BUNDLE – In Focus 1, 2 & 3
The In Focus anthologies bring together many of the world’s most fascinating stringed instruments, with commentaries by top instrument experts.
The books feature exceptional high-quality photographs for every featured instrument and will provide inspiration for today’s makers and anyone who enjoys the beauty and variety of stringed instruments.
Don’t miss out!
20% off. Purchase all three of The Strad’s In Focus collection today, and save £24.
In Focus 3
This new collection of articles from The Strad’s long-running In Focus section brings together violins, violas, cellos and double basses by some of the greatest instrument makers in history. Instruments by famous luthiers such as Nicolò Amati and G.B. Guadagnini are featured alongside the work of less well-known names such as Domenico Degani and Joseph Marquès. Each article showcases the full-length front and back of each instrument along with close-ups and angled shots, as well as some comments on its form and construction, and a brief biography of the maker. In Focus 3 belongs on every violin maker’s shelf alongside the two previous collections.
Don't miss out! Purchase the first two In Focus collections along with this brand new third one today, and save £24 when you buy all three. Click here to purchase the In Focus 3-book bundle, saving 20%.
Great Instruments Bundle – 1, 2 & 3
Great Instruments volumes 1, 2 and 3 include authoritative and beautifully illustrated articles which provide unique insights into some of the world's most celebrated stringed instruments. With high-quality photographs throughout, these books are a must for anyone interested in the history and development of beautiful stringed instruments. See the Description below for the full list of included instruments for each beautiful volume.
Great Instruments 3
This third volume in The Strad’s Great Instruments series brings together the finest scholarship, research and analysis by some of the world’s leading experts on stringed instruments. Among the highlights are a detailed look at the 1741 ‘Vieuxtemps’ violin by Guarneri ‘del Gesù’, including an acoustic analysis by Joseph Curtin and an interview with its player, Anne Akiko Meyers. There’s also a rare examination of the ‘Boissier, Sarasate’, one of two Stradivari violins formerly owned by Pablo Sarasate, which rarely leaves its current home, the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid. And we examine some of the most extraordinary restoration jobs on fine instruments in history: the ‘Mara’ Stradivari cello, almost consigned to a watery grave, and the ‘Paravicini’ Stradivari, which took more than a year to restore to its former glory.
Full list of featured instruments
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Mara’ cello, 1711
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Cecil’ violin, 1724
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violin, 1732
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Giuseppe Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ ‘Paravicini’ violin, 1734
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Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume ‘Evangelists’ quartet, 1863
Masterclass Bundle Volumes 1 & 2: Violin Concertos & Violin Works
** SAVE £10 **
For the first time, you can now purchase our bestseller Masterclass Volume 1: Violin Concertos along with our brand new Masterclass Volume 2: Violin Works, together as a bundle. 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.
The Strad Directory 2026
Updated and expanded for 2026, the latest edition of The Strad Directory is as indispensable as ever, remaining an essential and ever-popular resource for the string world. It provides you with everything you need to fulfil your stringed instrument needs.
If you would like your business or organisation to be included in The Strad's Directory online and in print, please complete the information here and we will be in touch.
Masterclass Volume 2: Violin WorksÂ
The second volume in The Strad's best-selling Masterclass series brings together some of the greatest pieces ever written for the violin, along with commentary by many of the world's leading soloists. James Ehnes, Jennifer Koh, Philippe Graffin, Carolin Widmann, Daniel Hope and Arabella Steinbacher are among the artists passing on their hints and tips, as well as explaining their interpretations of works by Bach, Beethoven, Ravel, Tchaikovsky and many more. In addition, every artist has annotated the sheet music with their own bowings, fingerings and comments on the music – provided in association with G. Henle Verlag.
BUNDLE-The Best of Trade Secrets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
Great Instruments 2
In 2011 The Strad published a 92-page collection of articles on some of the finest violins, violas and cellos to grace its pages over the previous decade. As well as examinations of historic works such as the Amati 'King', thought to be the oldest cello in existence, and Stradivari's 1713 'Huberman' violin, now played by Joshua Bell, this new collection introduces articles on double basses by Rocca, Gofriller and Gasparo da Salò. With high-quality photographs throughout, this is a must for anyone interested in the history and development of beautiful stringed instruments.
Full list of featured instruments
- c.1550 Gasparo da Salò double bass
- Mid-16th century Andrea Amati ‘King’ cello
- 1686Â Francesco Rugeri violin
- 1710 Antonio Stradivari ‘Baron Rothschild, Gore-Booth’ cello
- 1713 Antonio Stradivari ‘Huberman’ violin
- c.1720Â Matteo Gofriller double bass
- 1726 Antonio Stradivari ‘Saveuse’ cello
- 1743 Giuseppe Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ ‘Brusilow’ violin
- 1767 José Contreras violin
- 1774 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini ‘Salabue’, ‘Berta’ violin
- c.1851Â Giuseppe Rocca double bass
- 1865Â Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume cello
Masterclass Volume 1: 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 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.
The Strad Directory 2025
Updated and expanded for 2025, the latest edition of The Strad Directory is as indispensable as ever, remaining an essential and ever-popular resource for the string world. It provides you with everything you need to fulfil your stringed instrument needs.
If you would like your business or organisation to be included in The Strad's Directory online and in print, please complete the information here and we will be in touch.
The Best of Technique
BUNDLE – In Focus and In Focus 2
The In Focus anthologies brings together many of the world’s most fascinating stringed instruments, with commentaries by today’s top instrument experts.
Both books feature exceptional high-quality photographs for every featured instrument – front, back and scroll – and will provide inspiration for today’s makers and anyone who enjoys the beauty and variety of stringed instruments.
This bundle includes:
- In Focus (with new limited edition cover)
- In Focus 2
The Strad Directory 2024
BUNDLE – The Best of Trade Secrets 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5
The Strad Directory 2023
The Best of Trade Secrets 5
The Best of Trade Secrets 4
The Best of Trade Secrets 3
The Best of Trade Secrets 2
The Best of Trade Secrets
The Strad Directory 2022
