Yamaha has reinvented the production process for the violin

[dpappas]

https://www.yamaha.com/us/yvn/

From today's NAMM.  Yamaha is machine carving thinner top wood (laminate) and then pressing into an arching that resembled a carved top.  They claim their process is so repeatable, they can swap bridged without fitting.  They also laser cut purfling grooves and fill with a resin.

I'm not suggesting Yamaha has figured out how to mass produce del Gesus, and neither are they.  I think this is a clever way to mass produce student violins, I'm curious what you all think of it.  I know pressed tops have been tried before, but this was intriguing.

Edited January 24, 2019 by dpappas

[jacklinks]

Per another article I read about it, the MSRP will be $835 (including a case and bow). 

[edi malinaric]

Mmm - I wouldn't mind trying one of their cellos made by this process.

cheers edi

[Violadamore]

30 minutes ago, dpappas said:

https://www.yamaha.com/us/yvn/

From today's NAMM.  Yamaha is machine carving thinner top wood (laminate) and then pressing into an arching that resembled a carved top.  They claim their process is so repeatable, they can swap bridged without fitting.  They also laser cut purfling grooves and fill with a resin.

I'm not suggesting Yamaha is just figured out how to mass produce del Gesus, and neither are they.  I think this is a clever way to mass produce student violins, I'm curious what you all think of it.  I know pressed tops have been tried before, but this was intriguing.

Try "has further degraded the production process".  And it has a "Poly finish"?    I think it's yet another step towards the end of civilization.  And how the heck would you work on one if anything happened to it?  I'd buy one of Glasser's carbon composite fiddles before I touched one of those squeezed out plywood and plastic things with a ten foot.......match. 

http://blog.feinviolins.com/2017/05/glasser-carbon-composite-violin-review.html

[Don Noon]

I wouldn't buy one, but I'd be much more interested in trying one of these out than a carbon fiber one.

The technical thing I'd most like to know is how they bond the layers together, and what glue.

Overall, I think it's an interesting approach:  technology instead of super-cheap labor.

[David Burgess]

Whoa, look at the string heights on the muthah. It'll make students cry out of frustration!

I wonder if the laminations are all in the same direction, or cross-grain like plywood?

[Violadamore]

4 minutes ago, Don Noon said:

I wouldn't buy one, but I'd be much more interested in trying one of these out than a carbon fiber one.

The technical thing I'd most like to know is how they bond the layers together, and what glue.

Overall, I think it's an interesting approach:  technology instead of super-cheap labor.

IMHO, you wouldn't choose either one for it's sound quality, but based on the buzz I've heard from bar-and-busk types, the Glasser is good for risky environments.  I wouldn't expect the wooden Yamaha to be as majorly water-and-impact friendly. 

[Evan Smith]

Rosewood fingerboard,,

featuring thickness distribution,,,,

DIBS!!!!

"Thickness Distribution"

the name of my next band

[dpappas]

10 minutes ago, David Burgess said:

Whoa, look at the string heights on the muthah. It'll make students cry out of frustration!

I wonder if the laminations are all in the same direction, or cross-grain like plywood?

From another press release I read, the lamination grain is the same for each layer.  Again, an interesting approach to mass production.  I'll test drive one eventually out of curiosity, but I'm not in the market for an instrument at that level anyway.

[jacklinks]

The bridges are cut from a CAD machine also. The idea is that they are interchangeable and reduce the cost of replacements. Teachers can keep a few on hand for the occasional emergency, and shops can keep them in hand to maintain their rentals. 

I wonder how interchangeable the pegs are.  Not that that would be a big issue one way or the other. But I guess they probably are interchangeable between violins (and peg holes on the same violin).

[gowan]

I saw a mention of the rental market.  Maybe these instruments would have more longevity in the rental business, which might make them appeal to people doing that.

[Rue]

Almost $1000 for that? How is that a deal?

Edited January 24, 2019 by Rue
Missing words... >:(

[jacklinks]

15 minutes ago, Rue said:

Almost $1000 for that? How is that deal?

The photo of the entire outfit does seem to include a cake of rosin, you know....

The price I saw could have been wrong, so maybe it’s lower. I don’t know.

[Bill Yacey]

2 hours ago, Violadamore said:

  I wouldn't expect the wooden Yamaha to be as majorly water-and-impact friendly. 

They might use the same process as the salad bowl manufacturers used, the ones made from thin wood laminates pressed into bowl.

[Violadamore]

30 minutes ago, Rue said:

Almost $1000 for that? How is that a deal?

Are you assuming that all deals come from the top of the deck, and that all participants are playing with a full one to start with? 

1 minute ago, Bill Yacey said:

They might use the same process as the salad bowl manufacturers used, the ones made from thin wood laminates pressed into bowl.

So why aren't they $12.98? 

[MeyerFittings]

Some upscale classical guitar makers are offering tops with spruce over graphite. 

 

[Violadamore]

Oh, well.  As this sort of thing spreads, Markies and other traditional handmade student violins will become a "step up" from "engineered materials", and are sure to appreciate.  That's good news. 

[Rue]

I've never liked those salad bowls....

[Marty Kasprzyk]

33 minutes ago, Bill Yacey said:

They might use the same process as the salad bowl manufacturers used, the ones made from thin wood laminates pressed into bowl.

Notice how the salad bowls have a horizontal flange around the perimeter similar to violin arches.  This adds considerable stiffness to the structure.  If you turn the down upside down on a flat table and push downward on the bowl it will spread outward much less than if the flange was cut off.

If you try this at home be sure to empty the bowl first.

The flanges add considerable stiffness without adding much weight which gives a similar effect of having used high radiation ratio wood. 

[Tom Fid]

3 hours ago, Violadamore said:

the Glasser is good for risky environments

I bought my son one so he could take it backpacking. It does serve that purpose, and it has a reasonable set up, per the Fein review. But:

Quote

1) Tone and playablitiy- To invoke 'The Simpsons' and my own Yiddish culture- Meh. I'm unexcited about the tone. It's consistent and even, I'll give it that. But consistent and even at a pretty low level. No warmth, slow response, and not much volume.

This unfortunately is also true. I think Glasser is overbuilding them.

3 hours ago, David Burgess said:

I wonder if the laminations are all in the same direction, or cross-grain like plywood?

Seems like lamination wouldn't get you much structurally unless you vary the direction, though it wouldn't have to be 90 degrees.

[Bill Merkel]

Those old Suzuki brand violins are made that way.  Pressed arch, which can only be done using laminated wood.  With Suzuki and Yamaha both in the game, Harley has a lot of ground to make up.

[jacklinks]

1 hour ago, Bill Merkel said:

 With Suzuki and Yamaha both in the game, Harley has a lot of ground to make up.

I’ll bet a black carbon fiber Harley Davidson violin with a big orange logo printed on the back would sell like crazy. Could get a nice orange carbon fiber bow to round out the outfit.

[Bill Yacey]

5 minutes ago, jacklinks said:

I’ll bet a black carbon fiber Harley Davidson violin with a big orange logo printed on the back would sell like crazy. Could get a nice orange carbon fiber bow to round out the outfit.

It could have straight pipes too, kind of like a modified Stroh.

[MarkBouquet]

Yamaha products always sell for substantially less than the msrp. If the msrp is $835, the street price will likely be under $600.

[baroquecello]

Well, it is not what I would call an attractive violin. But truth be told, I still have to see the first Yamaha Instrument that wasn't at least ok value for money. So I wouldn't be surprised if it actually is quite passable as a Beginners Instrument, and that their Claims of making a Laminate Sound ok are true.