3D printing as we know it still feels like it’s in its infancy, which makes creations like this 3Dvarius violin all the more impressive for its sheer beauty and function in the face of a rapidly growing tech sub-market.

As you might’ve guessed, the 3Dvarius takes its name from the famed Stradivarius violin. While it may not sound like the famed instrument of the Stradivari family, it certainly seems to be, ahem, carving out its very own space in the stringed music world. Incredibly, the 3Dvarius isn’t even in its final stages. The insanely awesome music you hear in the video above is coming from a prototype that’s still essentially in beta.

The strings and wooden bridge (and I’m assuming the output jack) on the 3Dvarius are the only pieces which didn’t originate from the CAD file. But with the rate at which 3D printing is accelerating, a future where musical instruments and all of thier components can be printed is not just a probability, it’s an inevitability.

The musician in the video, Laurent Bernadac, uses an array of loop and effect pedals with practical instruments (like the tambourine) while he jams out on the 3Dvarius. My favorite aspect of the 3Dvarius has less to do with its musicality and more with its appearance; take away the strings, the bridge and the output, and you’ve got a piece of polymer that looks like a translucent squid you might find at the depths of the ocean. Electric violins often look less like their acoustic counterparts than the electric versions of other instruments, but this one in particular, with its transparent aquatic visage, is a beauty and a beast.

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HT: Fast Company

IMAGE: 3Dvarius