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Ewen MacLaine of MacLaine Violins makes and restores instruments of the violin family.
After a career in broadcasting, Ewen trained at the Newark School of Violin Making. Following a few years working in Somerset, Ewen set up a new workshop at Oxo Tower Wharf on London’s South Bank.
Working with carefully selected maple, spruce and other woods, Ewen uses hand tools and traditional techniques which date back to the methods of the classical Italian makers.
We sat down with Ewen to learn more about the violin making process:
What is the process of making a violin from start to finish? What does this involve?
Building a violin is a labour of love – expect to invest around 200 hours. The process begins with a template inspired by the great makers of the past. From this, the rib structure is formed by bending thin maple strips around shaped blocks.
Next comes the front and back plates: spruce for the top, maple for the back. Each is cut to shape, then carved into graceful arches using gouges and planes. Purfling – those delicate inlaid lines – is added before hollowing the plates to precise thickness. F-holes are cut, and the bass bar fitted.
The ribs are removed from the mold, linings added, and the back and front glued in place. With the body complete, attention turns to the neck and scroll, carved from maple with meticulous care. The pegbox is hollowed, the fingerboard fitted, and the neck set at exact angles.
Finally, the instrument is refined: edges smoothed, soundpost positioned, varnish applied. Pegs, bridge, and strings complete the transformation. From raw wood to the final product, the violin is ready to be played.
How do you source your wood and materials, and what qualities do you look for?
It starts with the wood. I purchase wood from specialist suppliers, selecting maple and spruce of the best quality available. The spruce, used for the front, should be fine-grained coming from slow-growing trees that have been carefully managed as they grew. The best maple has a good figure caused by ripple in the grain; this will result in the “flame” apparent on the back of the completed violin, which appears to move with change in the angle of light. It is essential that the wood is responsibly sourced.
How do you balance tradition and innovation in your work?
I take a traditional approach to instrument making, using tools and methods similar to those which have been used for violin making over hundreds of years.
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
While the process of making and restoration of stringed instruments has many enjoyable and rewarding elements, the most rewarding is listening to an instrument which I have made being played.
Whether you’re an avid violinist, or you’re just starting out, MacLaine Violins' bespoke handmade violins offer unparalleled craftsmanship, tailored acoustics, and a unique character.
Commission a bespoke violin of your own at MacLaine Violins: