Effect of specific gravity and annual ring width on the acoustical properties of European lumber used in violin making

유럽산 바이올린 용재의 비중과 년륜폭이 소재의 음향적 성질에 미치는 영향

This study was carried out to analyze the relationship between basic physical properties and acoustical characteristics of imported violin wood and to offer the information on raw material procurement and incoming-material quality control to domestic violin makers which have purchased most raw materials from European exporting countries at high expense. Equilibrium moisture content of European spruce with lower specific gravity after the prolonged storage was rather higher than that of European maple with higher specific gravity. The specific gravity of spruce increased with decreasing annual ring width, however, that of narrower annual ring. Increasement in specific gravity enhanced the dynamic Young's modulus of both wood species, but influenced the vibration energy loss by internal friction differently between two species. For dynamic MOE, qurater-sawn spruce was higher than the flat-sawn, but maple showed the reverse directional characteristics. Consequently, it would be well for violin makers to establish the standard for materials and quality control system to assure the quality of their violin products.