Is there anything physically distinct about the wood and finish of Stradivari's instruments?
Most likely: stradivari and Guarneri treated their wood with mineral solutions (borax, sulphates, salt, alum, alkali),…Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.
Where it stands
Five answers have been proposed. Stradivari and Guarneri treated their wood with mineral solutions (borax, sulphates, salt, alum, alkali),… leads, with evidence 3 for: partly supported by its tests. Four are still possible. Of the two narrower questions under it, one is answered.
Answers 5
History
- Burckle & Grissino-Mayer puts forward: the spruce grew unusually evenly, through the cold of the Maunder Minimum or selection.
- Stoel & Borman: cremonese tops have a smaller early/late density difference (183 vs 274 g/l).For: The spruce grew unusually evenly, through the cold of the Maunder Minimum or selection.
- Nagyvary et al.: wood ash from four Cremonese instruments contains BaSO4, CaF2, borate and ZrSiO4.For: Stradivari and Guarneri treated their wood with mineral solutions (borax, sulphates, salt, alum, alkali),…
- Echard et al. puts forward: the varnish contains a special ingredient that gives the instruments their sound.
- Echard et al.: five Stradivari finishes consist of a drying-oil base and an oil, pine resin and pigment layer, with no…Against: The varnish contains a special ingredient that gives the instruments their sound.
- Stoel et al.: no significant difference in median density between Cremonese, other classical and modern violins.Against: The spruce grew unusually evenly, through the cold of the Maunder Minimum or selection.
- Tai et al.: maple from four Stradivari instruments and a Guarneri shows mineral profiles (Al, Ca, Cu, Na, K, Zn) unlike…For: Stradivari and Guarneri treated their wood with mineral solutions (borax, sulphates, salt, alum, alkali),…
- Tai et al.: stradivari's violin maple, but not his cello maple, shows unusual thermo-oxidation patterns, which ageing…Against: The chemical differences come from three centuries of ageing and playing, not deliberate treatment.
- Tai et al.: hemicellulose loss and lignin oxidation are partly attributed to age and vibration by the same authors.For: The chemical differences come from three centuries of ageing and playing, not deliberate treatment.
- Su et al. puts forward: stradivari and Guarneri treated their wood with mineral solutions (borax, sulphates, salt, alum, alkali),…
- Su et al.: spruce soundboards show unnatural elemental compositions and oxidation patterns.For: Stradivari and Guarneri treated their wood with mineral solutions (borax, sulphates, salt, alum, alkali),…
- Stani et al.: a thin protein-based layer lies between wood and varnish on two violins.For: The varnish contains a special ingredient that gives the instruments their sound.
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