A luthier is someone who makes and maintains string instruments, primarily those consisting of a sound box and a neck. The name originates from the French luth, meaning lute, which is a traditional stringed instrument with a short neck and deep, curved teardrop-shaped body. More similar to a guitar than a violin or other more orchestral instruments, the lute has a fretted neck, which leads up to the head of the instrument. Equally aesthetic and functional, this design is one of careful geometric precision and is constructed predominantly out of wood. The resonance and tone of the instrument depends on a variety of factors, including the shape of the body, the type of wood used, the finish of the wood and the harmony between all of these elements created by the artist themselves: the luthier.