Yamaha Electric Violin YEV
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Yamaha’s new electric violins have arrived and they are impressive. These violins are the most affordable of Yamaha’s electric violins. The YEV comes in two models- a four string (the YEV104)and a five string (the YEV105). Yamaha’s inspiration for these violins came from design aspects of their acoustic guitars but retain most of the usual features of a violin. They are attractively designed with Möbius-like curves to the body.
From the beginning, they planned to make their new electric violin predominantly from wood. Yamaha used their advanced wood processing technology to achieve the finished result. These violins are crafted from six different types of wood which gives them an incredible natural beauty. The body is made of 3 types of wood; spruce, mahogany and maple. The bouts are made of five layers of walnut which combines strength and flexibility. The neck is maple and the pegs and chin rest are made of ebony. The fingerboard is made of rosewood which gives it strength. Both the four string and five string models are available with a natural wood central body or with a glossy black finish.
As the design has retained the lower bouts (or the lower curves), you can use your favourite shoulder rest. It will also fit most central shoulder rests if you prefer a different type to the one provided. The tail-piece can also be swapped out. One of the enjoyable points of difference for this electric violin is the weight. Players enjoy the light-weight feel- they only weigh about 550 grams which is not much more than a traditional acoustic instrument. It certainly feels light and is very comfortable to play. It will also fit into a normal violin case and you can use any bow.
There are several features that contribute to the great resonant and natural sound. The bridge is made of maple with an integral Piezo-electric pickup. This high quality pickup is unique to Yamaha and can also be found on Yamaha’s Silent Violins (the SV-130, SV-150 and SV-250). The pickup and electronics are passive (ie no onboard preamp) which means that no batteries are needed. The volume control knob is positioned on the back close to the neck so that you can easily make adjustments with the left hand. The signal can be muted with a volume bypass circuit breaker button located near the volume control. This can be handy for tuning between pieces. Yamaha supplies D’Addario Zyex strings with the instrument. For the 5th string on the YEV105 a D’Addario Helicore is fitted. The natural wood of the violin also contributes to its lovely natural sound. The walnut frame adds to the natural resonance during bowing.
There is a ¼ inch output jack on the back central spine. This position is sensible as this minimised any pulling on the lead as you play. A right angles lead is recommended. Being a 1/4 inch output jack means that you can use a standard electric guitar lead. The tailpiece is made of synthetic resin and has integrated fine tuners.
Yamaha is continuing to produce their line of silent violins. The Silent Violins were developed to allow silent practice for violinists living in high density housing. In contrast, Yamaha Electric Violins YEV were designed with performance in mind. Yamaha’s Electric Violins have an elegant visual impact that gives them instant stage appeal. And of course you will enjoy the warmth and clarity of its organic sound along with the affordability.
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