Handmade violin

What is the difference between a handmade violin and a factory violin? How to tell?

When choosing a violin, viola or cello, many people have questions abouthandmade violinIt's hard to tell the difference from a factory violin. It looks exactly the same. It looks the same everywhere. I don't know what the difference is. I can't tell no matter how I look at it. So in essence, they are very different. This article will introduce the difference between handmade violins and factory violins and how to distinguish them, and distinguish them in terms of their production process, wood, timbre, sound quality, and price value.

Handmade violins and factory violins
handmade violin

The difference in craftsmanship between handmade violins and factory violins

1. Handmadeviolin making processHow is it?

Handmade violins are not made in a factory, they are handmade by professional luthiers. The specific production process includes: starting from the original wood maple and spruce, Chinese or European materials, using saws and planes step by step to make the appropriate shape, making the panel back and side panels, as well as the bass beam and sound column , headstock, fingerboard and other accessories, and then assembly, debugging, tuning, assembly, and painting are completed by about 1-3 people. This requires the luthier to have a sufficient understanding of violin production and sound. Such pianos are often made very well.

2. What is the production process of factory violins?

Factory violins are produced by machines, usually in a mass production manner, making them cheaper. The specific production process includes: first, using machines or molds to process the wood into the shape of each part of the violin; second, combining the parts together to complete the basic structure of the violin; and then, tuning and polishing. The entire production process is relatively simple, focusing on efficiency and quantity.

3. What impact does the difference in craftsmanship have on the sound quality?

Because handmade violins are handmade, their materials, craftsmanship, and overall assembly are superior to factory violins. The wood, accessories, and craftsmanship of factory violins are definitely not as good as those of handmade violins. The wood of handmade violins is carefully selected, and the thickness and curvature of the violin board are controlled by the violin maker. This is not the case for factory violins. 100 pieces of wood are cut to make 100 violins, but there are real flaws. The piano will be disposed of at a low price. Therefore, in terms of sound quality, handmade violins have always been superior.

Not only will the sound be better in terms of craftsmanship, but also in the assembly stage, the luthier will have more time to trim, tune and repair the instrument. Some luthiers often spend a week. To do this, factory violins only make simple adjustments, so in the end, handmade violins will still have a big advantage in sound.

The difference in wood between handmade violins and factory violins

1. Materials used in handmade violins

handmade violin wood,They are all carefully selected by violin makers., you will choose the wood you like and the wood you think will make a better sound. Such a piano is often more humane and has a soul. It will use good spruce wood as the panel and better maple wood for the back. The board, some headstocks and back boards are made from a single piece of wood. They will pay more attention to natural air-drying, and they will pay more attention to the density, hardness and elasticity of the wood. The piano made in this way will most likely be able to produce a beautiful tone, and after careful processing by the luthier, it can achieve the best sound. Performance.

2. Materials used in factory violins

The standard of factory violins may not be as high as that of handmade violins. If it is mass-produced, ordinary maple and spruce may be used. In order to save the time of drying the material, it is sometimes air-dried for two or three years, or machine-dried. Dry, which can greatly reduce costs, may lead to poor tone and sound quality.

Handmade violin wood
European spruce and maple

 

The difference in sound quality

1. The sound quality characteristics of handmade violins

Handmade violins often have more unique and individual sound characteristics. Each handmade violin is a work of art carefully crafted by craftsmen. Its sound quality is often full of warmth, depth and delicate characteristics. It also has better timbral balance and dynamic performance capabilities, allowing the player to bring out the best in their performance. More creativity and expression.

2. Sound quality characteristics of factory violins

Factory violins usually have a mediocre and monotonous sound quality, lacking the unique and personalized performance of handmade violins. Although factory violins are generally stable, their sound quality may be relatively mediocre and may not meet the tone and expressive demands of advanced players.

3. The impact of differences in sound quality on performance

A violinist's playing style and musical performance are often affected by the sound quality of the violin being used. Handmade violins have more unique and delicate sound quality characteristics, allowing players to better express their emotions, while also making the performance more dynamic and rich. By comparison, the sound quality of a factory violin can be relatively mediocre, limiting the player's performance potential.

The production process of handmade violins is unique. Each violin is different. Each step of the production is based on its characteristics, so it is said that the links are linked together., so the sound will be more unique and personalized, and there will be more forms of sound expression. The sound quality of handmade violins will tend to be more diverse, and the low and high positions will be more beautiful, allowing for better It has strong cohesion ability and strong timbre balance, which is suitable for performers to perform on the stage. During the performance, they can display more creativity and expressiveness.

However, the sound of factory violins is usually relatively ordinary and single. The timbre and quality may lack the uniqueness and beauty that a violin should have. In terms of timbre defects, there will be many problems. If you are a beginner, you can choose Once you get started with factory violins, you will be able to tell the difference between them in terms of timbre.

price difference

Because handmade violins require a lot of time and energy to make, and sometimes a violin takes a violin maker half a year, the price is often relatively high., the cheap ones cost about 10,000 yuan, and the expensive ones cost 100,000 yuan., like a well-known domestic violin master, it is normal to sell one for 100,000. And factory violins are generally relatively cheap.You can buy a good fire stick for as cheap as 300 yuan, and as expensive as 3,000 to 4,000 yuan, the price is relatively close to the people.

so,When buying a violin, you should still consider your financial ability and playing level.when you areWhen you first learn, you can buy a factory violinIt is best to overdo it for the time being, and then buy a high-end handmade violin when the level is improved. After all, handmade violins are still relatively expensive, and buying one really tests your financial ability, so it is best to choose one according to your own situation.

How to distinguish between factory violins and handmade violins?

So, when you buy a violin and distinguish between factory violins and handmade violins, you can start from the following aspects:

1. Exterior: Handmade violins usually have a more detailed and unique appearance, and may have different patterns or patterns carved on the body, fingerboard, and bow arms. Factory violins, on the other hand, often have a relatively simple appearance and may lack that sense of fine handcrafted artistry.

2. Material: The wood used in handmade violins is usually high-quality maple and spruce, and the patterns are more unique and beautiful, and the growth rings are mainly straight, while factory violins may use cheaper wood. The quality of wood varies, so I won’t go into details here. There are good ones, but they are rare.

3. Tone and quality: Handmade violins have more unique and personalized sound characteristics. Each handmade violin is a masterpiece of the violin maker and has been finely tuned by the violin maker. By comparison, a factory violin may have a mediocre sound that lacks that unique personal touch.

4. price: The price of handmade violins is relatively high, usually ranging from 10,000 yuan to tens of thousands yuan, while factory violins are generally priced at 1,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan.

Similar Posts