The Wood

The high quality of a masterpiece starts with an extremely great devotion and patience. Specific skills are required in order to obtain this valuable piece of work. It’s not just the surface which is the outcome of a substantial masterwork, but the methods of violin making and the pleasant sounds of an instrument contribute to this great achievement. The secret of obtaining a precious violin lies behind the particular accessories which are used for building up the instrument. Among these, the type of wood plays the most important role. The specific woods used for violins are spruce and maple.



The spruce is for the front of the instrument, while the back, neck and sides (also called ribs) are made of maple. Radial cutting is applied for these woods; this is the main fact which emphasizes the beauty of a violin. The specific feature of spruce is that it has certain ‘rings’ which indicate how old the tree is. Besides this, maple is distinguished for its unique fibers which create several optical illusions, as the amazing light and dark flames exchange their primary aspect. After ‘slicing’ the trees, the woods are stored in a particular place for drying at a specific temperature for several years. The area where they are kept must be protected from sunlight and arranged in such a way that the air should circulate around them.



The more they are drying, the more valuable the instrument becomes. This process may take at least ten years. Apart from spruce and maple, there is another type of wood, the ebony, which is used for the violin’s accessories: for the pegs, tailpiece and for the end button.