The Best of Trade Secrets 6
The April 2005 edition of The Strad saw the first in a new regular section: Trade Secrets, in which violin and bow makers would share the technical tips and tricks that they’d worked out for themselves and wanted to share with their peers. Almost two decades later, Trade Secrets is still a mainstay of the magazine, having featured over 200 fully illustrated parts of the making process penned by more than 140 makers around the world. This latest collection brings together 35 of the most recent articles, drawn from the magazine’s pages since the pandemic year of 2020.
Antonio Stradivari ‘Boissier Sarasate’ violin 1713 poster
Made during Antonio's Stradivari's so-called 'golden period', the 1713 'Boissier, Sarasate' is in an excellent state of preservation. Housed in the museum of the Madrid Royal Conservatoire, it has rarely been played since it was left to the music school by its last owner, the Spanish virtuoso Pablo Sarasate. This poster includes full outlines and measurements taken from a state-of-the-art 3D scan of the instrument.
'The surface retains a very good amount of varnish. It is remarkable that it has not been ‘protected’ with a layer of French polish, making it ever more outstanding and appreciated in today’s shop standards. The colour of the varnish is a light reddish-brown over Stradivari’s wonderful golden ground.' – Roberto Jardón Rico in the January 2024 issue of The StradOur posters are shipped separately from other products. One tube can hold up to 10 posters. Save on postage costs by purchasing up to 10 posters per tube today.
The Strad Calendar 2024: The Fulton Collection
American collector David L. Fulton amassed one of the 20th century’s finest collections of stringed instruments. This year’s calendar pays tribute to some of these priceless treasures, including Yehudi Menuhin’s celebrated ‘Lord Wilton’ Guarneri, the Carlo Bergonzi once played by Fritz Kreisler, and four instruments by Antonio Stradivari.
The Strad Directory 2024
‘De Munck’ Stradivari cello 1730 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘King Carlos IV’ violin 1709 poster
The ‘King Carlos IV’ is one of the few instruments remaining from the collection of the Spanish king, who ruled from 1788 to 1808. Made during Stradivari’s ‘golden period’, it is one of the rare examples that is so well preserved that its sound is seldom matched by other violins of the era. The maple back has deep, wide flames descending slightly, which shimmer like water in the light. The scroll is incredibly round and bold, displaying an ultimate strength in making.
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Harrison’ violin 1693 poster
A perfect example of Stradivari's Long Pattern, the 'Harrison' was for many years the principal performing instrument of Kyung Wha Chung. It is now part of the collection of the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota, US.
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The Best of Trade Secrets 5
The Best of Technique
Masterclass: Violin Concertos
The Strad’s Masterclass series brings together the finest string players with some of the greatest string works ever written. Always one of our most popular sections, Masterclass has been an invaluable aid to aspiring soloists, chamber musicians and string teachers since the 1990s. Now, in association with publisher G. Henle Verlag, The Strad is releasing the best of its Masterclasses as a bespoke anthology series.
The Best of Trade Secrets 4
The Best of Trade Secrets 3
The Best of Trade Secrets 2
The Best of Trade Secrets
Girolamo Amati II violin 1671 poster
The son of Nicolò Amati, Girolamo Amati II was the last instrument maker of the illustrious Amati dynasty. Although he made fewer violins than his forebears, the ones that have survived show the work of a skilled luthier in his prime. This violin, made in the early part of his career, is a pristine example of his craftsmanship and shows many stylistic similarities to the work of his father. It is now housed in the Royal Academy of Music.
’The maple is delicately figured on the back and ribs, and plain for the neck-block. It has been perfectly quarter-cut. Unevenly scattered bearclaw figure ruffles the surface of the one-piece spruce front' – Barbara Meyer in the July 2022 issue
Read more in The Strad
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G.B. Guadagnini ‘Cozio’ viola 1773 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Archinto’ viola 1696 poster
Includes measurements, thickness and arching maps.
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Carlo Bergonzi ‘Baron Knoop’ violin 1735 poster
Includes measurements, thickness and arching maps and life-size micro-CT scans.
SUBSCRIBERS RECEIVE A FOLDED COPY OF THE 'BARON KNOOP' POSTERÂ FREE WITH THE JULY 2021 ISSUE
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The Strad Directory 2021
Antonio Stradivari ‘Willemotte’ violin 1734
Poster includes measurements, thickness maps and life-size CT scans.
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Antonio Stradivari 1694 ‘Benecke’ violin
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Nicolò Amati ‘Romanov’ Viola 1677 Poster
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In Focus 2
The Strad ’s second compilation of fascinating articles, written within the last 5 years, brings together fine instruments by some of the world’s greatest instrument experts. In this new anthology, every instrument has been given three pages to include more close-up photographs, archings, angles and tiny details.
Antonio Stradivari ‘Gustav Mahler’ viola 1672 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Cecil’ violin 1724 poster
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‘Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ 1741 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Dancla’ violin 1708 poster
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Francesco Rugeri violin 1686
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Saveuse’ cello 1726 poster
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José Contreras violin 1767 poster
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Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ ‘Brusilow’ violin 1743 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Huberman’ violin 1713 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Benvenuti’ Violin 1727 poster
Full-colour micro-CT scans, with all the scanned images actual-size reproductions of the instrument.
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Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ ‘Plowden’ violin 1735 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Messiah’ violin 1716 poster
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Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ ‘Cessole’ violin 1736 poster
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Jacob Stainer tenor viola c. 1650 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Titian’ violin 1715 poster
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Nicolas Lupot violin 1808 poster
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Brothers Amati cello c.1600 poster
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Henry Jaye viol 1618 poster
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Carlo Bergonzi violin 1736 Poster
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Gasparo da Salò double bass c.1550 poster
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Domenico Montagnana violin 1717 poster
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‘Kruse’ Stradivari violin 1721 poster
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Andrea Amati violin c.1566 poster
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Pietro Guarneri of Mantua violin 1704 poster
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Carlo Giuseppe Testore violin c.1703 poster
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‘Schneider’ Gofriller cello 1693 poster
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G.P. Maggini violin c.1630 poster
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‘Alard’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1742 poster
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‘Milanollo’ Stradivari violin 1728 poster
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G.B. Rogeri violin 1704 poster
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Nicolò Amati violin 1666 poster
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Pietro Guarneri of Venice violin 1735 poster
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‘Kochanski’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1741 poster
One of The Strad's most popular posters is now available with brand new artwork showing the 1741 'Kochanski' Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ in all its glory.
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‘Muir-Mackenzie’ Stradivari violin 1694 poster
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Lachmann Schwechter Guadagnini violin 1776 poster
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Jacob Stainer violin 1679 poster
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Alessandro Gagliano ‘Rotondo’ violin 1710 poster
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Cremona map 1580 poster
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Giuseppe Guarneri ‘filius Andrea’ violin 1705 poster
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‘Kreisler’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1733 poster
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In Focus
For a limited time only, The Strad is issuing the first in the In Focus series with a beautiful, new limited edition cover.
This collection of articles from The Strad’s long-running In Focus series brings together more than 80 fascinating stringed instruments, with commentaries by some of today’s top instrument experts.
Makers include Antonio Stradivari, Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ and G.B. Guadagnini, but also lesser-known masters such as Paul Knorr, Dante Baldoni, Charles Nicolas Altermatt and many others. This makes it an essential resource for anyone seeking to extend their lutherie knowledge into areas and makers whose work is more rare, and a significant addition to the lutherie literature.
In Focus features exceptional high-quality photographs for every featured instrument – front, back and scroll – this book will provide inspiration for today’s makers and anyone who enjoys the beauty and variety of stringed instruments.
Guarneri Del Gusu Heifetz, 1742
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Gibson viola, 1734
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Tuscan’ Medici’ Stradivari viola, 1690
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Maggini Contralto viola poster
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Domenico Montagnana cello 1740
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Andrea Amati ‘King’ cello poster
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G.B. Guadagnini 1774 Salabue Berta Violin poster
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Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume cello 1865 poster
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Pietro Giacomo Rogeri cello 1717 poster
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‘Viotti’ Antonio Stradivari violin 1709 poster
One of the top Stradivari violins in the world, the 1709 'Viotti' helped to establish the master's name – thanks to its illustrious owner. The powerful tone and brilliance of sound created by this exceptional combination of instrument and performer (G.B. Viotti) helped to create the Stradivari legend. Includes measurements
‘The whole instrument seems to have been designed to be light, to exploit the minimum mass of wood in the plates and ribs which could support a low but characteristically stiff arching. The arching is full and seems undistorted and extremely regular. The front is delicately worked with a reverse gradation of 2.5–3mm around the perimeter reducing to 2mm in the centre. Yet still the arching is firm, with no sign of collapse around the fs or excessive pressure from the soundpost.’ – John Dilworth in the March 2006 issue
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Matteo Gofriller violin 1700 poster
A classic example of the great Venetian's work: his own pattern with glorious varnish and individual wood selection. Includes measurements
'The violin's hollowed edge is characteristic and the purfling is swept across the corner in Stradivari fashion. The f-holes are typical of the Cremona-influenced Tyrolean makers – based on the Brothers Amati but wider and upright in stance. Over the wood Gofriller laid the most supple varnish, which often seems to have no substance at all but is steeped into the wood, turning it a deep burgundy colour. Beneath the dark patina there is a slight rose-madder tint to the red.' – John Dilworth in the December 2000 issue of The Strad
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G.B. Guadagnini viola 1785 poster
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‘Conte Vitale’ Andrea Guarneri viola c.1676 poster
An important instrument from the first maker to concentrate on the smaller-pattern viola. Includes measurements.
‘Guarneri’s scrolls are always charming and totally distinctive. Careless in cutting the central eye perfectly round, he left a little tail into the first turn of the volute that is a Guarneri trademark, giving the bonus of having two different scrolls to enjoy either side of the one head. The fluting carries right round the front of the head and is very cleanly finished at the throat, ample testimony to Guarneri’s skill. What finally elevates this viola to highest rank is its almost entire coat of fine yellow varnish.’ – John Dilworth in the October 1996 issue.
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‘Sleeping Beauty’ Montagnana cello 1739 poster
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Brothers Amati tenor viola 1592 poster
A fine example of the rarely played tenor viola, which set the standard for all the great Cremonese makers. Includes measurements
‘Generally the workmanship, though clean and delicate, lacks something of the usual pristine quality which one would normally associate with a Brothers instrument. Fortunately true art is seldom precise and the majestic beauty of this head is not marred by any shortfall in mathematical symmetry.' – Roger Hargrave in the March 1993 issue
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‘Alard’ Amati violin 1649 poster
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Andrea Amati violin 1564 poster
The beauty of the workmanship, tonal properties and rich decoration of this royal instrument has seldom if ever been matched or surpassed. Includes measurements.
'For his scrolls, Andrea seems to have gone directly back to Nature itself. The concept was mathematically and optically so perfect that what followed over the centuries could only be a steady degeneration' – Roger Hargrave in the December 1991 issue of The Strad.
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‘Servais’ Stradivari cello 1701 poster
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Lord Wilton’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1742 poster
Once the concert instrument of Yehudi Menuhin, this magnificent violin makes an interesting contrast with the ‘Alard’ of the same year
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