Baroque Violin after Nicolò Amati 1649 – the ‘Alard’

The Amati ‘Alard’ is the instrument that really got me excited about violin making many years ago. I held it in my hands at the Ashmolean museum in Oxford and fell in love with it’s wonderful arching, deep fluting and long corners. The workmanship of Nicolò will always be an inspiration and a challenge to emulate. You can read my thoughts and approach to early violin making here.

The instrument below features a maple purfled fingerboard and tailpiece in the manner of originals as well as in many paintings of the period

Baroque Violin after Stainer 1679.

Violin after Jacob Stainer 1679 in baroque setup. This wonderful original is one of the very few that remain in an unaltered condition, even the pegs are original. It gives clear information on the angle of the neck and height of fingerboard etc. Stainer instruments are very similar in style to those of the Amati family. The instrument below has maple veneered fingerboard and tail piece based on originals and the pegs are of boxwood and bone. It has a wonderful full and sweet tone.