What makes a great violin?

I believe we've all experienced it. People write articles and essays about it. It fills vast orchestras and intimate chamber music. From klezmir to heavy metal, rock to commercials, TV shows, radio programs, improv groups, solo and harmony, it's everywhere, but what is it?

I recently found this article summarizing a study conducted by MIT in partnership with the North Bennett Street School violin making program in Boston, MA. (Here is the article: http://phys.org/news/2015-02-key-features-boost-violins-acoustic.html)

One thing is certain. The Sound of the violin-family is fascinating. If you have any experience playing, making, or listening to the violin or any of its relatives, what's your experience, and what makes it so special? All comments welcome!

Resources

Here are some resources I've found very helpful! If you would like to add, please contact me or post in the comments!

Here are some super-helpful links:

https://tinwoodviolin.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/free-violin-plans/

http://platetuning.org/

http://makingtheviolin.com/ 

Here are a couple violin makers I've been in touch with who are very helpful in alphabetical order:

Colin Gallihue
2014 VSA Gold medal winner, I rode to the event with him and he helped me get started by sharing his knowledge about tools and his process. New York, NY, US
http://www.reedyeboahviolins.com/maker2012/collin-gallahue/ 

David Hawthorne 
Bow maker with many insights and high standards. I really like what he says about doing it again until it is "perfect," and knowing what a great violin sounds like. Boston, MA, US
http://www.violinbows.net/

Harold Golden
Knowledgeable about the Italian sound, experiments with the sound of his instruments. Philadelphia, PA, US
http://goldenviolins.com/ 

Helmut Ulrich 
Blind & self taught violin maker I met at the VSA, recently featured on German TV. Mittenwald, Germany
http://helmut-ulrich.de/ 

John Schmidt 
Makes amazing knives (I use his 1/4" and 3/4"), offers free violin classes, excellent website, very helpful! Laurinburg, NC, US
http://jpschmidtviolins.com/

Kevin Kelly 
Soft spoken maker and player with videos about drawing violin-family instruments, let me borrow some tools. Boston, MA, US  
http://kellyviolins.com/
 
Otis Thomas
Commissioned violin maker with a spiritual outlook on violin making as a craft, science, and art. Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada
http://www.fiddletree.com/