Tonewood

Many people have heard that “a new violin needs to be played in,” or that “violins get better the more you play them.” Is it true? The answer is more complicated than it sounds. What “Playing In” Means Many players and luthiers share the experience that a new violin, after a few weeks to a few months of playing, opens up and sounds smoother. This is often called “playing in” or “opening up.” ...

Spend any time reading about violins and you’ll meet the word tonewood. Makers talk about it constantly, and prices often hinge on it. Here’s what it actually means and why it matters to how an instrument sounds. What tonewood is Tonewood is simply wood selected for its acoustic properties — chosen because of how it vibrates and carries sound, not just how it looks. A violin uses two main woods, and they do very different jobs. ...