About a strad.A genuine strad is actually crudly made.There is a violin making school in italy and it is said if someone was to make an exact copy of a strad he would fail.A genuine strad is not perfect in shape, it may have some flat spots in the body ect.A handmade instrument maker never makes the exact samething twice.I should know, i hand make guitars, everything by hand, and no 2 guitars are the same, there is always a difference no matter how small it is.For anyone out there who has a strad, or think they have, if it is perfect in shape ect, it probally isnt a strad, if it has mistakes , it may well be.For all those experts out there with their comments on sound, reason why old strads ect sound so good, is because of the wood.You cant get 200yo wood these days, as the wood ages, it sounds better.Thats the secret, old wood!!