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A Violin's back
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argy1678

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May 11, 2012 - 5:54 am
Member Since: April 6, 2012
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I was wondering, what is the difference between a violin which's back is seperated in two parts and one that is not. Does it have any effect on the sound?

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Thanks

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NoirVelours
Quebec

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May 11, 2012 - 7:29 am
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From what I could read on the subject:
One piece back is more expensive because finding a large board without flaw (due to the nature of wood) is not easy.
I couldn't find anything regarding the tone. To be noted that sometimes you even have 3 pieces! Little wings on the sides when the back plate was not big enough.

"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 11, 2012 - 7:31 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16535

I've had this question asked so many times and I believe that their is absolutely no difference in sound. The two piece back is no worse than full and just as strong as well. Apparently two pieces of wood glued and pressed together with the right wood glue the right way is actually stronger at the joint than the wood itself.
If one sounded better than the other everyone would be making that one instead unless it was easier to do the other.
It's also easier to find a more perfect choice of wood by gluing two halves together than to find the perfect wider choice.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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argy1678

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May 11, 2012 - 7:43 am
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Thank you both :) violin

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May 11, 2012 - 8:29 am

Absolutely no difference in sound at all.  Wood for violins ar cut from tress like pie wedges, quarter sawn. This give the straightest grain and the growth rings end up being perpendicular giving the wood greater strength and more consistency throughout. When making a back or top you need a piece of wood about 5 to 6 inches wide.  If you take that piece and cut it down the middle and open it up to glue it together it is called book matching.  This way the pattern of the wood lines up for a more beautiful look.  The thing it, in order to get this piece of wood since you can't use the core nor the bark wood, you need a tree with a diameter ofabout 24 inches or more. To find a single piece with a nice flame pattern and 9 inches wide you will need a tree at least 36 inches in diameter.  You can get a lot more backs out of a tree with book matching than with solid backs.  Yes there are a lot of 1 piece backs and they are usually cheaper but they don't have the flaming and are not fully quarter sawn. To get a piece of highly flamed maple large enough and quarter sawn for a violin back you are talking much more money.

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springer

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May 11, 2012 - 11:05 am
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How about those one piece burled/birds eye maple back Violins? Are they more expensive because of the wood and do the sound the same sense the grain is so unusual.b-slap

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May 11, 2012 - 12:48 pm

Actually birds eye maple is easier to find than tiger maple.  The birds eye backs are usually made from planks and not wedges but the sound is to my belief not as good.

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May 20, 2012 - 1:25 am

i prefer the single just for the looks

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