What Makes a Quality Violin?

Not all violins are created equal. Like any musical instrument, the quality of a violin depends on its craftsmanship. While a starter violin can be quite cheap, the best violins can cost thousands of dollars.

Identification

The type of wood used to make the violin is one the most important determining factors of quality. According to The Violin Site, the best violins are often made with spruce for the top wood and high quality maple for the body.

Significance

Quality violins also need the proper setup where the strings, bridge and wood all work together in symphony. This does not always mean the most expensive strings and bridge, but the best suited for the violin's body.

Geography

Typically, the best quality violins have always come from Europe. According to the Violin Site, the best known quality violins are Stradivarius, named for Antonio Stradivari. In fact, someone paid $1.6 million for a Stradivarius violin in a 1998 auction held at at Christie's in London. Private sales of Stradivarius violins sometimes exceed that amount by double.

References

• The Violin Site: Wood for Making Violins
• The Violin Site: Stradivarius Violins