[Bonus Edition 2] Violin Materials: The Story of Tiger Flame - Real or Fake?

This is the real thing.

When I posted an image of a Tokai LS80 in my previous bonus edition blog, I overheard comments like, "That's a pretty plain tiger flame," or "There's no flame at all."

In the past, even this was considered a Les Paul with a tiger flame. Certainly, by the late 80s, the term "Bari-tora" (super flame) had emerged, and the original manufacturer, Gibson, was also frantically putting out instruments made of intense flame wood of mysterious origin. "Is this actually even maple?" I thought to myself back in 1993, while dusting a Gibson Les Paul Classic Plus with such intense flame at the shop in Ikebukuro where I served as assistant manager.
"I like mine precisely because it's the kind of flame my Tokai has, though..."

Let me write a little bit about "The Story of Tiger Flame," which never ceases to fascinate flame-lovers around the world. I feel like I can't beat AI on this kind of topic, so this is strictly my own opinion. If you want textbook-perfect knowledge about tiger flame, please go visit Gemini or somewhere else.

Do you believe in AI validation no matter what?

Even though I’m suggesting for you to try it for yourself, I decided to have a chat with Gemini about tiger flame myself. However, I’ll make sure to be careful not to talk about AI-sourced info as if it were knowledge gained through my own experience.

Me: Click-clack-click (typing on the keyboard) "Search for information about tiger flame." Clack (hit Enter).

Gemini： Beep, beep-beep-beep, whirrr (it doesn't actually make these sounds).

That concludes the report from Gemini.
It’s concise, with a writing style that appeals to people who love bullet points—simply fascinating.

In this way, since one can obtain a general (albeit superficial) level of knowledge about anything nowadays just by asking AI, there seems to be no need for me to rack my brain. Well then, until next time, stay well and goodbye.

......Silence......

Hey, now. I thought I heard a sigh saying, "Come on, at least dig one step deeper," so let's find something to talk about.

The part of Gemini's response that caught my eye was, after all, this:

In today's society, it seems you can't grab people's attention unless you include the word "High-quality" or "Expensive." Is being "high-end" or "expensive" really a requirement for tiger flame? And it even name-dropped "Gibson." AI, you have no class.

It's not just high-end items; there are very affordable instruments with tiger flame out there.

As I spend my days inspecting violins, I see instruments with tiger flames quite often.
As Gemini said, the frequency of occurrence isn't high, but you do see individual units of low-priced violins with tiger flame on the back plate.

Violins from Sound House's PLAYTECH brand are generally part of an affordable series.
Currently, in the lineup, the PVN744E, PVN744A, and PVN644 almost always use flamed wood.

First up is the PVN644. The photo at the beginning of this article is also the PVN644. It makes quite an impact.

PLAYTECH / PVN644 Violin 4/4

PVN744A. It looks subtle here, but in reality, it is a bit more distinct. It has an elegant atmosphere.

PLAYTECH / PVN744A Violin 4/4 Advanced Model

PVN744E. The instrument itself has an antique finish. This tiger flame is also on the subtle side, but this distressed look creates an air akin to an Old Italian violin.

PLAYTECH / PVN744E Violin 4/4 European Model

There are also many individual units of the PVN544 with tiger flame.

PLAYTECH / PVN544 Outfit Violin Set 4/4

The back plate is a one-piece. On the Sound House product page, the image shows a two-piece unit joined at the center, but rarely, one-piece units like this appear. It’s truly nice.

For the PVN344 (including fractional sizes in the 300 series) and PVN244, most are originally plain wood, meaning material without tiger flame or other figures), but occasionally I see instruments with a tiger flame.

Recently, an instrument like this appeared in a fractional PVN310 (1/10 size). I wonder which household it will end up in? I placed the 4/4 size in the background for a size comparison.

PLAYTECH / PVN310 Violin 1/10

The atmosphere is already that of a "masterpiece."

Even for the PVN244, instruments like this occasionally appear.

PLAYTECH / PVN244 Violin 4/4

It’s a one-piece. This is also very nice.

And then there is the lowest-priced model, the PVN144. It uses a back plate like this.

PLAYTECH / PVN144 Violin 4/4

What a beautiful back plate—and a one-piece at that.
You've probably noticed by now. That's right, this is not a solid-wood instrument. It is an instrument made by pressing "plywood with a tiger-flame veneer attached" to create the arch.

And here is the ultimate example.
The latest electric violin from PLAYTECH, the PEV244BR. This tiger flame is a "print." A printed decorative paper is applied to the surface. It is so well done that you would never know that it was printed.

PLAYTECH / PEV244BR Electric Violin Brown 4/4

While you can't exactly call the veneer on the PVN144 or the decorative paper on the PEV244 "fakes," they are not carved tiger-flame materials. However, the fact that they are making things at a level where you can't tell if it’s real just by glancing at an image is an amazing feat.

In this day and age, where the stereotype that "an instrument with tiger flame is a good instrument" has been ingrained worldwide, many violins like these are being produced to meet the demand of people who want a violin with a flame.

I could write all sorts of things about wood figures in instruments, but unfortunately, writing too much is also not a good thing, so let’s get straight to the conclusion today.

Here is the question you all want to ask:

"Tiger flame. Does it affect the sound? What is the merit of buying an expensive instrument with flame?"

My answer, without using Gemini:

Because materials with tiger flame are generally hard, the factors that bring about a positive effect on sound are not 100%. The tone is determined by the thickness of the material during production, but if it is too thick, the result will be an instrument that doesn't ring.
The sound of a violin (and instruments in general) is not determined by the back plate alone; the character of the material as a whole, the precision of the craftsmanship, how it is set up, the type of strings used, the bow used, and the personality of the player all directly link to the sound. There are plenty of instruments with plain wood that sound great, and while tiger flame is an element that captivates the eyes of the viewer, it could be said that it is not the factor that decides the sound.

However, choosing an instrument blindly is impossible. If you were to pick one with the best sound (the one you liked), you might find it was an unexpectedly cheap instrument. Then, if you compared that instrument with the ones that didn't make the cut, you might find yourself actually liking the rejected ones more. You might even think that your feeling that the sound was good was just an illusion or a lapse in judgment. Humans are vague creatures like that.

When it comes to shopping for things related to "sound quality," like instruments or audio gear, there is a real lack of a deciding factor.
Some women might choose a guitar by thinking, "I don't care about the sound or the flame, but this guitar is pink and cute," and some older gentlemen might choose speakers based on brand and design.

Thinking about it this way, if you’re so set on having a tiger flame as something you have to have, it might be healthier to have the mindset that you will "grow" the sound as you use it.

While PLAYTECH violins are affordably priced, you can get an instrument that doesn't look inferior to high-end products. The PVN744E, which uses European materials, is particularly recommended. It’s a fine instrument.

I’m sure you will be satisfied. Wait... this unit doesn't have any tiger flame??
As I mentioned earlier, tiger flame does not necessarily equal high-quality materiall. You could say that appreciating a texture closer to plain wood like this is a sensibility of the advanced player.

I'll say it flat out: the tiger flame isn't everything. However, please understand that there are individual differences.
Until next time.