normally, violins are made from a handful of different types of wood – a hardwood bridge attached to a spruce soundboard, on top of a hardwood frame – and the fingerboard is made of ebony. But apart from the bridge, this one is made out of 100 percent high-strength titanium.
What are old violins made of?
THE PRIMARY WOODS USED IN VIOLIN MAKING. THE PRIMARY WOODS USED IN VIOLIN MAKING are spruce and maple. Spruce is chosen for the top, also called the front, table or soundboard.
Which wood is best for violin?
The most commonly used wood species for violin manufacture are spruce, willow, maple, ebony and rosewood. In general, maple is used for back plate, rib, neck and scroll, while spruce is an ideal wood for the front plate of a violin.
What makes violin expensive?
Geographical origin is the most important thing (Italian violins sell for at least six times the price of a comparable French or English violin, and German violins lag far behind). The other factors would be the quality of the craftsmanship (how well regarded the maker is) and the age of the instrument.
Are violins vegan?
Historically, violins have contained non-vegan materials such as animal hide glue, which is created from the skin, bones, and tendons of an animal. Violin strings and bows have also been known to contain ivory, horse tail hair, and animal intestines.
Which metal is used for making violin?
At the most basic, a violin is made of wood, which forms the body and intricate component parts, and glue. Its strings are fashioned either from cured animal intestines, steel, or synthetic material. A violin has fittings, such as tuning pegs, that can be made of wood or other materials, including plastics.
Why are violins made of maple?
Maple offers the combination of sufficient weight, resonance, stiffness, and sturdiness needed to create beautiful music. As the bow is drawn across the strings of the instrument, the vibrations travel through the bridge to the top of the violin body.
Is violin made of plastic?
A variety of plastics may be used to fabricate the violin body and the finger board of the plastic violins. Thermoplastic polymers are generally preferred as the materials of construction for such violins.
Why do violins sound so good?
The violin's back plate also contributes to its acoustic power. Violins carved from wood are relatively elastic: as the instrument produces sound, its body responds to the air vibrations. A thicker back plate leads to more sound power at the air resonance frequency.
What are violin necks made of?
The neck is usually maple with a flamed figure compatible with that of the ribs and back. It carries the fingerboard, typically made of ebony, but often some other wood stained or painted black. Ebony is considered the preferred material because of its hardness, appearance, and superior resistance to wear.
Where does the wood for the Stradivarius come from?
Stradivari, Amati and Guarneri made the world's most prized violins and cellos with wood from Italy's Fiemme Valley.
How much is a real Stradivarius violin worth?
Stradivari's violins are known for their exquisite craftsmanship. They cost between $8 million and $20 million, according to Leonhard.
What makes a Stradivarius violin so special?
By the early 18th Century, he had produced a violin that was "not as long but quite large, flatter but not so flat that you lose the resonance that makes the violin so magical". Ms Todes agrees that Stradivari's instruments were "exquisitely crafted, the pinnacle of sound engineering".
How many Stradivarius violins are left in the world?
650 survivingOnly about 650 surviving Stradivarius violins exist, and many of them are in the hands of private collectors, safely hidden from public view. There are even fewer cellos, about 55, and about 12 violas. One of the biggest factors in price is how good they sound.
Maple
Maple is a hardwood that has been commonly used for musical instruments and wooden products.
Boxwood
Boxwood has many varieties. Usually, the color is light cream to yellow.
The right kind of wood
The creation of the oldest violin might be a debatable topic. But most historians agreed that the instrument that we know today as the violin was made in northern Italy in the early 16th century. Since then, the northern part of Italy is famous for the maple and spruce trees which are very suitable for making the perfect violin.
Basic tools for making violins
Saws, gouges, chisels, planes, and clamps are the most common tools in a luthier’s kit box. A bending iron and a purfling cutter are other essential tools for making violins and other string instruments. Usually, hide glue is used to bond the pieces of violins together.
Major techniques of making a violin
At first, the luthier prepares templates after selecting or creating a design for the violin. These templates are made for the different pieces from plywood. Then the pieces of plywood need to be cut into strips. These strips are used to form the ribs or the sides of the violin.
Preparing the ribs
The first step of making a violin is to prepare the sides of the ribs. The violin makers can outline the top and back from these ribs or sides. These are basically a wooden form with 15 to 18 mm thickness. These are constructed on an inside mold. Then these are cut to the exact outline of the inside of a violin.
Establishing the top and back
The tops of a violin are usually made from a wedge of wood. Almost always it is the edges of a split wood piece that are glued together. The joint needs to fit with absolute perfection. The back of the violin also treated the same way to make a two-piece back. However, a one-piece back is ideal for preparing a good quality violin.
Developing the body of a violin
By loosening the temporary glues, the mold can be removed from the rib. The top and back of the violin are then glued to the ribs. In this case, thinner and weaker glue is used for the top while full-strength glue is required to hold the back of the violin.
Forming the neck
In this stage, a piece of the block made of maple wood is squared on the sides and top with a plane. Then the outline of the side view can be traced that may help to craft the outline of the outside. The patterns for the pegbox, the top surface of the neck, and the scroll also can be traced in this time.
All About the Wood
Then, as now, violins are made mostly from wood. Typically it’s spruce for the top and maple for the bottom and ribs. Both types of wood are dense – but light – and can be shaved thin without compromising integrity. The violin’s neck is usually made of maple, while ebony or another hardwood is preferred for the fingerboard.
Some Basic Tools
Many of the same tools used in routine carpentry are in a luthier’s kit: saws, gouges, chisels, planes, and clamps are the most common. Tools that are essential to making violins and other stringed instruments include a bending iron and a purfling cutter. Hide glue is used to bond the pieces together
Templates Guide the Way
After selecting or creating a design, a luthier makes templates for the various pieces from plywood. Once a piece of maple is cut into strips, they are used to form the ribs, or sides of the violin, with a bending iron. The iron uses steam to gently make the wood flexible. Bent into shape, the ribs are then glued to blocks on a form.
Let the Carving Begin
After following the pattern to cut out the wood for the top and bottom, the violin maker uses gouges, starting with a larger one and gradually working down to a finer tool to carve the pieces. Planes and scrapers are used to further hone and smooth the wood. The body is then rounded into shape following guides with exact measurements.
