The relationship between musical instruments and 3D printing began some time ago, and we are slowly starting to see the first results, such as guitars and saxophones. Now it's the turn of Hovalin, the first violin created with a 3D printer. Its version 1.0 appeared in mid-October, but version 2.0 had its official debut yesterday, and I must admit it sounds quite good…
From Tradition to a 3D-Printed Instrument
The construction of musical instruments has always maintained a very traditional profile. You only need to see how the best pianos in the world are made to understand it better. Each manufacturer, and each person who places their hands on the instrument, gives it a special touch, turning it into a unique piece. On the other side, we find technology, cold and inert to some, but full of positive points to offer in instrument creation, starting with precision. In this way we arrive at 3D printers, which improve their performance with each new generation.
The first thing we observed in printed instruments was guitars. Afterwards, the saxophone by Olaf Diegel appeared. And in these last days, we crossed paths with the Hovalin violin.
Technical Details and Cost
The only technical data available about the Hovalin belongs to version 1.0, created on a Dremel Idea Builder printer, one of the most compact and easy-to-use options on the market. The total cost of materials (including the plastic and everything the printer cannot print) came to $65, a number that places it on par with other affordable violins available online. Recently, Matt and Kaitlyn Hova, responsible for the Hovalin project, published a video on YouTube showing version 2.0 of the violin, making it clear that this is a work in progress.
Challenges and Open Source
Obviously, the Hovalin is not without problems. Plans are still needed to print reduced-size versions (with the necessary corrections), and something similar happens with the chinrest. The Hovalin's license is Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-SA to be precise), and anyone interested can download the plans from its official page, or buy it in different formats (parts, complete kit, and assembled).
Personally, I think it has a more than decent sound, but if there is anyone among our readers who knows how to play the violin, it would be great if they could share their opinion and knowledge with all of us.
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