Holstein Traditional violins: handcrafted in our select VSA award-winning workshop. These instruments are made from the high quality European tonewoods; select spruce for the top and select maple for the back and ribs of the instruments. Our Holstein Traditional violins are made in various replicas and copies of violins made by the old masters, such as Stradivari, Guarneri del Gesù, Amati, and Maggini. The patterns and dimensions of the wood, as well as the varnish, are copied from the originals to achieve the same tonal qualities. This is our wonderful replica of the original Amati violin made in 1662. Though nearly all of his instruments show unsurpassed attention to precision and detail, Nicolò Amati's violins followed a relatively small pattern, with a big belly (high arch rising nearly to a ridge in the center of both the front and back of the instrument). It's smaller body design makes this a popular choice amongst more petite violinists as it's less cumbersome to get around the instrument when playing in the higher positions. The Amati still maintains a healthy projection, and is favored for its warm and sweet tone. The Setup Holstein Traditional violins are setup with quality fittings and strings to bring the most out of the instrument. The Despiau “Three Tree” bridge is hand-carved and fitted to each individual instrument by our luthiers during the set-up process. Violin Specifications Varnish: Real hand-applied oil varnish Fingerboard: Fine Ebony Fittings: Ebony Bridge: Hand-carved professional level Despiau 3-tree or Holstein 3-star Bridge Strings: Maker's choice. Standard is Thomastik Vision or Dominant. We select and match the strings carefully to bring the most out of each individual instrument.