The bow is a vital piece of any string instrument that often gets taken for granted. It should not be treated just like a tool, it needs to be treated as a separate instrument for your instrument. Meaning, that just like how you did research to look for your next instrument, is the same process in selecting the right bow for your violin. Some intermediate players are at a dead-end, clueless on what they should do next to improve their playing when all they had to do is replace their old stock bows to newer and better ones.

Using custom-made bows as your new instrument piece will definitely give improvement to playing. In starting fresh on a new bow, you will notice that the sound you are making is more rich and smoother to the ear. This is because the materials on the bow, especially the strings, are specialized to sound good in contact with your violin strings. Your audiences will immediately notice a more refined sound because the bow makes it possible for your tone to cut through any room more compared to stock bows.

The Finkel Bows are good examples of bows that are crafted to make your playing comfortable and with good precision. These bows are made from quality ebony frogs, pernambuco wood, and silver wrapping for style. With a bow like this, you will never worry about taking your sound and playing to the next level.

If you want to learn more about Finkel bows, click here. For our Finkel Bow available in store, here is a link.

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To address this problem, Whitehorse Music sees to it that every instrument you buy from the store is carefully adjusted with parts well-polished for an excellent play-through. With our in-house Pro Set-Up, musicians can rest assured that they are taking home ready to play instruments. Customers can also expect professional solutions for their instrument queries coming from our String Specialists.

From the bridge to the nut, we got you all covered. For an in-depth look at how our Pro Set-Up works, please refer to the image below:

Thumbnail Photo by Tom Swinnen from Pexels

Welcome ladies and gents to Whitehorse Music blog! I will be discussing in this section two exceptional violins that would be a really great choice for professional violinists and intermediate students. Getting to know the Andrea Schudtz Violin and a 1930 William E. Hill and Sons Violin will provide you another set of options in your quest to find a violin that resonates with you most.

First up is the Andrea Schudtz Violin. This is a violin that is made by a master luthier named, quite obviously, Andrea Schudtz. I actually met Andrea a few years back in a giant trade show in Shanghai, China. He is known by most violinists for the incredible craftsmanship and the quality of his string instruments.

For a bit of background, Andrea attended violin making lessons from renowned teachers of the Cremona style of violin making. In case you don’t know, Cremona is the birthplace of violins and the home of the most famous masters like Stradivari, Guarneri, and Amati. Andrea patterns his works after the designs and principles of these geniuses while at the same time adding his own distinct touch.

The Andrea Schudtz Violin can be rightfully called an art. Masters like Andrea put their reputation at stake every time they make a violin. Thus, there is a need for meticulous planning, including the design and the materials used.

For this violin, seasoned and top quality spruce makes the sounding board. High quality maple is also utilized in the usual places like the neck, back, and sides. For the fingerboard, nut, and other parts, expensive ebony is the material of choice. To bring out the best of the wood, top quality varnishing is applied. A method of antiquing is also used to make the violin look much older than it actually is. The result is an extremely well made violin with amazing aesthetic appeal.

A consistent feature of Andrea Schudtz’s Violin is the depth of its lower strings. I have not received a violin from his workshop that does not ooze with depth and fullness. More so, once you play the lower strings it never gets distorted. If you must know, there are other violins with high price tags that sometimes get distorted particularly when you push it more.

The violin is also very clear all throughout. This is a very nice quality for a violin since it allows you some advantage when playing. You do not have to exert more effort than necessary to create a distinct sound. Clarity allows you to be heard by everybody in attendance. It allows the audience to hear the notes as they are supposed to sound.

If you have seen the video of this review, you might notice a very peculiar part of the violin. The tailpiece used in this Andrea Schudtz Violin is not your usual one. This violin uses a ZMT tailpiece which allows longer bottom strings compared to the top ones. There is quite an interesting result with the use of this tailpiece. The extra length of the E string, when you pluck it, emits a sound that is an octave higher than your normal open D string! There is an overall improved resonance, strength, and clarity all throughout.

The violin is around 20,000 AUD, but if you get 10, you get one for free! Although it is a bit expensive, you can never argue about its craftsmanship and sound quality.

The second violin in this section is a 1930 William E. Hill and Sons violin. For those of you who are not be familiar with the name, the Hills were actually an authority for almost a century starting in the 1800’s all the way to the early 90’s when it comes to string instruments.

Because the London-based company closed in the 90’s, many of their top of the range violins are extremely coveted in the market. The 1930 William E. Hill and Sons violin has been in my possession for quite some already. I actually remember comparing its sound to a century old German violin and the Hill violin sounds much older!

For its composition, the top is made of top quality spruce as its sounding board. No less than the best maple wood is utilized on the back, sides, and the neck. Ebony makes up the rest, including the fingerboard. Like in most cases, the quality of the wood becomes even better as the violin ages. You can really see the quality of the grains coming to the fore with time. In all practicality, the varnish has hardened and would really make the sound even better. The original maker of this violin would be astounded as to the kind of quality it brings as it ages gracefully.

Again, if you have seen the video, this violin has a very strong and deep sound. It is also very loud. I remember my friend James, who used to sit beside me during string quartet plays. There was one time when I actually pushed it to its limits and the sound never faltered. The sound was never distorted that he told me to keep it down.

A violin with great volume and deep bottom sound will be a nice choice for those who need to stand out. Obviously, this would also make the violin an incredible choice for soloists.

Often when you have a very deep bottom, the notes tend to become fuzzy as you go to the higher notes. This one keeps the consistency of the notes coming starting from the bottom strings and all the way to the top. You simply can push it as hard and as long as you want and it will never buck under pressure.

Both of these violins have extremely high quality and works of art in the truest sense. While they have very deep bottom sounds, the Andrea Schudtz Violin offers a little bit of clarity compared to the Hill violin. These violins also do not crack under pressure, which is really important for a professional violinist. Like I said in the video, if I had more thumbs, I would give more than 2 thumbs up!

This time I will be doing a review not about violins, but about bows.

In this section, we will be comparing two magnificent violins within the price range of around $900 to $1,200. This review will focus particularly on the Finkel Lefin bow and the Sautille 4-Star bow, respectively.

It should be noted that many experts, including luthiers, believe that the choice of bows is about as important as the choice of a very good violin. While it is so convenient to do a review about the qualities and sound features of a violin, it is so easy to disregard the very things that make these violins tick. The best sounding and most expensive violins of a Stradivari, Guarneri, or Amati would all be useless without their bows. In fact, have you ever wondered what an old masterpiece violin would sound like if the bow being used is less than ideal? If that had always been the case, string instruments that require bows would have suffered a slow death centuries ago.

It is very obvious that professional violinists and those called masters will demand so much more from their bows than students or even new professionals. Violinists comprising the latter normally lack the technical know-how and experience to notice the difference between the really expensive bows and bows that are within this price range. That being said, there are still qualities that are much sought after in bows regardless of the status of the violinists.

When it comes to material composition, violinists have the option of using brazilwood, pernambuco, and carbon fiber. Practically anyone who knows a thing or two about violins and bows would point out that pernambuco has always been the preferred choice by the best bow makers. This is the type of wood that is preferred by the best bow makers, including the early masters of bow making.

Pernambuco sticks are sought after because of their high quality and their inimitable combination of elasticity, strength, and responsiveness. So far, no other wood on this planet comes even close to replicating the qualities of the pernambuco. As such, they are becoming more expensive because of its increasing rarity and because of the restrictions imposed by the Brazilian government in the harvest and use of this wood.

Violinists should be delighted to know that both the Finkel Lefin and Sautille 4-Star bows are made of this exceptional wood. It means that the qualities that make the pernambuco superb are readily evident in these bows. Qualities like strength, elasticity, and responsiveness are all in abundance with these two bows.

More than the kind of wood used for the bows, as there are several variations of the use of the pernambuco, the makers of the bows should be another good factor to consider. Both bows come from companies with excellent reputations when it comes to bow making. The Finkel, in particular, traces its bow making heritage all the way back to the later part of the 18th century.

The Finkel bow making industry moved to Switzerland around the 50’s and from there the company has gained renown as easily one of the best bow-making entities around the world. Many of its foundation and principles started when bow making was at its finest. The Finkel bows are now proudly Swiss-made and boasts of quality that is coveted by the hundreds.

I can still remember the first time I met a Finkel bow. Back then, I had a student who came into the shop brandishing a Finkel Lefin bow. I was just extremely excited the moment I looked at it because I used to have a really old and fantastic French bow that I had used for many years. That old French bow and the Finkel Lefin bow owned by my student were uncannily similar in quality and performance.

The Sautille 4-Star bow on the other hand, is from the top of the range bow making company in China. Sautille also offers bows in the lower range, but does not have the kind of quality and performance that the 4-Star offers.

Personally, the reason why I have not been doing reviews about bows as compared to violins is because the qualities of a bow are more about feelings. Feelings, as we all know, are intensely personal. Violinists feel differently towards a bow compared to any other part or accessory of a violin.

For my part, I usually feel wobbly at the knees when I feel like a bow is able to do whatever I want it to do. I really had jelly knees every time I use either one of these bows. They just have so much balance that it requires only the most minimum of efforts to play several styles like a legato or a sautille. There are other bows out there of the same price range that would not allow me to get the right kind of sound out of my violin.

And then there is strength, which is the main thing I am always looking for in a bow, regardless of the price. The strength should not be too much because it will impede my movements and would not allow any fancy techniques. On the other hand, it should not be too soft that the hairs would touch the bow when you really push it hard when you play. Once the hair meets the bow, the sound becomes warped, fuzzy, or distorted.

Although both bows have almost exactly the same qualities in balance and strength, I would give the slight edge to the Sautille 4-Star bow when it comes to the latter quality. Both violins are extremely well made with silver tips and mounted frogs. There are also additional decorations on the Sautille 4-Star bow than the Finkel Lefin. Other than that, they are somewhat the same in other areas. These are worth every penny of their price range and get a thumbs up from Whitehorse Music.

Welcome one more to Whitehorse Music Review. In this section, we will be comparing two amazing cellos that can be found in this beautiful shop. The two cellos that we will be comparing are the Scott 900 Cello and the Struna Maestro Cello.

The Scott Cao 900 Cellos is labelled as SCC 900. However, in Australia, it goes by the name of SCC 300. Hmm. Quite interesting actually, because there is some kind of a story behind it. The often ridiculous change in names can be traced to the fact that importers often decide to change or upgrade the different parts of Scott Cao cellos. Because of these changes, they do not want these cellos to be labelled like those that are found in the US or overseas.

Here at Whitehorse Music, we really do not put too much emphasis on the names as we normally cast our own magic on the string instruments that are found in the shop. We usually put a new sound post, a bridge, super fancy strings, or whatever it takes to maximize the best sound qualities of the string instruments.

Scott Cao, first of all, is a renowned master luthier that has gained international acclaim for the quality and beauty of his cellos and practically all of his string instruments.He is like the Rolls Royce of modern luthiers. More than being a superb luthier, he is also very good at transferring his knowledge and expertise to many of his students. His shops in China and the US are supervised by many of his students. In fact, a number of his students also work there as apprentices.

Scott Cao cellos are the kind that makes people drool over. The quality of the workmanship of his cellos is simply amazing. This is especially very exciting for a luthier like me to see a cello of amazing quality. It is often a common sight to see very wet Scott Cao cellos on display. So I suggest, you get one yourself before the shop owner or the string specialist drools all over the masterpiece.

If you have seen the video review of this section, you should hear the kind of top sound quality that the Scott Cao 900 cello brings. It has a full and warm sound that is really pleasing to hear. The top strings are not brassy, while the bottom strings are not unfocused. It has a very nice sound across all four strings.

One very nice sound quality of this Scott Cao cello is its projected power. Soloists or those who have parts that require them to stand out should make a beeline for this cello. The power it brings makes it very nice to hear, especially when you are sitting near the back rows of a concert hall. You might even find the sounds more pleasant and warm when heard from a distance. It is a very nice feature of this cello.

The second cello in this blog is the Struna Maestro. If you have seen the video reviews, then you would know that the Struna Maestro is one of the four Struna brands that is a result of my collaboration with an amazing Chinese luthier. The Struna Maestro is the top of the range in the Struna brand and is personally handcrafted by the master luthier himself.

Being China-made is a feature that is shared by the Struna Maestro and the Scott Cao 900 cellos. One thing that strikes me about customers who come into the shop is the belief that if a cello or a string instrument is made in China, it is supposed to sound tinny or even harsh. Well, with these two, that is just not the case. Of course, China has millions of people and there could possibly be hundreds of luthiers around. There is also every bit of a chance that you could buy a tinny or harsh sounding cello in the process. However, with these two, you should be assured with the beautiful, warm, mellow, but strong sounds that they bring.

Since we cast our own magic spells of Whitehorse Music, we made our own spin on both the Struna Maestro and the Scott Cao cellos. What I did was to put very bright strings on the bottom strings to clear up the sound. Although the sound in the beginning is a bit harsh or metallic, it would soon really clear up the bottom strings with enough playing.

For the top, I used this magnificent Larsen strings that are very warm-sounding. Since it is usually at the top where the tinny sounds come from, the Larsen strings would eliminate that tinny sound and in place would be a warm and mellow sound. So the bottom strings, where it is usually muddy or unfocused will become very clear while the top strings, where it is usually tinny would have a warm and mellow sound. It is one way of enhancing the harmonics of these amazing cellos.

Another unique advantage with using the bright strings for the bottom strings is the addition of resonance and vibration. Because of the kind of strings used at the bottom, the top two strings start to ring longer. The changes in the bottom string also allow the ring to be more noticeable. It means that I have taken two quite mellow cellos and made them slightly brighter down the bottom. The changes have really helped since they really sound fantastic and have even better consistency in the sounds across all four strings.

One thing of note with the Struna Maestro is the kind of spirit and oil varnishing that is being used here. It makes the cello look like a 300-year old string instrument and allows the wood to vibrate the way it wants to.

A feature that is common among all Strunas and is very evident in the Maestro is the warm and mellow sounds in the top two strings. It also has a very focused top sound. My goal is to make the Struna sound like a choir of angels. For me, this is clearly heard with the Struna Maestro.

Both cellos have warm and mellow top strings while the bottom strings are very clear. I would give the slight edge of power to the Struna. However, the projected power of the Scott Cao is something to marvel at also. They both get a thumbs up from Whitehorse Music.

Knowing the Struna Classroom Viola and the Gliga II Viola

In this review, we will be comparing two Violas within the $1,000 price range, the Struna Classroom and the Gliga II Viola. Nobody’s probably more excited about this review than my wife Michelle who is also a viola player. For quite a few number of years, I have been asked by people to do a review about violas. Today, I am giving in to this request and quite excited as well as this will be the first time ever at Whitehorse Music to do a viola review!

The Gligas, as you may have well known, come from the workshops of the renowned Romanian strings instrument maker Vasile Gliga. Vasile Gliga holds quite a prominent place in the hearts of many violin, cello, and viola lovers because of the quality of the craftsmanship of these instruments. Viola enthusiasts in particular are often mesmerized by the dark undertones of the Gligas.

Part of the Gligas’ fame lies in the history behind the timbers that are used in their string instruments. The wooded areas where the top quality woods are taken from are called by some as the Italian’s valley. This is so because of the reputation of the resonance in the woods around certain areas in Romania that has caused Italian master luthiers to specifically look for them. Quite obviously, Vasile Gliga has been using, for the longest time possible, the best qualities of the woods in Romania.

I am very excited about the Gliga II as a viola of this price range. It has very considerable improvements from the Gliga III. The Gliga III is their cheapest viola, followed by the Gliga II, and then the most expensive ones, the Gliga I. As such, I should say that there is a very wide chasm between the Gliga II and the Gliga III. Although there are marked differences between the Gliga II and the Gliga I, it is not as vast as the differences between the Gliga II and III models.

One very clear difference between the III and the II is the varnishing. The Gliga III has about 3 layers of thin varnishing while the Gliga II has at least 6 layers of very thin varnishing. And despite the numerous layers of varnishing, you can easily feel the timbers that are being used in the Gliga II. Additionally, the varnishing is the kind that allows the woods to vibrate the way they want to. It allows the woods to fully realize their sound potentials.

Speaking of timbers, the woods being used for the Gliga II are spruce with very good resonance at the top and moderately flamed maple at the back, sides, and neck. The maple is also of very good quality. For the other areas like the pegs, fingerboard, and the nut, ebony of really nice quality is used as well. Several layers of oil varnishing are coated on the Gliga II to provide a somewhat glossy, but antiquated look. The antiquing is also done tastefully which projects the image of a really old viola.

The clearest features coming from the Gliga II are the deep and mellow sounds it provides. It entices you to play it in your bedroom to melt your heart or someone else’s. A melting heart is quite a problem medically, but tonally, it sure is fantastic!

The next viola to review is the Struna Classroom. People who are familiar with Whitehorse Music would know that the Strunas are a result of my collaboration with an amazing Chinese luthier. Seven years of cooperation with this master Chinese latter have resulted in the production of very nice violas, including the Struna Classroom. I should say that I am really proud of them. There are actually four brands of Strunas with the Classroom as ideally intended for beginners.

The woods used in the Struna Classroom are Russian spruce at the top for its exceptional resonance while flamed maple composes the back, neck, and sides. Like most violas of excellent quality, ebony is the material of choice for the fingerboard, pegs, nuts, and other areas. To top it off, very nice Italian spirit varnishing is used to provide a very nice antique look. Unlike the Gliga II, this one looks slightly bit older. The varnishing, like the one used in the Gliga II, also allows the woods to vibrate the way they want to.

Like the other Struna models, the Struna Classroom has plenty of oomph in its power. Power is something that can be easily measured in decibels unlike the other qualities found in string instruments. The importance in power is always emphasized by teachers because it allows the music to be heard even from the back rows. Violinists, violists, and cellists are oftentimes defined by the kind of power their preferred strings instrument offers.

Another quality shared by the Gliga II and the Struna Classroom is a deep, rich, and full sound. It is really quite hard to define what a full sound is that I actually ended up describing the fullness as voluptuous, which is probably not the right kind of word. Rich and full may be described as sunshine in full bloom. Both of them have a radiant kind of fullness and warmth. I think that is a much better description that being just voluptuous.

If you have seen the video reviews, then you would get a fairly good idea of what I am writing about. Most often, experts would simply let people hear a musical piece to spot the difference. Hopefully, the videos would be of much better help regarding the similarities and the differences in the sounds.

I would tend to give the slight edge to the Struna Classroom when it comes to power and volume. It has a very pronounced boldness compared to the Gliga II, which is superbly mellow, but strong. Both violas are exceptionally good options for beginners and intermediate students for this price range. Also, both of them get a thumbs up from Whitehorse Music.

For this review, I will be tackling two very interesting violins that are somehow competitors in the market because of their price range. The violins that will be reviewed in depth would be the Helmut Illner B Model and the Struna Maestro Extra.

The Helmut Illner B is a next to the top level violin produced by an incredible violin maker named, of course, Helmut Illner. I refer to it as next to the top because his creation also includes an A model with a higher price tag than the B model. That being said, the B model is a very well made violin with superb sound qualities.

With a casual glance of the Helmut Illner B model, you will immediately notice that it does not sport the same extremely antique look that is common in the industry today. It looks antique but does not look like a violin crafted more than 200 years ago. Nonetheless, it is very tastefully done as far as looking aged goes.

The kind of varnishing used in the Helmut Illner B model is another thing that is not typical with many of most violins today. It uses a shiny and transparent varnishing that reminds me so much of French Collin-Messin models. The incredible thing about this kind of varnishing is that it allows the violin to maintain its sound very well and sound even better as it ages.

While the A model, which uses European wood, the B model uses very top quality Chinese wood. Helmut Illner usually uses wood that have been suitably seasoned to produce the best tonal qualities in their string instruments. Thus, the B model is no exemption. Top quality spruce is used on the top as a fantastic sounding board while the back, sides, and neck are made of the best Chinese maple. The kind of varnishing used on this violin brings out the best qualities of the timber used. This is an amazing violin of top quality.

If you have seen my review of the Helmut Illner B model in the video, you should be able to hear the most obvious sound quality of this violin. This violin has a very clear and bell-like sound. In fact, your only choice would be to buy a bell or to buy the B model. You simply can’t have both!

The bell-like quality of the violin makes the sound so alive. It is simply brilliant and sparkles in a way that is extremely good for some virtuoso displays. The sparkling brilliance is most evident in the upper register. There is also excellent consistency on the upper register.

The bell-like sound is also synonymous with the clarity of its sound. Clarity allows a violinist to be heard across the distance. It makes the audience hear the notes exactly as they are supposed to sound. This is a very good quality that a violin can offer.

The next violin to be discussed is the Struna Maestro Extra. For those of you who may not know, the Strunas are a result of a cooperation between me and a very good Chinese luthier. This Chinese luthier has a very small shop where he allows me to put my inputs about thickness and varnishing. The result is the creation of the Strunas of which there are already four brands. The Struna Maestro is one of the four.

The reason why I call it the Struna Maestro Extra is because I use very expensive Italian wood and it cost me extra! No, the real reason is, while a Struna Maestro can be made by the head luthier or any of his skilled 6 apprentices, the Struna Maestro Extra is done solely by the master luthier. Thus, anyone can see the level of craftsmanship that this violin brings.

Just earlier, I mentioned the use of seasoned Italian spruce. The seasoned Italian spruce is deliberately picked for its mellow but strong sound. This wood is used on the top while high quality maple from the forests of Bosnia is utilized for the back, sides, and neck. Ebony makes up most of the remaining parts like the fingerboard. To complete the look, spirit varnishing is used underneath while oil varnishing is used on the flanks. The result is a violin that looks very antique. It is simply one of the best violins to have come out of the Whitehorse Music store.

Again, if you have seen the review on video, you will notice that the use of the aged Italian spruce is very clear in the mellow sound of the violin. It has a certain strength to it that allows the mellow sound to linger. You hear and feel a very soft and pleasant sound coming from the Struna Maestro Extra violin.

The violin also has deep and rich tones, particularly in the lower register. While there are other violins in this price range and with these qualities that sound vague or unfocused on the lower register, the Struna Maestro Extra is definitely not one of them. It just sounds robust and mellow at the same time.

There are similarities between the Helmut Illner B model and the Struna Maestro Extra. First of all, they have a very consistent upper register. Although, the B model does possess some dazzling upper register compared to the Struna Maestro Extra. They also have very clear sounds.

The difference would somehow be on the lower register where the Struna Maestro Extra has a significantly more depth and richness. This is not to say that the Helmut Illner B model is not deep or rich. It simply means these qualities are more pronounced with the Struna Maestro Extra.

The other difference has nothing to do with the sound. The Struna Maestro Extra looks more antique than the Helmut Illner B model. Again, this is not to say that looking older or more antique is better. I am merely pointing out the difference.

The choice is between a violin made in Europe using Chinese wood and a violin made in China using European wood! In any case, both of these violins get a thumbs up from Whitehorse Music.

Gliga Superior Viola and the Struna Master Viola

The violas the Gliga Superior Viola and the Struna Master Viola are superbly made and are well worth their price range as options for beginners and intermediate students.

The Gliga Superior comes from the workshop of the famous luthier Vasile Gliga. For people who have never had the chance to see or hold a Gliga, once you get the opportunity, you would surely be blown away by the quality of the craftsmanship in all of their string instruments. There is just a remarkable benchmark in their craftsmanship that has to be upheld by all Gliga string instruments regardless of level. You can be assured that the best skills and innate passion for string instruments are applied on all Gligas including the Gliga Superior.

The workshops of Vasile Gliga in Romania pride themselves in the quality of woods they use for their string instruments. Most of these naturally aged woods are taken from some of the best sources in the world for resonant sounding boards-the Carpathian Mountains. Part of the Carpathian Mountains that extend to Romania is home of the finest spruces that are highly-prized by ancient and modern string instrument makers. This is exactly the reason why some people call these wooded areas the Italian’s valley.

When it comes to timbers, the Gliga Superior makes use of naturally seasoned and very resonant spruce at the top while sycamore maple of excellent quality is used for the back, ribs, and neck. They have solid grains with moderately high flames. Ebony of very good quality is utilized for the chin rest, pegs, nut, and fingerboard. You can also notice a very elaborate, detailed, and deeply-etched scroll.

Interestingly, the Gliga Superior that I am holding right now has visible lines at the top. They are quite clear when viewed closely. These lines are not part of the wood itself. They are not necessarily a bad thing. Often with violas, luthiers might make the flank using a different type of wood to prevent wolf notes. It is not unusual for viola makers to look for pieces of woods with knots on it. They are actually very pretty and look like natural fibers. Sometime ago, I sent an instrument to a customer that have these same lines. The customer sort of panicked upon seeing the lines! You should not be concerned when you see violas with these lines as they help that particular viola sound better and look good at the same time.

The Gliga Superior has a very rich and warm brownish sort of color. It has an antique look about it with impressive polish using oil varnish. If you have to buy a Gliga Superior, you would have to buy special clothes and walk around looking extremely superior. You can almost play this viola with a raised and aristocratic chin if the viola is not in danger of falling. Like I said, the quality of this string instrument will blow you away.

The Struna Master is a result of a seven-year collaboration with an amazing Chinese luthier. I go over to his little shop and provide some advice about thickness and varnishing. The result of our collaboration is the Struna brands, of which the Master is the start of the higher level.

The Struna Master is where we use our top of the range timbers and varnishing techniques. Russian spruce makes up the top while highly-flamed maple is utilized for the other parts like the back, ribs, and neck. Like the Gliga Superior, Ebony is the choice of wood for the fingerboard, nut, pegs, and chin rest. The varnishing is done using a combination of spirit varnish underneath and oil varnish on the top. If oil varnishing is solely relied to coat the Struna Master, it would somehow constrict the sound a little. This varnishing technique allows the wood to vibrate the way it wants to.

Like the Gliga Superior, the Struna Master also has an antique look. The main difference is the latter really looks like a three hundred year-old viola courtesy of faded flanks and well-worn appearance. It also has a very nice look and can certainly give other violas a run for their money when it comes to aesthetic appeal.

When it comes to sound, there are some similarities and differences between the two violas. You would have a better understanding of what I am writing about if you have seen the video review.

The Struna Master has a good edge when it comes to power and loudness. This is the sort of viola that is custom made for soloists who are planning to play in a big hall. The soloist would have little trouble filling up a huge hall with the kind of power and loudness the Struna Master brings. There is also warmth and richness found here. It asks you to play fast and loud.

On the other hand, the Gliga Superior is awesome in its mellowness and dark rich tones. It is something you would want to play in the privacy of your room. There is a very real attraction of playing slow music with the Gliga Superior so you can savor the pleasantly dark, deep, and rich tones. True to the history of the Gligas, the Superior really offers the dark and deep tones unlike any other brand.

Both of these violas are amazingly well-made and beautiful. They also get the thumbs up from Whitehorse Music.

If you have been keeping tabs with my video reviews, you should know by now that the Struna Maestro is only one of four Struna models that are available at Whitehorse Music. The Struna Maestro is a product of several years, more like a seven-year collaboration with a fantastic Chinese luthier. I often go to his small workshop and give my advice regarding thickness and varnishing. All Strunas are extremely well-made with the Struna Maestro as being top of the range.

There are several reasons why the Struna Maestro is called as such. One big reason is because the Struna Maestro is made no less than by the head luthier himself. While his skilled apprentices do most of the work for the other Strunas, the master Chinese luthier personally handcrafts with meticulous care and skill the Struna Maestro.

Another reason why this Struna has the word Maestro attached to it is due to the kind of timbers that are used to construct the cello. This cello uses top of the line Italian spruce for the top while well-flamed and top quality maple is used for the back, sides, and neck. Ebony of superb quality makes up the nut, pegs, and other parts. Even with a single glance, you can quite see the quality of all the materials used in the Struna Maestro.

The trend when it comes to the physical style of cellos, and practically all string instruments, is an aged look that projects a 300-year old image. This is the fad because of the kind of appeal that a real centuries-old cello brings. As you all know, genuine centuries-old cellos or violins command millions of dollars in price. Besides, all string instruments, including the cello trace its roots from the early masters and the copies are supposed to be the way the originals look after time has taken its toll.

To get that extremely antiquated look, a unique way of varnishing is utilized on the Struna Maestro. Instead of just oil or spirit varnishing, a combination of the two is employed. The result is a look that could really fool someone regarding its true age. This kind of varnishing also allows the timbers to show their full quality and beauty.

Amazingly, the benefit of this kind of varnishing is not limited to the looks only. The combination of oil and spirit varnishing allows the woods to vibrate as they should or as the woods would want to vibrate. It helps the woods showcase their full potential since the vibrations are not impeded by too much or too little coating. I am proud to say that the result is a cello that oozes with quality and physical beauty.

If you have seen the video review, you would know that the Struna Maestro has a very nice mix of warmth and power in its sound. The warmth is also full that the undercurrent deep sounds ring very clear in all of the four strings. All of the Strunas, be it a violin or a cello, have some very discernible warmth in them and is even more evident in the Struna Maestro cello.

The second cello that we will be interviewing is the Heinrich Gill W2 model. As I have mentioned in several interviews involving a Heinrich Gill string instrument, this German string instrument company has been in operation since 1952 and has one of the biggest storerooms of seasoned tone woods in the world. They have amazing quantity and quality of European tone woods at their disposal.

The W2 model is part of the new breed of string instruments from Heinrich Gill that are acoustically-engineered. This means that the cellos of the same model sound fairly the same. I say fairly because it is impossible to fully replicate sounds between 2 instruments despite being of the same model.

One of the reasons why I like Heinrich Gill cellos and why I keep a stock of them in Whitehorse Music is because they tend to be really resonant. Their sound continues and continues with great clarity as well. This resonant quality is even more evident as you go higher in their model classifications. It starts with the 304 model, then the W2, followed by the W3, the X5, and finally, their best and most expensive model, the X7.

The Heinrich Gill W2 model is made of seasoned European spruce in the front and high quality maple for the back, rib neck, and sides. Usually, Heinrich Gill will only use woods that have been aged for at least 10 years. Common knowledge and experience show that the older the wood is, the better the instrument is supposed to sound.

The Heinrich Gill W2 model cello is so good that people who come into the shop to buy this cello always struggles to bring the instrument out. I simply find it hard to let go of an instrument that is extremely well-made with fantastic sound qualities.

The W2 model cello also uses a kind of varnishing technique that brings out the best in the timbers. Although the cello looks old, it does not look as old as the Struna Maestro or some of the really old-looking cellos on the market. The Heinrich Gill W2 model looks like a violin that was made during the last century and is the subject of exemplary care. Again, this cello is a very well-made and is worth more than a 2nd or 3rd look.

The most obvious sound quality that the W2 model brings is its loudness. It is big and powerful in every aspect. This is the kind of sound quality I tend to recommend to intermediate students since it allows the students to have a wide dynamic range. They can do loud fortissimos and pianissimos with little effort.

The main difference between the two lies in the top sound. The W2 is more penetrating and more focused while the Struna Maestro is very round and warm. They have really amazing qualities and should be fantastic for people with different tastes in tone for their cellos. Both of them are highly-recommended by Whitehorse Music.

Heinrich Gill W2 vs. Struna Maestro:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJhfdn8H2C8

For this blog we review two violins that are out in the market for quite some time already. In this review, two violins that fall in the $1,000+ price range will be discussed in more detail. The review will center on the Raggetti Masters Series 6.0 and the Struna Concert.

The Raggetti Masters series, as many may have already known is, well, a series of violins that closely resemble the old masters. For this particular violin, the Raggetti Masters Series 6.0, looks very much like a Guarneri original. The Raggettis pride themselves as faithful replications of old masterpieces. It is their aim to meld together the principles and designs of Stradivari and Guarneri originals in style and sound quality. Hence, the word Masters is found right in the middle of their names.

A high quality timber called spruce is used on the top while solid maple can be clearly identified as materials used on the sides, the back, and the neck of the violin. Another material called ebony is utilized in some parts like the pegs, the tailpiece, and the fingerboard. To top it off, it is finished by a very nice oil varnishing. The overall result is a very nice and antique-looking violin that should have violin makers drooling. The craftsmanship is really great with the kind of sound quality to match it.

The caliber of the workmanship should not be in doubt since the Raggetti 6.0 came out of the workshop of Peter Guan. While traditional countries related to violins are preferred by so many, China has slowly crept its way to prominence with the kind of quality their violins provide. You might just find it surprising if violin store owners and luthiers would recommend violins from China as an excellent option. The Raggetti Masters Series 6.0 is certainly proof of its caliber.

If you have seen the video of my review about the Raggetti Masters Series 6.0, the tone that easily stands out with this violin is power. The violinist who uses this will simply have a big chance of reaching the farthest corners of a concert hall. It will certainly not fade away a few meters from the front stage. The best thing about power is it allows the fiddler to relax a bit and concentrate rather on other aspects like rhythm or intonation. It takes some pressure off of the performer knowing that he can be heard by everybody. Unless, of course, hiding in plain sight is the goal!

The second most discernible feature of the Raggetti 6.0 is its clarity. Clarity is a feature that is almost always married to power. If one has to be heard above the din of the orchestra or the rest of the violins, might as well make sure the sound is very clear. An unclear sound renders power useless in some sense. What’s good with hearing a sound when it can’t be clearly distinguished from another sound. A fuzzy sound will usually die out somewhere along the mid rows.

A somewhat underrated or less obvious feature of this violin is its resonance. The Raggetti Series 6.0 offers just the right amount of resonance that it does not sound too sudden or rushed nor does it let the note overlap each other. This gets a big thumbs up from Whitehorse Music.

The next violin to be reviewed is Struna Concert. For those who do not know yet, the Struna Concert is part of the Struna brand of violin range that are available from Whitehorse Music. The other Strunas are namely: the Classroom, the Master, and the Maestro. You can also check out some of the reviews and blogs on these Strunas right on Whitehorse Music’s website.

The Struna Concert is a result of a 7-year collaboration with master Chinese luthier. Yes, it is not an error! It is another Chinese violin maker with superb craftsmanship. It is not impossible to think that Chinese-made string instruments will be the norms rather than unusual occurrences.

First off, the Struna Concert is another copy of an old master. Well, most of today’s violins do take a page or several pages out of the original violin makers. Quite clearly, the Struna Concert is detailed to look like an old masterpiece. It does look a lot like a del Gesu original. I try to be very objective with how I review violins and this one is no exception. The Struna Concert’s craftsmanship is as meticulous as any in the market today. It looks great and sounds great!

Wood material is a very careful choice of Russian spruce of fairly tight grain for the top. A flamed maple of very high quality is used on the back, sides, and neck of the violin. To bring out the best qualities of the timber, a high quality Italian spirit varnish is coated on the violin. For the pegs, the tailpiece, chin rest, nut, saddle, and the fingerboard, ebony is the material of choice. The looks may resemble that of Guarneri’s but the varnishing, shape, and thickness are patterned after the best Stradivarius has to offer with his violins.

Aside from the looks, excellent sound quality is also guaranteed. Whitehorse Music crafts violins under the eagle eye of a string specialist. Again, if you have seen the video of my review about the Struna Concert, you will get to hear the sound it generates.

The Struna Concert has some sustained power, which should also make it a good option for soloists, advanced students, and intermediate ones as well. This violin also has a very nice warmth to its sound. The deep bottom area gives the warmth on the notes, particularly when playing on the upper registers, without sacrificing brilliance.

Both the Raggetti Masters Series 6.0 and the Struna Concert are impressive violins for their price range of around $1,000. The choice would actually boil down to the taste and preferences when it comes to choosing between these two.

Hopefully, the review will help violin lovers out there in making a choice.