Stentor Standard Violin Outfit 3/4(set up)

Product Description

The entry level instrument in the student violins range, the Stentor Student Standard violin is manufactured to the correct specifications and measurements from carved tonewoods. For an extremely economical price, the Stentor Student violin manufacturer is made with dyed hardwood tuning pegs and fingerboard, and is supplied with a light case with green outer cover and a student violin bow. Suitable for students trying out the violin from a beginner level at ages 10 or 11, the Stentor Standard student Violin's budget price makes it an economical choice for children who are just starting to play the instrument.

Product Specification:

Carved from solid tonewoods.

Black hardwood fingerboard.

Black hardwood pegs.

Alloy tailpiece with integral adjusters.

Traditional inlaid purfling.

Wood bow with natural horsehair and ebony frog.

Attractive lightweight case with green integral cover and carrying straps.

3/4 size student violins manufacturer are suited to players aged roughly 10-11.

Upgrading the strings can have a major impact on the tone. String upgrades are available from Omega Music.

Details

Student Violin from Stentor.

Entry-level quality student model made by Stentor - the world's leading makers of student stringed instrument.

Features carved solid tone wood with black hardwood pegs; alloy tailpiece with integral adjusters.

Includes attractive lightweight green case and wood bow with natural horsehair and ebony.

Supplied in 3/4 size.

Product Description

The entry level instrument in the student violins range, the Stentor Student Standard violin is manufactured to the correct specifications and measurements from carved tonewoods. For an extremely economical price, the Stentor Student violin manufacturer is made with dyed hardwood tuning pegs and fingerboard, and is supplied with a light case with green outer cover and a student violin bow. Suitable for students trying out the violin from a beginner level at ages 10 or 11, the Stentor Standard student Violin's budget price makes it an economical choice for children who are just starting to play the instrument.

Gitarren Bodies

Guitar Making and the Types of Wood Used

This comes down to several reasons - one of the foremost is that a guitar maker's choice of wood significantly affects the way any completed guitar sounds. While it is true that the shape of a guitar, how it is put together and other such considerations that can be learned at a training institution are exceedingly important sound-wise, the acoustic quality of the wood itself is also a major factor. Such characteristics as the amount of moisture the wood contains (the lesser the better) and the way it channels vibrations are extremely important factors in any guitar maker's choice of wood.

Certain kinds of wood, called 'tonewoods,' are known in the guitar making industry for their ability to transmit sound, and can positively contribute to the overall sound of the instrument. Some examples of renowned tonewoods are Brazilian rosewood, maple and various kinds of mahogany. Different kinds of tonewoods can be used in different parts of a guitar, from the top, back and sides to the soundboard. As taught by master luthiers, varying combinations will result in various tones and timbres.

Another important consideration is cost and/or availability. Brazilian rosewood and other highly regarded kinds of wood such as yew and Maccasar ebony are sourced from species that are very rare, and thus it may be hard and/or expensive for guitar makers to use these sorts of wood. Other kinds of wood whose tonal qualities are also excellent, such as East Indian rosewood, alder and ash, are more readily available and can be less expensive, and so are quite popular in guitar making as well. Taking courses at a reputable guitar building school can help would-be luthiers maximize the tonal characteristics of different wood, making the most of each type's unique qualities.

Resource Box:

Musicians Institute is aguitar making school without par in the industry. Having started out as the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in 1977, a dedicatedguitar school and the first of its kind, it has an unparalleled tradition of offering nothing but the best guitar education, and continues to do so to this day. Please visit MI.edu or call 800-255-7529 for more information.

Gitarren Bodies

African Timbers - an Exotic Touch at Ellis Guitars

African Rosewood, also known as Bubinga, comes from the Ivory Coast, Gabon and Cameroons. Bubinga is bright and rich, varying greatly in colour from pinks, oranges, reds and dark browns. The heartwood can be rose-coloured with red-purple veins and darker purple stripes. African Rosewood timber has interlocking grain, is harder and heavier than Brazilian Rosewood, and has a medium-fine texture. Bubingas pinkish mauve cast will oxidize to a brownish-red over time. African Rosewood can be plain or mottled. There are pictures of an African Rosewood classical steel string guitar on the ellisguitars.com website. There are many Mahogany species in Africa. One used in acoustic guitar making is known as Khaya Mahogany. Khaya Mahogany is found in tropical Africa and Madagascar. Khaya Mahogany is light pink to medium brown to red brown in colour. Khaya Mahogany is superior in strength to Sapele Mahogany, another African Mahogany used in acoustic guitar building. It has a m oderately coarse texture which is sometimes interlocked, sometimes straight. Interlocked grain produces a striped figure on quartersawn surfaces (best for guitars). Like most Mahogany species Khaya Mahogany guitars are warm and clear with good balance. The other Mahogany familiar to luthiers is Sapele Mahogany. Entandrophragma Cylindricum is found in West, Central and East African rain forests, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, Zaire and Tanzania. Sapele Mahogany timber has salmon pink heartwood and pale yellow sapwood. The pink heartwood can change to red brown with age. Sapele Mahogany wood has close texture with interlocking grain which changes in direction and can be regularly striped. Also it can have large irregular pores, interspersed with bands of small pores. Wavy grain produces very intense fiddleback or mottled figures making the appearance very 3D. Sapele Mahogany tonewood is heavier than other African Mahogany, but not as strong. Ovan gkol is relatively new to acoustic guitar building. Guibourtia Ehie, also known as Mozambique, Shedua, Amazoue and Amazakoue is found in West Africa, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, southern Nigeria and Gabon. Ovangkol timber heartwood is yellow brown to deep chocolate brown with gray black stripes . Ovangkol timber grain is interlocked and the texture is moderately coarse. Tonally, Ovangkol back and sides sits between strong Rosewood and the highs of Maple. Padouk is a deep coloured timber also known as Pterocarpus Soyauxii, Mbe, Mbil, Mututi, Ngula and Bosulu. Padauk or Padouk is found in Central and tropical West Africa, extending from south-western Nigeria to Zaire. The timber is bright orange or almost crimson and as guitar tonewood has good, straight grain, slightly harder and heavier than Indian Rosewood, with fine to medium texture. Padouk timber oxidizes to a darker, rich purple-brown over time. Padauk guitars have a strong tone. Wenge is a deep dark chocolate br own timber found in Zaire, Cameroon and Gabon, Africa. Millettia Laurentii tonewood is brown with evenly spaced, fine black veins and dark and light brown bands. Wenge acoustic guitar back and sides timber has a tight straight grain, across the entire width and a coarse texture. Wenge guitar tonewood is heavier than East Indian and Brazilian Rosewood and like most African timbers a Wenge guitar has a nice strong tone. Zebrawood is named for its intense stripes. Microberlinia Brazzavillensis is found in Africa, Gabon and Cameroons. Zebrawood timber has bold colours evenly striped overall with gold-tan, yellows and dark browns. The timber has coarse to very coarse grain texture, and is similar in density to East Indian Rosewood. Tonally Zebrawood has the same resonance as East Indian Rosewood. The cream of the African timbers for acoustic guitar building is African Blackwood, which is actually a Rosewood. Dalbergia Melanoxylon is purplish black to dark brown with black streaks. African Blackwood timber has a fine grain and polishes well and is said by some to be better than Brazilian Rosewood. African Blackwood tonewood has excellent response, and the taptone is fantastic.

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Key Factors That Determine The Sound Of An Acoustic Guitar

Many think that the world of acoustic guitars is fairly cut and dry and that there arent many differences in how the instruments are configured. There are so many things to consider, especially when looking to purchase. With an acoustic guitar, what you get is what you get. If you decide later that you dont like the sound of the guitar, you cant simply change the pickups like you can in an electric guitar. There are countless things that affect the sound of an acoustic guitar, some more important than others. The most important being the body style and the woods used to make the guitar. Smaller things like bracing and sound hole placement also have an effect on tonal characteristics.

1. Body Style and Size

The body style of an acoustic guitar has a larger effect on how it will sound than anything else. One doesnt necessarily sound better than another, but they do have very different characteristics. Body styles are commonly measured by the system Martin and Gibson pioneered in early acoustic guitar production.

Single Ought 0

The smallest of the bodies is called a single ought which is written as a 0. They are more commonly referred to as a parlor guitar. The first Martin guitars built in the early 1800s were this body style and were considered a large body at the time. They are ideal for fingerstyle playing and have stunning bell-like clarity especially in the higher registers. When it comes to volume, these wont knock you out of your chair but are still very responsive to touch. They are almost always 12 fret which means the neck of the guitar meets the body at the twelfth fret. In most guitars, the neck meets the body at the fourteenth fret.

Double Ought 00

The next size up, written as 00 is called the double ought. It is the same body style as the smaller single ought but is larger. These are also usually twelve fret guitars but there are a few fourteen fret models out there. These guitars also have an outstanding clarity and are capable of producing more volume than the smaller single ought. This body style is also ideal for fingerpicking but also can handle some moderately aggressive strumming. They are more bass responsive than a single ought as well.

Triple Ought 000

The next size, the 000 or triple ought, is also the same body style as the smaller 0 and 00 but larger still. They are very responsive and usually have rich bass and mid ranges. This body style is still very conducive to finger style but can also handle very aggressive strumming and flat-picking. There are many models of both twelve and fourteen fret bodies available from different brands.

OM and OMC

The OM and OMC, which stands for Orchestra Model or Orchestra Model Cutaway are nearly identical to the 000, but have a longer scale length which is the distance between the nut and saddle. The two have almost identical tonal characteristics but some players prefer a longer or shorter scale length.

M

The final and largest of the 0s is the M which is 0000. The M usually has a 16 lower bout which is the area of the body below the bridge. The lower bout is where most of the sound is produced and rings from. The M is a very well rounded instrument that really does well with all styles of playing. It is still very clear and responsive for finger style playing and can withstand the most aggressive strumming. This body style was the choice of superstar Eric Clapton when he played an M-36 to record his unplugged album. This body style is very well balanced throughout the registers and if made with the right materials is one of the loudest body styles.

Dreadnought

The most popular body style is the Dreadnought. A flatpickers dream, the most popular of all production acoustics is the D-28. The dreadnought is very different from any of the 0s. It is not choked down as much at the sound hole. Though not as well balanced as the 000 or M, the dreadnought is very bass responsive because the body is thicker. They are very punchy and cut through a mix well, especially for single note flat-picking. The dreadnought was not developed until the early 20th century and wasnt mass produced by Martin until the early 30s. Now, a pre-war D-45 (a Martin D-45 built before the end of WWII 1945) in good shape can be valued at more than a hundred thousand dollars.

Jumbo

The last body size I will talk about is the Jumbo body size. This body style is exactly as the name suggests. The jumbo is most often used for twelve string guitars but is also used frequently for six strings. Guitar manufactures, Gibson, and Guild are the most common users of the Jumbo body style. They have very rich bass and mids and can produce that knock you of your chair volume that some are looking for. They are ideal for all types of strumming but are as good for fingerpicking. The jumbo body style provides great volume but lacks in the crystal clear clarity that you get from the 0 style bodies. They are much clearer when used as a twelve string because the highs are far more present with the octave strings.

2. Type and Quality of Wood (Tonewoods)

The next very important thing to consider is the tonewoods used to make the guitar. There are endless possibilities of combinations and each produce unique tonal characteristics. Every piece of wood from the back sides and top, to the neck and fingerboard effect how an instrument will sound. Not only does the type of wood matter, but also the quality of the wood. The use of rare and exotic tonewoods significantly increases the cost of the instrument even if the woods are poor in quality.

The back and sides of the guitar are usually made from a hardwood, the two most common being Rosewood and Mahogany. The top is usually a less dense wood like spruce or cedar though sometimes makers experiment using a harder wood for the top. The fingerboard is also usually a hardwood like Ebony or Rosewood but in some cases is a synthetic material.

Rosewood

There are several different types of Rosewood used for making guitars; the most common is East Indian Rosewood. East Indian gives a very warm clear sound if paired with a spruce top, and provides rich bass response and volume. Honduran Rosewood is used less frequently and has similar properties to East Indian Rosewood. The most sought after Rosewood is Brazilian Rosewood. Thought of as the holy grail of tonewoods, it was heavily used before WWII on vintage instruments and is almost always paired with Adirondack spruce. It is becoming increasingly difficult to get a new guitar with Brazilian Rosewood because the tree is endangered and the U.S. has an embargo on its import.

A quality piece of old growth Brazilian Rosewood has stunning bass response and outstanding clarity if paired with a quality Adirondack top. If you can find a guitar with Brazilian Rosewood, you can expect to pay north of ten thousand dollars. There are a few alternatives to Brazilian that have similar characteristics and dont come with quite as high a price tag. Cocobolo is a type of Rosewood that even looks similar to Brazilian with brilliant reds and oranges. It also provides wonderful clarity. Ziricote is another type of Rosewood that is also very similar to Brazilian. It has a similar grain pattern but has more yellows and grays than reds and oranges.

Mahogany

Mahogany is the next most common wood used for back and sides. It provides a brighter sounding guitar than Rosewood and is often described as being very woody and natural sounding. It doesnt have the punch that Rosewood does and doesnt give quite as much volume. Hawaiian Koa is another type of Mahogany that grows only in Hawaii. Its tonal properties are in between Rosewood and traditional Mahogany. It is often used for Ukuleles. When paired with an Engelmann spruce top it makes for a sweet sounding fingerstyle guitar. It is often used as a top by Taylor which provides for a much darker sounding instrument but is stunning to look at. Korina is another type of Mahogany that is used on rare occasions but is more commonly used for electric guitar bodies.

Maple, Walnut, and Ebony

Some less commonly used woods are Maple, Walnut, and Ebony. Maple makes for a very bright sounding guitar with less bass response, and is often used for Jumbo guitars to help the clarity lost by the body style. Ebony is a dense wood similar to Rosewood but is almost black in color. Walnut is a good all purpose wood that has good qualities from both Rosewood and Mahogany but is not used very often.

Spruce

The top of a guitar is called the soundboard and is usually always a type of spruce. The top needs to be less dense to allow the sound to come through it. The most common type of spruce used is Sitka spruce. The grain of Sitka is very dark and usually very straight. Sitka is a good top for those who like to strum aggressively because it is the densest of the spruce family. Engelmann spruce is a much lighter grained spruce that is often paired with Koa or Maple. It is clearer and responds better than Sitka. It is a good top for fingerstlye players. Adirondack spruce, also known as red spruce is the top of choice for premier guitars. Many say it doesnt get any better than Brazilian rosewood matched with Adirondack spruce. It is considered a premium tonewood and quality pieces are becoming more and more scarce. It provides a clearer and punchier tone than Sitka, which makes for a great flat-picking top, but is also very responsive to a lighter touch for fingerstyle or classic al.

Some less commonly used tops are; Western red cedar, German spruce, Carpathian Spruce, and Redwood.

3. Materials that Make Up the Rest of the Guitar

The last thing to consider is the materials that make up the rest of the guitar. Little things can very subtly change the sound of the guitar.

The Fingerboard

If the fingerboard is made from a hardwood like Rosewood or ebony, the guitar will have better sustain than if made from a synthetic material or Micarta. The nut and saddle are also important. The standard for premium guitars is bone. Many are also a type of tusk. If the nut and saddle are made from plastic it will effect sustain.

Bracing

Last but not least, the bracing of the guitar has an effect on the sound as well. Most of bracing falls into to two categories. Straight bracing, and scalloped bracing. Scalloped bracing gives superior resonance because the braces are shaved down. The soundboard has to be braced to provide the strength needed to support the tension of the strings. This means extra wood which can dampen the sound. With scalloped bracing, there is less wood without sacrificing any strength. Scalloped bracing was used in prewar Martins and is still used in higher end instruments.

All these things play a major role in the tonal characteristics of the guitar. Everything from type and quality of tonewoods down to the way the top is braced, no matter how subtly, effects how the guitar will sound. Everyone has different tastes as to what sounds great, and the only way to find out is to try as many different combinations as you can get your hands on.

Happy strumming.

Griffbretter Gitarre

Which are the best tonewoods to look for when buying a guitar?

Which are the best tonewoods to look for when buying a guitar?

Wood is one of the largest determining factors of a guitar's sound and durability. The woods which are used to build guitars, are often referred to as tonewoods and are selected for their resonant tonal properties. These woods are not primarily chosen for cosmetic reasons, but instead are intentionally selected to give the guitar a specific sound.

The luthiers (guitar makers) at Takamine believe that the wood chosen for the top (the front of the body) is the single most important factor in determining the quality of tone of the instrument. Guitar tops are either solid (one piece of wood) or laminated (constructed from multiple layers). Solid tops are generally more expensive, but deliver greater resonance and projection, resulting in alouder and clearer sound. Another benefit of solid top guitars is that the tone often improves with age. Laminated veneer tops resonate less than solid wood because they are made from several thin plies of wood pressed together which absorbs more of the sound. However, they are cheaper and stronger which makes them a good choice for children.

The wood used in construction can take on different characteristics depending on which part of the guitar it is used for. The wood used for the neck and fretboard can also enhance or constrain the tone of the guitar as well as it's playability.

Mahogany is primarily used for the for back and sides of acoustic guitars. It is the most popular hardwood due to it's relative low-cost, durability, attractiveness, and resonance. It has considerable density compared to other woods. Mahogany-topped guitars have a strong "punchy" tone that is well suited to country blues playing and produces a solid tone with low overtone content. When used for back and sides, mahogany creates great overtone coloration. The response of rosewood is often describe d as 'quick' meaning that it is extremely dynamic, while the tone is very warm and rounded with an emphasis on the mid range. Mahogany used in the guitar neck produces a warm natural tonal range.
Koa is a dense tonewood which comes from Hawaii and has been used for soundboards since the 1920s. This hardwood produces a solid tone that responding best at the upper end of the dynamic range Koa has a somewhat more mid-range tone with the warmth of rosewood and much of the brightness of Mahogany. For back and sides, Koa tends to exhibit the same characteristics as mahogany in terms of adding tonal colouration, but it's emphasis lies with solid, pronounced mid tones, beautiful lows and well defined, but not sparkling, highs. This wood responds very well to firmer playing.


Rosewood has a beautiful range of brown and purple colours and makes a warm rich sounding guitar with great resonance and volume. Brazilian rosewood is no longer available in commercial quality or quantity and commands a high price. It has been replaced in most cases by Indian rosewood. Both types of rosewood carry a broad range of overtones offering full bass, defined but warm mids, and punchy highs. Rosewood is very highly regarded as a tonewood for building acoustic guitars. Indian rosewood has a thicker, more mid-range overall coloration. Brazilian has better clarity in the bottom and a almost bell like tone in the trebles. When used for necks, Indian rosewood can help fatten up the mid-range.


Spruce is the most commonly used wood for the soundboard or top' of the guitar. It's stiff, yet light characteristics give it a bright, clear tone. The most commonly used species being Sitka Spruce. This wood, which comes from the west coast of the United States and Canada, makes a very strong, loud guitar which has a balanced resonant sound with good sustain. Whilst not capable of retaining its clarity when played with a light touch, Sitka is an excellent choice for top wood for players whose style demands a wide dynamic response and a robust, meaty tone. Sitka shows a very strong tendency t o improve with age, perhaps more than other woods. Red spruce, like Sitka, is has a strong fundamental mixed with complex overtones. The top produces high volume whilst retaining a full, rich tone which retains clarity when played lightly and forcefully. This is one of the top woods for acoustic steel-string guitars and is generally found in the more expensive range of acoustic guitars.

Maple is a hugely popular wood for necks and fretboards and is the wood of choice for electric guitar tops. It is also used for the back and sides of some Takamine acoustic guitars. It's tonal characteristics exhibit clear upper mid range and high frequencies along with a tight, focused output and good sustain. It has the same density as hard ash, but is much easier to finish due to it's tight grain. Hard Maple is tough on factory tools so it's generally used for slimmer guitars. It really shouts with bright highs and strong upper mid-range.
< br />Different species of maple, such as big leaf, sugar, and bear-claw tend to be used for acoustic guitars. This nature of the wood allows the tonal characteristic of the top to be heard without the addition of significant tonal colouration. Maple necks can impart a bright tone helping to emphasise the top end of a large-bodied guitar.

Alder is a highly resonant lightweight wood Similar to Basswood, producing full rich tones. When used for solid-body construction, alder provides a very good low end and midrange with the best performance in the lower mid range. Alder also exhibits good high-end characteristics and sustain.

Basswood is mostly found oninexpensive guitars. It is a soft, lightweight tonewood, which is easy to work with in the factory, easy to cut, sand and finish. It's softness tends to dampen sharp highs and soften them. The softness of Basswood also often results in a weaker low end which suppresses the resonance of the sub-lows. The reduction in these outer frequencies leaves the mids pronounced in a hypothetical response curve.

Sapele is a dense tonewood with a look similar to mahogany, but with a very distinctive striped grain. Being relatively dense, the sound of Sapele is crisp, clear and bright while retaining a good level of warmth in the lower ends and lower mids. This type of wood is mainly used for the back and sides.

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Was gibt es schöneres, als die Musik die man liebt, auf einem handgearbeiteten Instrument zu spielen? Ein guter Instrumentenbauer und das passende Tonholz muss her! Ob Gitarren, Lauten oder andere Saiteninstrumente, in der Nähe findet sich sicher ein Instrumentenbauer, der das Kleinod anfertigt. Damit hat man die Möglichkeit, die Holzart zu bestimmen, aber auch Lack, Form und weitere Details. Letztlich bekommt man so sein ganz eigenes Unikat, das man mit Stolz spielt, da man weiß, dass niemand sonst so ein Instrument hat. So hat man bei der Wahl des Gitarrenbodies die Wahl zwischen schönen Hölzern wie Ahorn, Bubinga, Cedro, Europäische Esche, Erle, Mahagoni, Amarant, Korina oder Sumpfesche. Beim Griffbrett bieten sich Hölzer wie Palisander, Ebenholz, Zebrano, Jatoba und Katalox an. Bei Manuel Wemmer findet man das richtige Tonholz und immer einen guten Rat.