‘Cut the Stradivari cord’ - Opinion

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It’s pearl-clutching time for my lutherie brothers and sisters! Throughout my journey as a luthier I’ve only ever made one Stradivari model instrument – and that was earlier this year and potentially debatable, considering I chose to work from the 1726 ‘Chanot–Chardon’ cornerless model.

It’s not that I have anything against the world’s most recognisable name in lutherie – like most luthiers, I’ve studied those elegant sweeping corners and sighed over the golden-toned varnish in Cremona’s Museo del Violino; but there are so many other beautiful instruments to take inspiration from! Is it time, then, to cut the Stradivari cord and start exploring the remarkable canon of other makers’ works?…