A group of Americans (sorry guys but it was) who were studying Stradavarious violins and trying to work out why they were so good visited a luthier in UK. A well respected luthier trading from a shop London and supplying violins to many major orchestral players throughout the world - so not just any Tom Dick or Harry (actually a John!)

They had analyised the glue he used and found traces of iron in it whch they attributed as contributing to the sound quality of the violin. They wanted an opinion.

John took them in to his workshop and began stirring his glue pot thoughtfully, 'theres the answer' he said! The visitors were bemused.

He stirred his glue pot with a metal stirrer and the glue pot was (like many or all glue pots) cast iron - so where did the iron come from? The visitors left crestfallen to say the least. John very amused.

In his opinion Strad was an artist who produced instruments of incredible quality using the same materials and methods as everyone else, as far as we know. No finite reasons for his success have ever been found despite research in to timber, glues, sizes, timber thicknesses etc.

I could still make one sound like a 70 squids japanese mass produced model! I think this bow thing is very similar.

Post script(s)

I wonder if Stradavarious did produce any dodgey ones that have not survived? I like Amati's anyway - not that I will ever own one.... I have held one ....nearly as good as sex....OK I need to get out more.

Andy