What kind of maple is used for violins?

Flamed maple is used by luthiers more than any other type of figured maple and it may be quarter cut or slab cut to produce different visual effects.

What woods are violins made of?

There are a variety of woods used for making fine violins, including Maple, Spruce, Ebony, Boxwood, Willow, Poplar and Rosewood. Old growth trees from higher altitudes are preferable to violinmakers because the wood is harder, stronger and denser.

What is the best wood for violin?

spruce
THE PRIMARY WOODS USED IN VIOLIN MAKING are spruce and maple. Spruce is chosen for the top, also called the front, table or soundboard. It is light in weight, yet longitudinally strong and laterally flexible. To the eye, the most prominent feature of a spruce top is the darker vertical graining.

What is the best wood to make a 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.

Which wood is best for violin?

THE PRIMARY WOODS USED IN VIOLIN MAKING are spruce and maple. Spruce is chosen for the top, also called the front, table or soundboard. It is light in weight, yet longitudinally strong and laterally flexible. To the eye, the most prominent feature of a spruce top is the darker vertical graining.

How much wood is needed for a violin?

The soundpost is wedged into place, the strings are strung and finally, the bridge is inserted, held in place by the pressure of the strings. Altogether, including the bow, the luthier will use about 70 pieces of wood to make the violin.

How many pieces of wood is a violin made of?

A modern violin is made from about 70 different pieces of wood.

What type 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. There has been conjecture that the wood used may have been treated with several types of minerals, both before and after construction of a violin.

How do I know if my violin is solid wood?

“Solid” means that these pieces are crafted from a plank, not particle board with a spruce veneer overlay. In a quality violin, typically the sides (ribs) and neck are crafted from Maple wood, which is another strong material that resonates well, while maintaining its structural integrity.

What is the best way to cut wood for a violin?

The wood must be cut during the cold dormant months and stored (seasoned) in controlled conditions for several years. Most of the wood used in violin making is split or cut “on the quarter” for greatest strength.

How long does it take for violin wood to dry?

The drying or seasoning time for a piece of violin wood is generally ten years or more, depending on its size and thickness. Fifty year old wood is even better! Kiln drying of commercial lumber destroys the cell structure of the wood and thus its physical and acoustic properties.

What is the best tonewood for a violin?

Matching the ripples in the Maple throughout the parts of the violin gives it an attractive look and may enhance the quality of the sound. Spruce is a soft tonewood with a high stiffness-to-weight ratio and is used for the top, or front, of the violin, as well as the bass bar and sound posts.

What is spruce wood used for on a violin?

Spruce is a soft tonewood with a high stiffness-to-weight ratio and is used for the top, or front, of the violin, as well as the bass bar and sound posts. When the strings vibrate sound waves into the body of the violin, a quality spruce top is imperative for optimal acoustics.