The Best of Trade Secrets 5
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 Best of Trade Secrets 4
The Best of Trade Secrets 3
Antonio Stradivari ‘Messiah’ violin 1716 poster
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The Best of Trade Secrets
The Best of Trade Secrets 2
‘Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ 1741 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘King Carlos IV’ violin 1709 poster – NEW IN
The ‘King Carlos IV’ is one of the few instruments remaining from the collection of the Spanish king, who ruled from 1788 to 1808. Made during Stradivari’s ‘golden period’, it is one of the rare examples that is so well preserved that its sound is seldom matched by other violins of the era. The maple back has deep, wide flames descending slightly, which shimmer like water in the light. The scroll is incredibly round and bold, displaying an ultimate strength in making.
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In Focus 2
The Strad ’s second compilation of fascinating articles, written within the last 5 years, brings together fine instruments by some of the world’s greatest instrument experts. In this new anthology, every instrument has been given three pages to include more close-up photographs, archings, angles and tiny details.
In Focus
For a limited time only, The Strad is issuing the first in the In Focus series with a beautiful, new limited edition cover.
This collection of articles from The Strad’s long-running In Focus series brings together more than 80 fascinating stringed instruments, with commentaries by some of today’s top instrument experts.
Makers include Antonio Stradivari, Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ and G.B. Guadagnini, but also lesser-known masters such as Paul Knorr, Dante Baldoni, Charles Nicolas Altermatt and many others. This makes it an essential resource for anyone seeking to extend their lutherie knowledge into areas and makers whose work is more rare, and a significant addition to the lutherie literature.
In Focus features exceptional high-quality photographs for every featured instrument – front, back and scroll – this book will provide inspiration for today’s makers and anyone who enjoys the beauty and variety of stringed instruments.
Great Instruments
Every generation of violin makers has sought to analyse and understand the classic forms, and, for the past 122 years, the violin world's leading experts have assessed the latest research into the finest instruments in the pages of The Strad. Great Instruments includes 15 authoritative and beautifully illustrated articles from the past ten years, which provide unique insights into some of the world's most celebrated stringed instruments.
Antonio Stradivari ‘Titian’ violin 1715 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Boissier, Sarasate’ violin 1713 poster
Made during Antonio's Stradivari's so-called 'golden period', the 1713 'Boissier, Sarasate' is in an excellent state of preservation. Housed in the museum of the Madrid Royal Conservatoire, it has rarely been played since it was left to the music school by its last owner, the Spanish virtuoso Pablo Sarasate. This poster includes full outlines and measurements taken from a state-of-the-art 3D scan of the instrument.
'The surface retains a very good amount of varnish. It is remarkable that it has not been ‘protected’ with a layer of French polish, making it ever more outstanding and appreciated in today’s shop standards. The colour of the varnish is a light reddish-brown over Stradivari’s wonderful golden ground.' – Roberto Jardón Rico in the January 2024 issue of The StradOur posters are shipped separately from other products. One tube can hold up to 10 posters. Save on postage costs by purchasing up to 10 posters per tube today.
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G.B. Guadagnini ‘Cozio’ viola 1773 poster
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Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ ‘Plowden’ violin 1735 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Huberman’ violin 1713 poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Archinto’ viola 1696 poster
Includes measurements, thickness and arching maps.
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‘Schneider’ Gofriller cello 1693 poster
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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
- 1686 Francesco Rugeri violin
- 1710 Antonio Stradivari ‘Baron Rothschild, Gore-Booth’ cello
- 1713 Antonio Stradivari ‘Huberman’ violin
- c.1720 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.1851 Giuseppe Rocca double bass
- 1865 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume cello
Antonio Stradivari ‘Willemotte’ violin 1734
Poster includes measurements, thickness maps and life-size CT scans.
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Nicolò Amati ‘Romanov’ Viola 1677 Poster
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Gustav Mahler’ viola 1672 poster
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Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ ‘Brusilow’ violin 1743 poster
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Girolamo Amati II violin 1671 poster
The son of Nicolò Amati, Girolamo Amati II was the last instrument maker of the illustrious Amati dynasty. Although he made fewer violins than his forebears, the ones that have survived show the work of a skilled luthier in his prime. This violin, made in the early part of his career, is a pristine example of his craftsmanship and shows many stylistic similarities to the work of his father. It is now housed in the Royal Academy of Music.
’The maple is delicately figured on the back and ribs, and plain for the neck-block. It has been perfectly quarter-cut. Unevenly scattered bearclaw figure ruffles the surface of the one-piece spruce front' – Barbara Meyer in the July 2022 issue
Read more in The Strad
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Carlo Bergonzi ‘Baron Knoop’ violin 1735 poster
Includes measurements, thickness and arching maps and life-size micro-CT scans.
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Saveuse’ cello 1726 poster
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Carlo Bergonzi ‘Salabue, Martzy’ violin 1733 poster
This stunning instrument, still in immaculate condition, bears all the hallmarks of the luthier Carlo Bergonzi, who moved into Antonio Stradivari's workshop following the latter's death. The famed instrument collector Count Cozio di Salabue called it 'my largest and most beautiful Bergonzi'. It was later used as the principal performing instrument of Hungarian virtuoso Johanna Martzy (1924–79).
'The f-holes of the ‘Salabue, Martzy’ are bold and distinctive. In concept, they derive from a Stradivari model but the stems are more angled and the wings are broader' - Jason Price in the July 2024 edition of The Strad.
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Harrison’ violin 1693 poster
A perfect example of Stradivari's Long Pattern, the 'Harrison' was for many years the principal performing instrument of Kyung Wha Chung. It is now part of the collection of the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota, US.
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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
‘De Munck’ Stradivari cello 1730 poster
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‘Kochanski’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1741 poster
One of The Strad's most popular posters is now available with brand new artwork showing the 1741 'Kochanski' Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ in all its glory.
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Antonio Stradivari ‘Dancla’ violin 1708 poster
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Brothers Amati cello c.1600 poster
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Gasparo da Salò double bass c.1550 poster
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Domenico Montagnana ‘Farina’ cello 1730 poster
Domenico Montagnana was possibly the greatest cello maker in history, and the 1730 'Farina' was made during the period when he was at the height of his powers. Unlike most Montagnana cellos, it has never been cut down and retains its original proportions. Now owned by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the instrument has a very powerful sound with a wide array of colours. Previous owners have included May Mukle, one of the first successful female cello soloists.
'The abundant famous Venetian varnish is of a rich, dark red colour, with a fascinating array of textures and patinas. In the areas where the varnish has worn off, a beautiful golden amber ground is revealed. As with most uncut Montagnana cellos, the outline is wide in the upper bouts and corners, and deeply swept in at the C-bouts, with big, broad lower bouts.' - John Waddle and Steve Sirr in the July 2025 edition of The Strad.
'When making recordings, the sound engineer has to turn down my microphone because it sounds up to eight decibels louder than any other cello' - Ilya Finkelshteyn, principal cellist, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Find out how more than 30 luthiers collaborated to build a copy of the c.1730 ‘Farina’ in the November 2023 Strad magazine article, "COPYING A MONTAGNANA CELLO – Robin Aitchison reports from the annual Oberlin Violin Makers Workshop"
Andrea Amati violin c.1566 poster
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Masterclass: 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.
Antonio Stradivari 1694 ‘Benecke’ violin
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Francesco Rugeri violin 1686
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Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume cello 1865 poster
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The Strad Masterclass: Solo Violin
James Ehnes, Hilary Hahn, Leonidas Kavakos, Maxim Vengerov, Nikolaj Znaider: some of the violin world's top names have given their thoughts on key works of string repertoire within The Strad's pages. Now, for the first time, Masterclass: Solo Violin brings together articles from the magazine's popular Masterclass section over the past nine years.
Antonio Stradivari ‘Benvenuti’ Violin 1727 poster
Full-colour micro-CT scans, with all the scanned images actual-size reproductions of the instrument.
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Domenico Montagnana violin 1717 poster
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G.P. Maggini violin c.1630 poster
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Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ ‘Cessole’ violin 1736 poster
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Nicolò Amati violin 1666 poster
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‘Kreisler’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1733 poster
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Pietro Guarneri of Mantua violin 1704 poster
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Jacob Stainer violin 1679 poster
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The Strad Masterclass: Solo Cello
Carlo Giuseppe Testore violin c.1703 poster
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‘Alard’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1742 poster
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Jacob Stainer tenor viola c. 1650 poster
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Carlo Bergonzi violin 1736 Poster
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‘Milanollo’ Stradivari violin 1728 poster
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Masterclass Volume 2: Violin Works
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.
Antonio Stradivari ‘Cecil’ violin 1724 poster
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‘Armingaud, Fernández Blanco’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1732 poster
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‘Kruse’ Stradivari violin 1721 poster
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Cremona map 1580 poster
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Montagnana c.1720–Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ c.1742 ‘Paderewski, Wendling’ violin
This is a unique instrument with a body by Montagnana and a top plate by Guarneri 'del Gesù'. Artists such as Vilde Frang, Isabelle Faust and Augustin Dumay have unanimously praised the violin's sound, recognising its unmistakably ‘del Gesù’ character, with dark basses, great projection and a particularly warm and open E string.
'The large Venetian model combined with the distinctive ‘del Gesù’ front arching, well-preserved thickness and f-holes, offers a particularly attractive and inspiring reference model.' - Balthazar Soulier in the January 2025 issue.
The Strad Calendar 2027: Anders Sveaas Charitable Foundation
‘Rovelli’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1742 poster
The 1742 'Rovelli' can be considered a twin to the 'Alard' Guarneri from the same year. Named for the 19th-century Italian virtuoso Pietro Rovelli, it has most recently been the principal performing instrument of Liya Petrova.
'The "Rovelli" and the "Alard" were built on the same mould, covered with the same golden-brown oil-based varnish, and purfled with the same poplar strips. Their heads are much alike, as are their short corners, their channelled edges and their blackened rib mitres.' – Frédéric Chaudière in the July 2026 edition of The Strad.
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%.
Nicolò Amati cello 1642 poster
One of only seven surviving cellos by Nicolò Amati, this is one of the few Baroque cellos that has never been altered or cut down. Now played by British cellist Jamie Walton, it is a stunning instrument in an excellent state of preservation.
'This extraordinary instrument from 1642 is striking in every possible way: the sculpture of the full and powerful archings; the simple and elegant edges; the balance of the design of the f-holes; the elegance of the scroll cut; and the varnish, from which the observer’s eye cannot detach itself' - Alberto Giordano in the February 2026 issue of The Strad.
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.
Lord Wilton’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1742 poster
Once the concert instrument of Yehudi Menuhin, this magnificent violin makes an interesting contrast with the ‘Alard’ of the same year
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