Why are luthiers still influenced by antique violin makers?

Building a violin, a cello or a viola with personal shapes and dimensions is always the right choice for Atelier Cesarini. But there are exceptions, some works are certainly inspired by the well-known stradivarian shapes and by dimensions of antique violin makers (Amati, Guarneri, Gasparo da Salò). Perhaps the most used, in general in violin making, is the “Cremonese” violin template (faciebat Stradivari, year 1715).

The experimentation, of the various and possible forms of stringed instruments, has been widely done in the past years. Today it is difficult to reinvent something new in this sector.

The dimensions and volumes of classical lutherie have kept them unaltered, since the timbre of the instrument as it was conceived in the past, has been achieved following many empirical tests, which have fixed the sound canons in the ears of musicians and authors, who are past or modern.

It comes naturally to a classical orchestra musician, wanting to replicate the “sound” of a certain repertoire of the period, through an arched instrument that does not go too far from the known.

Conceiving sounds in an abstract and inventive way is a luxury that unfortunately does not belong to the classical repertoire (it is called “classic” also for this reason). The canons are there, getting out from those, can lead to the non-compatibility of the musician with this world.

here you can see a restoration of an old violin. we’ll give you also some advice to understand antique instruments value