The body of the violin is made completely of wood. The top of the instrument is generally cut from spruce, while the back and ribs are made of maple, a wood which sports an artistic flame (the "stripes" in wood).
The under part of the neck is generally cut from flamed maple, matching the back of the instrument. The fingerboard is nearly always ebony.
Today, the scroll and pegbox are carved from the same piece of maple as the neck, although old instruments often had grafted scrolls. The pegs are cut from ebony, rosewood or boxwood.
The bridge, the small carved piece that holds up the strings, is made of maple. The tailpiece, where the strings are attached at the bottom of the instrument, is generally made from the same wood as the pegs, whether it be ebony or other lighter woods.
The string material varies greatly with the quality of the strings and the sound desired. They can be simply steel strings or steel wound with a synthetic core. E-strings are often gold plated, which produces a brighter tone than other metals. Very high-quality or old instruments may use gut strings, which are actually made from sheep's intestines.