...While it may not look like it; the plates of a full sized professional violin are only about 2 1/2 mm thick in many places (0.100") of the top and back plates; the ribs are only 1mm thick (0.040"); and the entire violin strung up and ready to play (including the weight of the chin rest - about 50 grams), only weighs about one pound (454 grams) and lighter is considered better for sound production and ease of playing {providing the correct plate frequency can be maintained; {about 322HZ for top plate and 353HZ for the back plate}.
...If the plates are too thin, the sound produced will be responsive but thin and hollow sounding; too thick and the sound will lack the rich low range and be slow to develop. The goal (although difficult) is to select the best compromise for the range of music the violin is meant to generate.
...This is somewhat further complicated by the effects of U.V. (ultra violet) light on the surface of wood which will raise the tone of the wood (thus affecting the sound generated) over time. Another major factor is that the best old Italian violins were made with a special 'ground' layer (first application) when varnishing the completed instrument that hardens the surface of the wood in such a way as to drastically effect the way it transmits sound; it also has a large influence on how thin you can make the violin wood plates. If you will be using a successful ground system then you can use thinner wood plates and still achieve the same overall plate frequencies, but the finished instrument will be lighter and quicker to respond and probably louder with better sound projection as well.
...(Please see separate article covering "ground layer of varnish and its effects".)
...If you will not be using such a ground system (as most now days do not) then you will be using a plate graduation plan which has slightly thicker wood plates.
...We want the finished instrument to have plate tones of 322HZ top plate and 353.5 HZ back plate with the tap tones even all over the plate (except the edges and ends of the plates which are left thicker for strength) so we need to graduate our plates with this goal in mind.
...In more general terms, we want the back plate to be about one full tone (whole step note) higher in tone than the front plate when they are both bare wood. This is because the top plate will increase in frequency more than the maple of the back plate over time (with ultra violet light absorption).
...I want to share the graduation plan I currently use which is an adaptation of both Stradivari and Guarnarie graduation plans modified go give close to ideal plate frequencies; as well as to keep finsihed violin weight to about 400 grams; ready to play but not counting the chin rest.. I recently regraduated seven violins with it and consider the results excellent. Send in for audio CD if you would like to hear results ($ 2.00 cost with shipping).
{I suggest that if you are considering using a ground system (before varnishing) to please allow for its tone raising effects (with U.V. light exposure) before graduating the violin plates.}: In any case, please expose the external surfaces of the violin plates to U.V. light (or natural sunlight) until the frequency stops increasing before final graduation of the inside of the plates; other wise, the plate frequency will increase over time as it is exposed to sunlight, which will throw off the ideal plate frequencies we are trying so hard to attain.
...Over the years, I have modified the graduation plans, each time improving the completed violin sound.
...This current set of graduation plans is the result of about nine years of experimentation and evaluation. It will give both professional finished instrument weight and rich low tones while maintaining correct plate frequencies for good overall sound quality.
...You can mail the information to me at:
David Langsather, Violin Maker
3425 Fairhaven Avenue N.E.
Salem, Oregon, USA 97301
(503) 364-8685 PST