When I make a copy of an existing violin, viola, or cello, I go to great lengths to recreate the sound and feel of the original. However, remember that Strad made new violins, and a new instrument can have qualities that may have faded in an older instrument over time. These qualities can be things like a larger and more powerful sound, greater clarity and projection, evenness from strong to strong, and a fiery brilliance sometimes lacking in older instruments.

Many players who have made me make them a copy of their existing instrument report that they have ended up using them both interchangeably, depending on the music they are playing and the venue they are performing in. They say that while both of their instruments feel the same and have a similar sound, they have those slightly different tonal characteristics which can lend themselves better to one particular playing condition or another.