The Process

Both sides of the violin (the top and back) are made of two pieces. This means that the particular piece of wood, which is prepared for the front of the violin (spruce), and the one for the back of the violin (maple), is cut vertically, in a symmetrical way. These parts are flattened and then glued together in such a way that the edges should perfectly fit. In addition, the surface of the front and back will tail away to the edges. This is what gives the great acoustic for the violin. Before the top and back are cut, the sides (ribs) are made from maple strips with the help of plywood. These ribs are curved wet around a bending iron until they reach the desired shape and thickness (around 1,2 mm thick).



The top and back of the violin are carved inside to a certain thickness, depending on the violin maker’s preferences. The ‘f’ holes are cut for the top of the instrument. In addition, the two sides of the violin are glued to the ribs. The front side will receive a ‘bass bar’ on its inside surface, in order to support the top and to reduce the bass frequency. After this, the neck is carved by hand with a wide range of chisels of different widths. When the neck is ready, it is fitted with the fingerboard and with the body of the instrument. This process requires lots of measurements. Once the violin is ready, the varnish is applied due to every violin maker’s style and experience. These oil varnishes have specific texture and are applied at least 5 or 6 times until they maintain the bright and amazing appearance. The drying period is of 24 or 48 hours between each applied varnish. After the varnish dries, the accessories are set up to complete the violin: the pegs, the tailpiece, bridge and strings.